Actions bring change

DE Reporter
Daily Egyptian

Only two days after critics called Carbondale the worst college sports town in America, fans came out in droves to support Saluki football.

On Saturday, the attendance figures jumped up roughly 3,000 fans from the season home opener in August. The number of tailgaters was down because people decided to head inside the stadium and prove Sports Illustrated On Campus wrong. Fans even endured unfavorable weather conditions to watch their beloved Salukis get revenge against the Murray State Racers.

Just one week prior to the game, SIU students and faculty made an impressive appearance at the SPC-sponsored Heads vs. Feds debate in the Student Center. The final head count calculated an amazing more than 2,000 in attendance.

Unfortunately, it has not always been this way. Last spring, when Chancellor Walter Wendler proposed an 18 percent tuition increase, a forum was scheduled to answer students‚ questions. Student turnout was low ˜ very low. The final attendance count was a mere three people.

Undergraduate Student Government holds meetings regularly to discuss pressing issues on campus. They also draw up proposals, make recommendations and pass resolutions. While 10 percent of the student body turned out for a debate to legalize marijuana, only 7 to 8 percent even vote during the USG elections, and much fewer bother to attend their meetings. It is amazing that students would show up for a debate that could have no possible impact on national and local laws, but they won‚t even come out to vote for student representatives to make changes that directly affect them.

Of course, these meetings are poorly attended as well. Many students don‚t care enough to get involved in organizations like USG but then complain about issues. After the fact, nothing will change by itself. If students want to see things change on campus, they need to become involved during the decision-making process.

Perhaps the Sports Illustrated On Campus article wasn‚t so bad after all. It did inspire higher attendance. Spite can be a great weapon. Some students may have attended their first football game last weekend, and it was probably only to spite a rating by a magazine penned by writers who have most likely never been to Carbondale. Hopefully, these new fans found out how much fun it can be and will return to the next home game.

Maybe by acknowledging that SIU has historically had a generally unsupportive student body, in both sports and academics, we can use this shameful rating to make a change.

Change can be powerful, it can be costly, but change is necessary. For a school to stay unchanged for years would defeat the purpose of the academic setting. We grow in our college years, changing as time goes by. Change leads us to be the people we are destined to be. Change can lead SIUC to the academic institution it strives to be.

Change is in the air. You could feel it as the bleachers shook and the stadium roared and in that moment change was born. In these coming days and months, if we truly want to change, we will. If the student body doesn‚t want any more fees raised or rules imposed, then stand up and let the administration know. And if they don‚t listen, talk louder.

Copyright 2009 - Daily Egyptian