[1039] in UA Senate
Re: Response to the proposed Orientation schedule
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Daniel Hawkins)
Sun Jan 30 14:50:04 2011
Reply-To: hwkns@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTi=djDV7gXAMyqPNO1em=euynDFAbhLA2PWJpqS7@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2011 14:50:01 -0500
From: Daniel Hawkins <hwkns@MIT.EDU>
To: Alec Lai <alec_lai@mit.edu>
Cc: Timothy Robertson <tim_r@mit.edu>, Owen Derby <oderby@mit.edu>,
ua-senate@mit.edu
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I agree as well, and I'd like to point out that the UA is not about
all-democracy-all-the-time. It's a republic. You are the elected
representatives, and you speak for your people.
You don't need a majority of the student body to be vocally opposed to this
change just to say that it's wrong and it will hurt undergraduate culture.
You are in a position of involvement, knowledge and expertise, and it's your
call to say that. If a majority of the constituents you hear from disagree,
you should change your mind and withdraw your support. But their vote for
you was their implicit vote of confidence in your ability to discern this
sort of thing by yourself.
Numbers don't always help make your point, especially when student opinion
is not what your target audience cares about (e.g., Dining). The bill
doesn't have to say, "a large population of students is dissatisfied." It
just has to say, "we, the student representatives, think this is wrong, and
here's why."
-hwkns
On Sun, Jan 30, 2011 at 2:01 AM, Alec Lai <alec_lai@mit.edu> wrote:
> Very nicely worded and very inspirational. I wholeheartedly agree.
>
> Alec
>
>
> On Sun, Jan 30, 2011 at 1:11 AM, Timothy Robertson <tim_r@mit.edu> wrote:
>
>> There are a few ways we can speak to the numbers game. I would suggest
>> that every senator start talking to the residents of their dorm through a
>> constituency event. If you can come up with numbers for the people who are
>> dissatisfied with the orientation changes, that would help bring numbers to
>> the argument. If you find that the majority of residents who show up to your
>> constituency event are dissatisfied with orientation changes, you should get
>> on to helping author this bill. You are not in the UA to /prove/ that your
>> residents want you to act on their behalf. You are in the UA to work for
>> what those represented students want, irrespective of how many care enough
>> to seek out your assistance.
>>
>> Feel free to disagree.
>>
>> On Sun, Jan 30, 2011 at 12:16 AM, Owen Derby <oderby@mit.edu> wrote:
>>
>>> What data will you cite to support the claim that "a large population of
>>> students" are dissatisfied? I do not exactly dispute the validity of the
>>> claim, but it seems very conjectural without direct support.
>>>
>>> - Owen
>>>
>>> On Sat, Jan 29, 2011 at 11:28 PM, Timothy Robertson <tim_r@mit.edu>wrote:
>>>
>>>> Tomorrow I will begin drafting a bill which makes it known to the UAAP,
>>>> and other concerned offices, that a large population of students are
>>>> dissatisfied with the proposed orientation changes. If you would like to
>>>> help author this statement reply to me and I will add you to the Google
>>>> document and we can start a conversation.
