THE‘CADREI TUES., FEB. 26, 1974 Page 3

Kampus Koncern

1. w»

e A won» or WARNING

You are witnessing the de- mocratic ideaology manifes- ting itself: student union elections (sic). The time of year, I am told, when that great mysterious non-entity i.e. the studeht body, ex- presses itself!

To begin, a statistical n04 te. In the last three years not more than 30% of those eligible to vote in this annual election actually vo— ted. Translated into con— crete meaning, this statis- tic becomes a symbol of a symptom: a symptom of lack of faith in present struc- tures of student unionism on this campus.

Traditionally, student un- ions have been a powerless lot. They simply have tried to be a surrogate of the so called democratic institu— tions which direct the la— rger political sphere. They have left questions of phil osophical and political di— rection in limbo, as do our larger political institu— tions. As a result, neither advance the majority of the _people they represent.

What our student union has consistently overlooked is the concrete situation of’ the position of students in their relation to that pub- lic institution, UPEI incor— porated. The Student Union ‘at UPEI simply refuses to exert itself as an instrume—

_nt for real student involve- ment. And I do not mean the kind of involvement that puts a "benevolent" repre— sentative on a Faculty-Stu- dent committee. I am talking about a more dynamic involve- ment which seeks the student. V.But this "dynamic involve— ment" can be realized only through "dynamic" means. One obvious approach is the art— iculation of the student in— terest. I have yet to see any attempt to publish, for public notification, the aims and ideas of student unionism at UPEI.

Some people say that Student Unions are necessary to or— ganize "efficient" drunken madshows such as "The Week Nobody Can Remember", and little more. Others, myself included, see a much broad— er role for student unions.

Student unions must be di-

m

by ioel hansen

verse in their interests. Cultural events cannot be confined to Pig 'N' Whistles

etc.7 there must be an accep— tance by the union to organ— ize the students into coop- eratives on all levels of academic and athletic pract— ice. Drama clubs, community projects, debating societies, etc., are a bare minimum if a student union is to have any relevancy.

Assuming that a union of students should never be a- political, the leaders of student unions should be the principle voices of stu- dent thought and feeling on the various issues of the day. This means that student leaders should be, in essen— ce, "activists". They should Iead the way in taking the student interest and concern into the community, the so called "real" world.

.However, our student union has, in its short history,

“failed to lead the students

into this "real" world. They have become instead a bur— eaucracy for fostering the eScapist tendencies in the ihuman being -- arranging Weekly drunks for example. The student awareness of the. role of our student union

ELECTIONS I. We Elvis I

M he.) /» 4- // I ' -flm 4 ’ ——___——./-\fi__—_—_

does not eXtend beyond the bureaucratic because of the aforesaid. Thus the reason for the general apathy ex— pressed at election time each year. Nobody gives a sweet Goddamn!!!

The newly elected executive, whoever they may be, must strive to counteract this apathetis trend. They must continuously confront the student union members (i.e. all students) with issues based on "real student in- terest". The "real student interest" can be known only -after encountering students on their own level -- fi1is means that the new executive must listen with their ears to the ground. They must

try to avoid that sickness which pervades all bureau— cracies, namely elitism.

All too often oUr student union leaders have become a "phony" elite playing a soc- ial game rather than striving for political struggle.

Eventually the students at UPEI will give up on the idea of a student union if its role remains as uninter— esting as it is at present. A word of warning to the new executive -— own up time is nigh!!