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| Aaron Vance Class of 2017 |
I told someone not too recently that this year has kind of been like a Greatest Hits Album for a student body president. If you could name it, it has come up. There has been the bad: administrative changes, budgetary cuts, community tensions, legislative and political woes, and plenty of uncertainty. And there has been plenty of good: a new academic building and Student Activities Center, a solidified commitment to develop a new cultural and identity center, a revitalized campus feel, and not to forget, a pretty good football program! Needless to say, this has been quite the experience and it has been an honor so far to represent all 22,000 students here at the University of Louisville.
It has always been my desire to serve this University and my prerogative to capture and amplify the student voice. The commitment that this University has for shared governance is unparalleled and the ability that students have to direct and make change is strong. Recognizing that it has always been my priority to never waste the opportunity that has been afforded to me to help facilitate the changes students want to see. All too easily could this be squandered and the position and the power of the student voice could be weakened.
In the looking towards the next half of my tenure it’s obvious we still have a lot left to accomplish. With the beginning of a Presidential search on the horizon, further administrative changes looming, more work to be done in the fields of safety, dining, and housing, it’s evident that there is much more left to be taken on as we work to enhance the student experience. Before too long the elections will commence and we will get a glimpse into the next year’s administration and their endeavors.
My successor will be named to continue the work that we began this year. For two months I will be a lame duck President, but that will not be a reason to let up on any effort to better the University of Louisville. To whomever holds this position, I hope the reality that this is only a year term is salient and motivates them, like it has for me. I hope that they will maintain the same “May to May” attitude in serving the student body and that they will recognize truly how valuable the student voice is and what their charge is. But most importantly, I hope that they never fear to speak their minds when necessary with no reproach, because sometimes the politics are necessary.
Aaron Vance, of Vine Grove, Ky., is a senior McConnell Scholar studying political science and anthropology.