Letter From Trevor Hirst

To the Editor,

My name is Trevor Hirst, and I am the current Vice President for Student Life, Programming and Activities here on campus through USG. I have been reluctant to write to The Independent for a number of reasons, mainly because there has not been much for me to really write about. We all know what’s going on through USG and the campus. While there could be better communication from the elected leaders in the Student Government, we have made great strides in coverage and transparency of our many agencies, some of which are the Student Activities Board (meets Mondays in SAC 302 at 7:00PM) and the USG Senate.

At this writing to you, and my fellow students, there are so many things wrong that I honestly do not know where to begin. Esam Al-Shareffi has done an excellent job reporting the weekly happenings in the Senate in The Statesman. As he has stated in past issues, a lot more goes on in the Senate than the actual 2-hour Senate meetings on Tuesday nights at 8:15 in SAC B.

Although the year started off with a lot of in-fighting and partisanship, this semester has shown a lot of maturity, notably as a result of the defection of several key Reform Party members. There is no more bickering, for the most part, between Senators on two sides of an issue, just for the sake of bickering. Rather, there is debate and communication along with independent thinking and more than a modicum of respect. There remain a few stubborn holdouts, but I will not name names.

What I will do, however, is evaluate the article submitted last week in The Statesman entitled “Understanding Campus Cash” by my brother, USG Senator Jonathan Hirst, along with the rebuttal from USG President Romual Jean-Baptiste in the next issue entitled “Response to Letter, Understanding ‘Campus Cash’”.

Senator Hirst describes, in some detail, exactly what has been going on with FSA and Romual, the collusion between the two in order to further his agenda and “legacy”. It is my sincere belief that he has not done what he campaigned for last year, namely to lower food prices (it’s on video of him promising that, although he thoroughly denies running under that campaign when asked why the food prices are so high). Instead, he brings about the off campus meal plan titled “Campus Cash”. I am struck by the fact that it will be used off-campus, defeating the “Campus” portion of that name. But, I digress.

I will neither defend nor attack what the actual program does for students or, more aptly, doesn’t do for students. I would, however, like to discuss about how his response to my brother’s article made me feel. It made me feel laughter towards him which turned rapidly to anger and finally to disgust. Let me get into the laughter part first.

I laughed because he signed it at the end with “Your Chief Servant”. How should I have reacted? I laughed. You would too.

Ok, now the anger and disgust part. The response did not really talk about the merits of the program or how it will really save students money that live on campus that can’t drive to Domino’s or Subway (walking takes way too long). Plus, if Domino’s is delivered, can they swipe our card like SBU delivery? Also, what would be the activation fee for this, because we all know the FSA does nothing for free… I won’t get into some of the very colorful anagrams we use for FSA in the USG suite. These are some serious questions that should have been brought to the students to decide if we actually wanted, nay, needed this thing.

For President Jean-Baptiste to keep on refuting Jonathan’s well-targeted remarks as “wasted time and energy”, he did not really back it up. He kept on saying how long it took him and how great it will be to have this! Streamers will come from the sky! It will rain milk and honey! Anything but what it will really do for us. This is not a dig at him or what he has accomplished, merely a rebuttal to his rebuttal, kind of a dual-buttal if there is such a thing… there should be. On to disgust.

Disgust for the fact that Romual chose such a great forum to respond to Jonathan’s article. Rather than detailing what he has done to lower food costs, get rid of the $270 activation fee for most resident’s mandatory meal plan, or any one of a number of different things, he chose to attack the “wasted time and effort” thing. Bravo.

One cannot help wonder why the response made no sense. Romual has stated so… he has problems with the Senate. They overturned two bills that Romual vetoed for no reason. They questioned their President (something the Constitution of the United States loves, by the way). The Senate went so far as to bring to the floor an amendment to a bill that would take away the President’s ability to withhold stipends from Senators and USG Officials that collect stipends. He then told USG Treasurer Stephen Hui that he did not want to sign their timesheets anymore because of those aforementioned reasons and Stephen would therefore have to sign them until the end of the semester. The President’s job, as outlined in the USG Constitution, is Chief Signatore, (or chief signer of documents, for those of us that don’t speak pseudo Italian). He won’t sign timesheets… Rom get angry! Rom smash! (Incredible Hulk reference for those not in the know). That’s just a smidgen childish.

I work with Romual. I see him almost every day. We can be considered friends. This cannot stand. I am writing to The Independent and to my fellow students to show just what we are dealing with and the depths some of these people will go for what seems like no reason whatsoever.

Those that know me know that I am the antithesis of a diplomat… I say and write things that I feel, rather than consider the consequences. I’m kind of impetuous and don’t really think about ramifications and the people that I hurt. I am a Libra. Believe it or not, I believe in balance and cannot let this pass. People must know, and know they shall.

I am not your servant, neither is anyone in USG. While we are here for the students, we are also here to help the students. That is different. We make policies and plan events and try to help our fellow students and make life better on campus where it is so desperately needed. Servants… I think not.

If I have enlightened you, great. If I have encouraged you, great. If I have made you smile, I’ll take it. If I made you angry, tough. Deal with it. The whole point is to show that there are two sides to every argument, but we have to debate the sides and show, with detail, how they are effective or ineffective. Romual has shown neither. His view is, “it’s good because it took me the summer to do it and people from FSA helped”.

I thank you for taking the time to read this and I would hope that President Jean-Baptiste engage the Senators as well as the students in debate over this program. The newspapers are not the proper place to have a back and forth tête-à-tête. I encourage everyone to come down to Senate meetings regardless, or irregardless if you actually think that’s a word. It’s truly a fun place where unicorns run free and Eskimos blow kisses to fairies and, well, people talk about by-laws and resolutions while discussing how much money to allocate clubs next semester… wholesome fun for all.

Respectfully yours,
Trevor Hirst (not your servant, but your friend)