Last spring, as the class of 2011 prepared to graduate, a friend of mine in that class said to me, “Good luck next year, your class is so apathetic.” When he made that comment I brushed it off, but it was later that day I thought about the class of 2012 and the words spoken to me by my friend. To be frank, I completely disagree with my friend. Colby has many people this year who care and are active in the discourse of the campus. Many of them are seniors, but the conversations are also filled with sentiments from juniors, sophomores and already, the new first year class. We are an empathetic campus, one that strives to push boundaries and the status quo. However, as with all things, there is room for improvement.

Getting involved is an important aspect of every student’s time here at Colby. To sit back and let this campus pass you by would be an unfortunate waste of everything this campus has to offer. For this group, SGA has been our outlet to get involved, it has been a way for us to try to improve things on this campus so that we can all have a better experience here. This experience can be one that is driven by our hopes and ideas. That being said, we will be the first to admit that SGA has not always done the best job in reaching out to students. Well, mark this down now, that will change this year, and coming up this month, there are several opportunities to get your ideas out there.

First, apply for a committee. The idea of serving on a committee might sound boring or too time consuming, but in all honesty, it is one of the most direct lines that students have to the administration. Each committee is made up of students, staff, faculty and administrators and deal with topics such as campus culture, educational policy, healthcare and athletics. There is really a committee for everyone. Committee applications will be out soon and we encourage everyone to apply.

Second, attend the State of the College address at 7pm in Ostrove Auditorium on September 19. This address is given by the presidents of SGA and President Adams and will be a time where we will lay out our plan for the year. There is also a time where we will be open to any questions from the student body. Come to this event, bring a friend and ask us whatever you want. This is a great opportunity to get an unfiltered dialogue between the student body, SGA and the president of the College. We want to hear what you think and this venue is designed specifically for that purpose. Please come by and we know that you will not be disappointed.

Finally, connect with your dorm president, your class president or any member of the Executive Board of SGA. Let them know what you think about the direction of campus, ask them to help you work on the things you want to change about Colby. Allow them to represent you by speaking up. Every dorm president this year has a specific plan on how they will solicit your opinions, but the system will only work if you get loud and make your voice heard.

This is your SGA and your Colby and we want to make sure that you see the change you want on campus.