I write, at least in part, to affirm The Maneater’s editorial calling for a shakeup in the Missouri Students Association Senate that was published last Friday. For four years I’ve watched with varying levels of interest and involvement as Senate flirted with total irrelevance. It’s proven itself in years past to be a group that’s all go and no show, more interested in long-winded speeches and posturing than action. However, the catch to that statement is “in years past”. Through the diligent work of the Senators that are involved, a foundation is being laid for a culture change that will help make MSA Senate once again a force for progress at MU.

I reject the assertion that internal reform has no place in the push to make Senate useful.

Internal reforms provide a framework of success, a structure that will build commitment to the values and mission of the Association: to work tirelessly to advocate for students at Mizzou. Without this structure, Senators will act as individuals and will shy from pooling resources and working together. With this structure, the capability of the Senate will be multiplied.

Many of those pushing for these culture changes; Clark Maynard, Everett Bruer, Grace Haun and Patrick Sellars to name a few, began their careers as at-large Senators. Many individuals elected from academic colleges never take their seats, and few remain past their first semester. The immediate future will be built by individuals who sought out Senate when they felt called to serve and who will stay because of their unflinching commitment to progress. The Ed Board is wildly out of touch to imply academic college Senators are superior to at-large Senators in their commitment to students.

The individuals and reforms that I’ve mentioned will not be able to affect these changes overnight. They’re laboring against an entrenched attitude that values demagoguery and style over substantive gains. I ask that students and reporters alike consider this a rebuilding period for MSA Senate. Just as Tiger Basketball needed years under the tutelage of Mike Anderson to recover from the Quin Snyder slump, and just as The Maneater needed a year to change from a newspaper that published the personal business of students on the front page back to a paper that sticks to hard news, so too does MSA Senate need just a bit more time to make itself great again. I ask you to give them that time.