The following is a Letter to the Editor piece. It does not reflect the position or views of the Siskiyou editorial team.
As alumni of SOU, it alarms us to hear that ASSOU is considering taking the Oregon Student Association (OSA) Campus Organizer (CO) position away from students. Throughout our time at SOU we had invaluable experiences with the Campus Organizer (CO). During our time at SOU, the CO helped us grow as student leaders, and helped many of us hone the skills and discover the passions that set us up to be successful after college and into our careers.
Because of OSA, alumni from SOU and ASSOU have gone on to work with our communities in impactful and empowering ways: we’ve worked in politics, advocacy, organizing, and the nonprofit sector; we’ve built fulfilling and fruitful careers working to continue to bending the arc of justice, and some of us have come back to serve SOU and our campus community. That was because we had the guidance of the OSA SOU Campus Organizer while on campus.
The Campus Organizer is not only a strategic long-term investment for our students but an incredible value day-to-day. You cannot find a better deal to have a full time organizer
dedicated to your campus, helping student leaders with on-campus organizing, recruiting and supporting new volunteers and student government members, as well as supporting
collaboration with the statewide Oregon Student Association. The Campus Organizer is a link to the statewide capitol, helping ASSOU and other student groups advocate for SOU students’ interests in Salem.
The CO helps build organizing and legislative power by recruiting and developing new students and to step into leadership. Some of the major student wins that the Campus Organizer has been instrumental in included the 2013 passage of Tuition Equity. SOU students were a huge part of this fight and were heard in Salem with recruitment and leadership development support from CO. This victory benefits undocumented SOU students to this day.
The campus organizer in past sessions has also recruited and developed leadership and provided lobby and testimony prep for students to advocate for more funding for higher ed during budget setting. In the 2013 general session this helped to keep tuition increases at SOU under 5%. The Campus Organizer has helped student organizer to win more institutional power, guaranteeing students a voice on all Board of Trustees and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. We urge the ASSOU retain the Campus Organizer. This role benefits all students through helping ASSOU and other student groups thrive and continue to win victories for all students to this day.
Sincerely,
Brandon Zarringhalam
ASSOU Chief Justice 2016-2018
Tyler Takeshita
ASSOU President 2016-2017
Ricardo Lujan
ASSOU Associate Justice 2016-2017
Oneta Cantlon
ASSOU Justice and Senator 2012-2016
Jane Silva
ASSOU Vice President 2015-2016
Jacob Rubanowitz
ASSOU Chief Justice 2015-2016
Hannah Egar
ASSOU Senator of Gender Equity and Sexual Diversity
Rayelle Evans
ASSOU Senator of Student Life and Housing 2015-2016
Brian Sorensen
ASSOU Director of Finance and Administration 2015-2016
Jessica Harper
ASSOU Director of Sustainability 2015-2016
Becca Dukes
ASSOU Senator of Business and Social Sciences 2013-2014
Jazmin Roque
ASSOU Director of Multicultural Affairs 2012-2013
Speaker of the Senate 2011-2012
Ben Katz
ASSOU Associate Justice 2013-2014
Chief Justice 2012-2013
Belieu Vaughn
ASSOU Senator for Clubs and Orgs 2013-2014
Jason Pennell
ASSOU Director of Governmental Affairs 2012-2013
Joshua Danielson
ASSOU President 2012-2013
Kristen Maredith
ASSOU Director of Gender Equity and Sexual Diversity 2012-2013
Dylan Marcheck
Student Fee Committee Member 2012-2013
