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News

Rosen says new administration has a full agenda

This interview is the second in a three-part series profiling student leaders. 

Robyn Morrow: What is the Student Government Association's role on campus?

David Rosen: We take the most handsome men and the most beautiful women, and we put them all together in one organization, and we call it student government, obviously. 

Morrow: What do you hope to accomplish as SGA president?

Rosen: There are a lot more important things to look at right now -- textbooks, fees, bringing more people to football games.

Morrow: How do you plan to accomplish those things?

Rosen: We've got a lot of really smart people. I mean, it's obvious that they're good looking, but you really can't tell how smart they are until you actually hear them talk.

Morrow: What are some of your plans for this administration?

Rosen: We want to close a lot of loopholes in textbook policy that had been the reason that you can't sell back books to your department. The reason is that a lot of professors write their own books, jack up the prices and then switch a few chapters around, that sort of thing, while at the same time trying to still respect our professors to write the books. They've got to make a living. They've got to eat, too, and it's important that we realize that because we don't pay them enough, I don't think. ... It is possible to pay them what they deserve and at the same time make sure that a few bad apples that abuse loopholes in our textbook policy don't jack up the price of higher education for the rest of us. 

Morrow: Why did you get involved with SGA?

Rosen: I wanted to find out what really goes on at this school and hopefully make a difference, and I think that we have over the past two-and-a-half years. There's still so much to do. We're moving in the right direction.

Morrow: What's the biggest change you want to make from the last administration?

Rosen: We want to streamline the legislative process. Last year, we only had a few bills come out of the Senate, and at times, it seems almost like we were struggling to fill 20 minutes. And this year, we're having trouble (saying) it all in two hours. I'm already stressed that we only have a year to do everything we want to do. We really do have a list, a master list of 60 ideas that would revolutionize this school and (better) life for students here so much.

Morrow: How does the party system affect SGA?

Rosen: I think it's a good thing, to be honest with you, at least for now because we met with some of the folks several times. We got to know them and we brainstormed with them. We formed relationships and we had that chemistry. Now when we're in office that chemistry only carries over. So as opposed to being 35 people who never met each other before and then having to get together and make tough decisions and learning about each other's sensitivities and each other's values, we already know all that. I think we're ahead of that sort of thing. We're ahead of the curve.

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