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Tim Robertson II
>>>> MIT 2010
>>>> Mechanical Engineering
>>>>
>>>> UA Senate Office Hours:
>>>> EC-B515 Sunday 5-8pm
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Tim Robertson II
>> MIT 2010
>> Mechanical Engineering
>>
>> UA Senate Office Hours:
>> EC-B515 Sunday 5-8pm
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Best,
> Alec C. Lai
> Department of EAPS
> Massachusetts Institute of Technology '13
>
> alec_lai@mit.edu | (440)454-2942 <tel:+14404542942>
>
>
>
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I agree as well, and I'd like to point out that the UA is not about all=
-democracy-all-the-time.=A0 It's a republic.=A0 You are the elected rep=
resentatives, and you speak for your people.<br><br>You don't need a ma=
jority of the student body to be vocally opposed to this change just to say=
that it's wrong and it will hurt undergraduate culture.=A0 You are in =
a position of involvement, knowledge and expertise, and it's your call =
to say that.=A0 If a majority of the constituents you hear from disagree, y=
ou should change your mind and withdraw your support.=A0 But their vote for=
you was their implicit vote of confidence in your ability to discern this =
sort of thing by yourself.<br>
<br>Numbers don't always help make your point, especially when student =
opinion is not what your target audience cares about (e.g., Dining).=A0 The=
bill doesn't have to say, "a large population of students is diss=
atisfied."=A0 It just has to say, "we, the student representative=
s, think this is wrong, and here's why."<br>
<br>-hwkns<br><br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Sun, Jan 30, 2011 at 2:=
01 AM, Alec Lai <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:alec_lai@mit.edu">a=
lec_lai@mit.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" =
style=3D"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 20=
4); padding-left: 1ex;">
Very nicely worded and very inspirational. =A0I wholeheartedly agree.<div><=
br></div><div>Alec<div><div></div><div class=3D"h5"><br><br><div class=3D"g=
mail_quote">On Sun, Jan 30, 2011 at 1:11 AM, Timothy Robertson <span dir=3D=
"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:tim_r@mit.edu" target=3D"_blank">tim_r@mit.edu<=
/a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; borde=
r-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">There are a few w=
ays we can speak to the numbers game. I would suggest that every senator st=
art talking to the residents of their dorm through a constituency event. If=
you can come up with numbers for the people who are dissatisfied with the =
orientation changes, that would help bring numbers to the argument. If you =
find that the majority of residents who show up to your constituency event =
are dissatisfied with orientation changes, you should get on to helping aut=
hor this bill. You are not in the UA to /prove/ that your residents want yo=
u to act on their behalf. You are in the UA to work for what those represen=
ted students want, irrespective of how many care enough to seek out your as=
sistance.<br>
<br>Feel free to disagree. <br><div><div></div><div>=A0<br><div class=3D"gm=
ail_quote">On Sun, Jan 30, 2011 at 12:16 AM, Owen Derby <span dir=3D"ltr">&=
lt;<a href=3D"mailto:oderby@mit.edu" target=3D"_blank">oderby@mit.edu</a>&g=
t;</span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; borde=
r-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
What data will you cite to support the claim that "a large population =
of students" are dissatisfied? I do not exactly dispute the validity o=
f the claim, but it seems very conjectural without direct support.<br>
<font color=3D"#888888"><br>
- Owen<br><br></font><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div>On Sat, Jan 29, 2011 a=
t 11:28 PM, Timothy Robertson <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:tim_r=
@mit.edu" target=3D"_blank">tim_r@mit.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br>
</div><div><div></div><div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margi=
n: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-le=
ft: 1ex;">
Tomorrow I will begin drafting a bill which makes it known to the UAAP, an=
d other concerned offices, that a large population of students are dissatis=
fied with the proposed orientation changes. If you would like to help autho=
r this statement reply to me and I will add you to the Google document and =
we can start a conversation.<br>
<br>Regards,<br clear=3D"all"><font color=3D"#888888"><br>-- <br>Tim Robert=
son II<br>MIT 2010<br>Mechanical Engineering<br><br>UA Senate Office Hours:=
<br>EC-B515 Sunday 5-8pm<br><br>
</font></blockquote></div></div></div><br>
</blockquote></div><br><br clear=3D"all"><br>-- <br>Tim Robertson II<br>MIT=
2010<br>Mechanical Engineering<br><br>UA Senate Office Hours:<br>EC-B515 S=
unday 5-8pm<br><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear=3D"all"><br></div></div>-- <br=
>Best,<div>Alec C. Lai<div>Department of EAPS</div><div>Massachusetts Insti=
tute of Technology '13</div><div><br></div><div><a href=3D"mailto:alec_=
lai@mit.edu" target=3D"_blank">alec_lai@mit.edu</a> | <a href=3D"tel:+14404=
542942" target=3D"_blank">(440)454-2942</a></div>
<div><br></div></div><br>
</div>
</blockquote></div><br>
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