Muslim Student Organization president Taha Hameduddin passed around the microphone, asking the clustered crowd to become more inviting through introductions.
“I’m the president of SASA, so you’ll see a lot of me,” I said after announcing the usual biographical data.
One of the other students sitting at the table asked for a clarification. He heard “salsa” not “sasa” and couldn’t understand why a club about a condiment or dancing was at the MSO Eid Welcome Back Dinner.
SASA is an acronym for South Asian Students’ Association. What the group stands for is constantly in the air. According to its constitution, it’s a space for ethnically similar students and a forum to educate the university. When I assumed the role as president, I processed these basic purposes, but could not for the life of me articulate how SASA would articulate this.
At the diversity fee training this past Saturday, Multicultural Center Director Pablo Mendoza gave us a few guidelines in how to allocate the fee: 50 percent of the budget should go toward educational programming and events for the general population and the organization’s general members and 25 percent should go toward community-building programming and events.
I deeply appreciate having access to something as generous as the diversity fee, and it is really nice having the financial backing to bring interesting speakers. I enjoy not worrying about money when we plan events. The question is: What events are we supposed to plan with this money? What events will draw students, staff and faculty from all backgrounds? Sadly, the answer is nothing truly worthy of the money.
In the four years I’ve been active in SASA, I don’t remember any profound events. The last event anyone remembers was a “dating forum” in February 2010. Stotler Lounge was packed, and students from various backgrounds showed up to gain an insight into the South Asian psyche when it came to dating. The event was good — we had a speaker and everything — but nothing of substance came out of that room. I think if anything, most of us learned how to keep our relationships better hidden from our parents.
I am not blaming the executive boards of any minority or diversity organization for not caring enough. I am in the same boat and understand the struggle of trying to devise, create and market substantive events that attract an audience. I am assuming most of the minority and diversity organizations face this same quandary. In my personal experience, the people this programming is supposed to educate do not give one shit about the events. I am including myself in this group of people. Nobody on this campus is immune. We pass by ongoing events thinking, we “don’t have time to go in, even to visit.”
It’s rare when I see a fresh face at SASA events. It’s disappointing, really. We want to offer quality programming, but at a certain point, it becomes futile.
This is the core point of contention for all executive boards for minority organizations. Why are we planning events for a no-show audience? Why are we investing time to research and plan events on various topics if no one wants to show up? I understand that we are all busy bees, but there is no way that 95 percent of the student body cannot make it to one event hosted by a minority organization.
I call on you, silent but curious readership (hey, a columnist can dream) to attend more events. Go for a half hour. Meet new people. Ask questions. Learn about different cultures.
Or, at the very least, validate my leadership position. Please?
