Grow up

ASUA wonders why it is often not taken seriously and its members commonly viewed as children trying to play adult. But if outgoing officials and ASUA hopefuls learned to lose gracefully, it would be easier for ASUA to earn respect in the university community.

One day, maybe ASUA will be run by adults, instead of poor losers. It seems, however, that each year the emotional age of ASUA dips further and further into the pre-teens.

The past few years, it has become worse in ASUA. Apparently, the modus operandi for the out-going officials and directors is to sabotage the offices and equipment, to make life hell for the following year.

Let's consider a few examples.

First, the current rumor, confirmed by several sources, is that the outgoing president never set up the traditional appointment with the new president to help facilitate the transition to a new administration.

Guess it's a moot point now, considering inauguration was on May 1. Such refusal to aid the incoming administration just hurts UA students Ä it is the antithesis of what we should be able to expect of those we elect.

Also recently, someone decided to hide a dead fish in ASUA's office. It took a few days for student workers to find the smelly thing, with an attached note that read "To the '97-'98 Cabinet, from the '96-'97 Cabinet. With love."

That was just this year. In the past, however, there has been technological sabotage. A few years back, the person in charge of the design and placement of advertisements ran for and lost the vice presidency. Then, his campaign manager was not appointed to his old position. Soon after, someone erased all the advertisement files, as well as the programs used to make them, as well as trashing ads from previous years. Also, the original disks for the computer programs were suddenly misplaced, creating a huge mess.

These are just three of many such tales that could be told. ASUA officials, outgoing and incoming, need to take these lessons to heart.

Students elect ASUA members to serve and represent them, not to feed their egos. If members of the outgoing ASUA President's Cabinet did leave that fish, trying to stink things up one last time before ASUA's new president, Gilbert Davidson, took over, then students certainly are lucky that that administration is on its way out.

Let's hope that next year's transition goes a little smoother and smells a little better.

If you or a friend loses an election or does not get a position in the new ASUA administration, be adult about it. How about offering your time for a volunteer position at ASUA?

If you cannot react to loss in a mature way, please, just walk away, that will be the best thing for ASUA, and more importantly, for UA students.

By editoral staff (editoral)
Arizona Daily Wildcat
May 5, 1997