The Bowdoin Orient

February 2, 2001
Volume CXXXII, Number 14

Response to online photo editorial

by SOME AUTHOR (Font Size 1)

To the Editors:

I would like to begin by thanking all those who have responded so positively to the new online face book and sincerely apologize to any students whose pictures might have been used irresponsibly.
If, at any time throughout the semester, someone wishes to take their picture off line, please email me or contact the Office of Student Records directly and it will be taken care of immediately.
I hope that as the newness of the directory wears off there will be less misuse and that the abuses of a few will not overshadow its benefits as a convenient resource to connect names to faces and even build a sense of community in a very basic way.
I would also like to thank the editors of the Orient for voicing their sincere opinion on this and creating a forum for discussions such as these.
With that said, I strongly disagree that the face book is a "misstep." There will always be abuse of resources, but as long as the benefits outweigh the costs, these resources should not be withheld from students.
I also disagree that the face book, however beneficial, was our central priority of the semester. We spent just as much time on issues such as reforming student government itself, making Thanksgiving break more practical for students, planning Common Hours (don't miss Wil Smith on March 2), and creating forums for discussion of the House system which will appear early this semester.
These issues are all complex and take time; results to some will be seen very shortly, other issues take far longer than any one student's career at Bowdoin.
My biggest arguement, however, is with the Orient's claim that "our hefty tuition contributions to the College purchase us some right of representation before Bowdoin's powers that be."
It is true that students are represented on every Trustee, Faculty, and College committee, but what our hefty tuition contributions buy us is not the chance to sit back as others represent us, but instead the chance to engage ourselves for four years at a college which gives us every opportunity to pursue our ideas about how to improve aspects of Bowdoin life or the entire college itself.
If you want something done, have a suggestion, or just want to voice your opinion, then do it. If you're not happy with something about student government or the college in general, then fix it. Call me at x5996, email me at mmacneil, check out our website at www.bowdoin.edu/studgov, or run for office this spring.
Contrary to the Orient's calendar section, all are welcome at exec board meetings Mondays at 9:00 p.m. and Student Congress meetings every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. in Hubbard Conference West.
You could stand outside and try heckling and intimidating us as the Orient suggests, but at a solid 5'1", I can be pretty intimidating myself, so you might think twice about that one. If heckling isn't for you, I suggest just coming in, sitting down, and talking with us; even the editors of the Orient might be suprised at how well that works.

Sincerely,
Meghan MacNeil '03
Vice Chair, Student Executive Board