As you’re all keenly aware, a semester can’t be filed away until the grades have been posted. We’ve reached the last Argus of the year, so here are our grades for some topics to which we’ve devoted a lot of ink this semester:
PRESIDENT MICHAEL ROTH
Grade: A-
So much to do, and he had so little time. Roth has shown an enormous passion for the University and has exhibited tremendous energy. His time-management skills are envious: Roth finds time to run to the gym, update his blog, fly around the country to fundraise, respond to e-mails individually and attend sports games—and next semester, he’ll add teaching a course to that list. Roth has presented himself as an accessible and energetic president, and we hope that he can keep this momentum going as he solidifies his goals and vision for the University in the semester ahead.
THE SUSANNE LEMBERG USDAN UNIVERSITY CENTER
Grade: C+
Well, they tried. The building isn’t perfect, and some might argue that it’s far from it. The first few weeks of school suggested a real disaster, but students, dining workers and staff have adapted. The center’s name, as unwieldy as its hallways, has been edited by students to the more manageable “Usdan” (properly pronounced “yooz-dan,” but try convincing someone that), and its main hall has become a real center of activity, with students tabling for groups, checking e-mail and finishing reading for classes. Maybe by next semester they’ll install some bulletin boards.
BON APPETIT
Grade: C
The food is good, but constant claims of contract abuses and shady labor dealings leave a bad taste in our mouths. With the UNITE-HERE Local 217 dining workers union’s contract up for renewal in February, look to hear a lot more about these issues. Labor aside, Bon Appétit has exhibited a willingness to add new items to the menu and reconfigure lines and cashiers to deal with crowding. Providing meals for demanding college students isn’t an easy feat, but there’s definitely room for improvement.
THE WESLEYAN STUDENT ASSEMBLY (WSA)
Grade: A-
The WSA has had one of its most productive semesters in recent memory. Given some of the confusing missives it has piled into inboxes in the past, this semester’s concise, informative e-mails that announce the agenda for the weekly meeting are appreciated. The survey included on the voting website was similarly concise, and convinces us that the WSA has both a plan for the coming semester and a commitment to soliciting student body opinions.
STUDENT INVOLVEMENT ON CAMPUS
Grade: B+
Students for Ending the War in Iraq (SEWI) and the Environmental Organizers’ Network (EON) had exceptionally active semesters, and we commend their members not only for advocating for their causes, but for making real efforts toward change. Their achievements are certainly not alone; we applaud the countless groups and individuals who kept us busy this semester.
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