Is the Board of Aeons IU's secret society?

In theory, student government is the medium for change and progress. But, alas, at IU, our student government spends its efforts on false, foolish promises. \nThankfully, as the Indiana Daily Student reported Tuesday, we have another group that allegedly serves as the link between the University and its students -- the mysterious Board of Aeons. \nFormed in 1921, the board predates the IU Student Association. While technically it doesn't carry any authentic power in the administration, the board's recommendations go to the chancellor. \n"Over the years, they have made some very big recommendations that have made a significant difference for undergraduates on campus," IU-Bloomington Interim Chancellor Ken Gros Louis told the IDS. Notably, the 12-member board helped implement the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services by researching the need for such assistance on campus.\nInstead of offering a beer garden in the Union or an already-existing "free speech" zone (two of IUSA's proposals this year), the Board of Aeons researches three specific issues and then searches for plausible solutions. Key distinction: plausible solutions.\nHowever, unlike IUSA, the board is hand-picked by the administration. It's an elitist society that operates behind closed doors. Until Tuesday's IDS article, some students didn't even know the board or anything of the sort existed. \nSecrecy has a negative connotation and is often frowned upon because of its potential to foster an environment conducive to corruption, but in a way it is more efficient. In a country where democracy is held in such high esteem, it seems counterintuitive to endorse a group that is appointed and not elected like IUSA. But a university is not a state, and so far the board's methods have implemented a number of positive changes for IU.\nThe board said it needs to keep its research private because it fears publicity might interfere with its ability to gather information. We understand the need for some secrecy to ensure the ability to obtain unadulterated information and avoid the political spiderwebs brought on by the limelight, but if the board is supposed to represent student interests to the administration it shouldn't remain a complete enigma to the student body. \nAfter all, its name comes from the Biblical Aeons, the link between Heaven and Earth, men and angels, and in our case, the University administration and the "plebeian" students. And the board should not forget this. Without some level of accountability and transparency, the board's claim of representation seems superficial. \nThe Board of Aeons fits into a unique niche offering realistic possibilities for change in a way other organizations can't. We commend the board for the benefits it has brought IU. All we ask is that, when possible, the Board of Aeons makes its activities and purposes.