What a strange feeling it is to walk through the halls and sit in classes this week, fellow Raiders. For weeks there has been this tension and uncertainty around us that follows us outside the classrooms and into our personal lives. Here at the newspaper we have spent weeks and months covering the back and forth roller coaster of negotiations. For years we have covered the ongoing financial distress and it has all led up to this.
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I’m the Editor in Chief for the Wright State Guardian Newspaper. I have been fortunate enough to work one-on-one with both administration and the faculty union as well as dozens of students and student leaders on campus. It’s unusual for me to step out of my realm of news and write an editorial however, with all that’s happened the last couple weeks, I feel obligated to do so now.
It has been heartbreaking to see the divide amongst our community. For weeks I have watched as fellow Raiders have attacked one another on social media for their stance on school politics. I have witnessed people in the halls and in the classrooms become disgusted and mean to one another for their viewpoints. People are spreading rumors and they are misinformed.
Student leaders on campus are doing their best to keep everyone informed, however at the root, we are students too. We are concerned like everyone else, about our future, our degrees and our school.
Wake up Wright State! This is a call to my classmates, to my student leaders and to my community to be kind. This is such an unfortunate time that WE, as an entire school, must face. We cannot divide ourselves, we need to support one another and make sure we are taking care of one another. It is very clear that those that accept our tuition do not.
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Both parties, administration and faculty, are reluctant to see who their stakeholders are. We as a community make up Wright State for what it is. If it weren’t for us, there would be no Wright State. I ask my fellow students to stand together during this time of frustration. Stop attacking each other on social media and start uplifting one another. We can disagree, but we do not need to tear one another down. All 15,000 of us are stronger than this. We must start standing with one another.
I am so proud to be a Wright State Raider because of my fellow student leaders. They continue to inspire me, empower me and make me want to add to the change. I am a journalist because I want to inform and I want to enlighten. I am filled with so much hope because of the strength of those around me.
Contact your Board of Trustees! Contact John Kasich who appointed the board! Your anger is directed toward the wrong people! Contact your regional or national AAUP! But, Raiders, do not attack each other.
One of my favorite quotes by Van Gogh which is so true to this moment:
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” - Vincent Van Gogh.
Be part of the series to unite one another.
