Our View: Sumter deserves credit for representative work
Issue date: 3/18/10 Section: Opinions
As an Editorial Board, we often see it as our role to analyze, question and, yes, sometimes even criticize certain goings on at our University.
Such was the case in September 2007, when the then-Editorial Board published that they were unsure if the class of 2010 "was worth the paper you're printed on" because only two Truman students applied for the upcoming opening for student representative position to the Board of Governors.
Because the student representative serves for two years, the Editorial Board at that time singled out the class of 2010. The students in that class were sophomores then, and the Editorial Board thought those students should be interested in a two-year term as the Board of Governors' student representative, arguably the most important student position at Truman.
Not surprisingly, the Index received eight letters of displeasure the following week from members of class of 2010, outraged by the editorial.
Was the 2007 Editorial Board correct criticizing the class of 2010? This Editorial Board will not try to answer that question.
Instead, we would rather applaud the efforts of the individual who emerged from that short list of applicants in 2007: Cody Sumter, who coincidentally originally was a member of the class of 2009 and who now will graduate in May as a fifth-year senior.
Although there were only two applicants for the position, this University still received the best representative it could have hoped for in Sumter. Sumter was appointed to his student representative position in April 2008, and he likely will finish his term soon. Gov. Jay Nixon has selected junior Luke Freeland as Sumter's replacement (see story Page 1). Freeland still must be approved by the Missouri Senate.
Sumter did not get the pleasure of a two-year joy ride as student representative. In fact, he and the rest of the Board of Governors endured a gauntlet of struggles as great as the University has faced in recent memory - highlighted by former President Barbara Dixon's resignation in fall 2008 and the ongoing budget dilemma for Missouri's state institutions.
Such was the case in September 2007, when the then-Editorial Board published that they were unsure if the class of 2010 "was worth the paper you're printed on" because only two Truman students applied for the upcoming opening for student representative position to the Board of Governors.
Because the student representative serves for two years, the Editorial Board at that time singled out the class of 2010. The students in that class were sophomores then, and the Editorial Board thought those students should be interested in a two-year term as the Board of Governors' student representative, arguably the most important student position at Truman.
Not surprisingly, the Index received eight letters of displeasure the following week from members of class of 2010, outraged by the editorial.
Was the 2007 Editorial Board correct criticizing the class of 2010? This Editorial Board will not try to answer that question.
Instead, we would rather applaud the efforts of the individual who emerged from that short list of applicants in 2007: Cody Sumter, who coincidentally originally was a member of the class of 2009 and who now will graduate in May as a fifth-year senior.
Although there were only two applicants for the position, this University still received the best representative it could have hoped for in Sumter. Sumter was appointed to his student representative position in April 2008, and he likely will finish his term soon. Gov. Jay Nixon has selected junior Luke Freeland as Sumter's replacement (see story Page 1). Freeland still must be approved by the Missouri Senate.
Sumter did not get the pleasure of a two-year joy ride as student representative. In fact, he and the rest of the Board of Governors endured a gauntlet of struggles as great as the University has faced in recent memory - highlighted by former President Barbara Dixon's resignation in fall 2008 and the ongoing budget dilemma for Missouri's state institutions.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
djp728
Daniel
posted 4/02/10 @ 3:31 AM CST
Thank you for your service, Mr. Sumter, and thank you to the current editors of the Index who have corrected the misjudgments of an earlier era. The Class of 2010 should be proud of all its many accomplishments. (Continued…)
Post a Comment