By Angelina Rodriguez
Student leaders have good and bad qualities. Many students believe that they are chosen because of favoritism. Are all student leaders chosen by favoritism? Many are not sure. Can this be nationwide problem for colleges?
Southern Vermont College embraces positive qualities. Those qualities are that student leaders are willing, teachable, selfless, inviting, and have ownership. Student leaders certainly bring recognition to the college. As a fault, the negative qualities of student leaders at SVC are that they can be influenced by their peers into joining the wrong crowd or surrounding themselves with the wrong people. It shows more of a weakness when student leaders do not enforce the right rules. It looks passive and neglectful for how campus should be. As a result, student leaders can become part of that negativity.
The Mountaineer Times conducted a small survey of six questions. The study provided participant answers in how they believe student leaders are chosen on campuses, but they still believe student leaders need to be good students, well known, and uphold a good reputation as whole. Another factor that arose in conducting this survey was that the students questioned were asked are student leaders chosen just because they are good in their academics and socially? Many of the survey participants believe not. The consensus was that students were chosen because of faculty choice and not what students want.
For example, it probably is different for how student leaders are chosen in other schools. An interviewee, a student via Facebook, Justin Statia goes to St. Bonaventure. He lives on his campus. The student leaders at that campus are more aware of what’s going on and very strict in enforcing policies because it’s a much larger campus than here. He stated, “Since there are so many students it is hard for student leaders to pay attention to all students, but they are hard on making sure rules are followed.” In contrast, SVC is a small campus and St. Bonaventure is a large campus, maybe the way student leaders are chosen can seem different, but it does not mean that it is.
Survey participants were hostile, concerned, and annoyed by my survey questions. They seemed to feel that all campuses share similarities when it comes to how student leaders are chosen as if it is more about the college its self than the students. Student leaders hold authority, they embrace their intelligence, and they have respect. Jahanna Foreman, a first year student at SVC strongly believes that college’s hold a reputation, so student leaders are chosen based on those factors. As a student, she feels no shame, but is honored that she has student leaders to look up to.
The Mountaineer Times reveals a trend in despair. Jasmin Feliciano, a Brooklyn- city student who had studied in Miami feels that she could never have a chance at being a student leader because she had such a tight schedule. Shouldn’t all leaders be recognized and seen that all is possible? It was as if student had a false hope or jealousy. In retrospective, it probably meant nothing to them because of what they have probably encountered as students at their college. Conclusively, nationwide, students could feel they don’t get the recognition that others do because of what relationships students hold with faculty or simply not getting a chance.
It may seem like favoritism for student leaders who hold those positions, but others shouldn’t be discouraged. The good and bad qualities of student leaders are the examples of what students in general are. Although, there will always seem to be a feud between students and student leaders there has to be boundaries that are established like respect.