Translating data into change

By:

Posted: 12/4/08

Last month the Student Government Association (SGA) sent out a survey to the
undergraduate body to guage students' overall happiness, sources of academic and
social stresses and their general college experience at Hopkins. The survey demon-
strates an active effort on the part of the SGA to assess the causes of student discon-
tent, which was largely attributed to academic pressure. The results, once analyzed,
should provide an opportunity for the administration, including the new president,
to appropriately address students' concerns.

The survey will hopefully help bring to light some mechanisms that could ease
the pressures of academics, improve the social life and strengthen the undergradu-
ate community. For example, the majority of those who responded said that they
would use a Student Union if one were constructed. The survey itself was well-
executed, containing a comprehensive set of pointed questions regarding various
aspects of student life.

However, the SGA's failure to inform the administration about the survey dem-
onstrates a lack of judgment. Whether or not they deliberately neglected to convey
their intentions, it is clear they are not effectively communicating with administra-
tors. This does not bode well for implementing the changes that the SGA wishes to
see in response to their survey. In the future the SGA should avoid actions that may
be regarded as hostile by the administration. This is necessary in order for the SGA
to generate good relations with the administration, which will prove essential for
the SGA to be an effective advocate for the student body.
Students should understand that there is only so much that the University (or the
SGA, for that matter) can do to ? x their problems. Students should view the pend-
ing results of the study as an opportunity to asses what changes they themselves
can enact.