Student leaders discuss issues

Students asked pressing questions of leaders from nine student organizations yesterday, as they debated issues of first amendment rights, diversity and the ideal
undergraduate experience.

The panelists and students gathered for this school year’s first Town Hall meeting, which took place in the Georgian Room in the Indiana Memorial Union.

Panelists from the IU Student Association, the Student Alumni Association, the IU Student Foundation, the Multicultural Greek Council, the Panhellenic Council, the IU National Panhellenic Council, the Interfraternity Council, Union Board, the Board of Aeons, and the Residence Hall Association were present at the meeting. The meeting was moderated by Indiana Daily Student Editor-in-Chief Mark Keierleber. 

The group referenced the fundamentalist, anti-gay student organization, IU Traditionalist Youth Network, and considered how to deal with hate groups on campus.

Panelist and IUSA President Jose Mitjavila said while he strongly disagrees with the group’s stance, he supports upholding the first amendment rights of hate groups.

“More often than not, I think that students have good things to say, and I would very much like to protect that right even if it means having to give the bad guy his say as well,” Mitjavila said.

Juan Jaramillo, the panelist representing the MCGC, said he agreed, but would like to see an increase in discussion among groups with opposing views in sensitive topics.

“We need to take very clearly the opposite stance and in many ways energize ourselves as a student body to do our part to spread love,” Jaramillo said.

Panelists also confronted the issue of diversity with respect to inclusion in their organization as well as enrollment in the University itself.

IFC President Sean Jordan mentioned the IFC’s initiative to implement what they call “Bro-Gammas” into residence halls in order to diversify recruitment by providing information about fraternities on campus.

Mitjavila said IUSA has created the Diversity Inclusion and Advocacy Office in an effort to encourage the University to confront the small percentage of minority students on campus.

On this topic, senior Leighton Johnson, director of the Diversity Inclusion and Advocacy Office, asked the panel what they were currently doing to make international students feel more welcomed to the University.

IMU board panelist Jared Thomas mentioned events, such as the IU World’s Fare, that they have organized in an effort to celebrate diversity. However, he said he wants to see more dialogue between American and international students.

“It’s great to celebrate those cultures but really find ways to bring people together to show how we’re all similar,” Thomas said.

Next, the panelists shared their plans to improve the undergraduate experience with respect to the issue of alcoholism and its effects on student safety.

Jordan said the greek system has set programs in place limiting hard alcohol at parties, but that it would be easier to deal with the issue if the National Interfraternity Council would acknowledge that students are consuming alcohol, instead of banning it altogether.

Jaramillo mentioned the MCGC’s involvement in promoting sober fun through the Culture of Care initiative. He said he hopes the initiative will become an inherent part of the campus environment.

“Creating a lowercase culture of care just as a concept that we all embrace for one another should be the central point of an education,”
Jaramillo said.

Follow reporter Sarah Zinn on Twitter @sarah_zinn.