SGA ignores student demands
To the editor:
I have been reading the articles in The Daily Cougar about the Student Government Association and its recent trip to Austin concerning the Texas Student Association. Though it’s good to hear that SGA President Sam Dike is attempting to assemble a statewide organization that could help students, our group’s experience with Dike indicates that he, in fact, does not have any interest in representing students.
After we passed our Fair Trade bill in April 2007, Dike (then the SGA vice president) said he wanted the 100 percent fair-trade coffee business in the corner of the University Center basement in Shasta’s instead of the 24-hour lounge of the M.D. Anderson Library, as stated in the bill. SGA passed this bill and therefore it has the SGA name on it. Why would Dike stand with an organization that puts a bill through and then deviate from it? Isn’t that what we call flip-flopping?
Our bill sailed through the University Coordinating Committee with no objections, and the Administration failed to act upon it. As a student, it is troubling for me to see the SGA claim legitimacy and empathy for the students they represent and then fail to acknowledge when the administration neglects to address their votes. The students’ say was to install a 100 percent fair-trade coffee kiosk in the library. The University instead proposed a Starbucks in the library, which would not sell 100 percent fair-trade coffee. Our organization contacted Dike, who did nothing.
Most recently we met with the Vice President of Student Affairs, Elwyn Lee, who said the administration decided not to put a coffee shop in the library at all, and Dike said this was an appropriate response.
The students of this University deserve an SGA president who doesn’t work against student interests and who actually has a desire to make our school a better place.
Tiffany Le
English senior
Students for Fair Trade member
Administration stonewalls student efforts
To the editor:
I’m writing to show my concern about actions taken by UH President Renu Khator’s staff members against myself and other UH students. On June 10 we went to Khator’s office reception area, as we have many times before, to drop off a letter. A story about this was published in the Cougar. On June 16, we were back in her office with another letter and more people. While we were speaking to her receptionist, the police arrived, stayed silent and we left peacefully. The next day The Houston Chronicle ran a story about us, which is when the trouble began. One of the students with me received what we feel are false, fabricated disciplinary charges that were backdated to our office visits from June 2, 10 and 16.
On July 15, we went to Khator’s office to drop another letter off (Khator almost never answers our letters) and were prevented from entering the reception area by Dan Gardner, her chief of staff. All we were going to do was leave our letter in her mailbox right by the door or simply hand it to her secretary.
We don’t understand why the police are called on us and why some UH students are not permitted to leave letters with the president’s secretary. Gardner even claimed that we would disrupt the secretary’s work. As her secretary, isn’t it her job to answer the phone, take appointment requests and accept mail on Khator’s behalf?
My concern is that while our actions are reported in The Daily Cougar, we never hear or see anything about the administration’s questionable behavior. Why is it that a student (I’ve never had any disciplinary charges against me) is not allowed to drop a letter off in a public building to a public servant? And why isn’t the Cougar asking the administration these questions?
Brendan Laws
Sociology freshman
Students Against Sweatshops member
