The student statement of culture has been in the revision process since last semester, with much thought and discussion over the contents and purpose of the document. The Beloit Student Government, or BSG, has been the group spearheading the effort to revise the document and encouraging students to vote on the adoption of the revision. A Google Form is expected to be sent out to all students voting on if this new edition of the student statement of culture should be made official.
Beginning at 7 p.m. Sept. 30, the members of BSG were prepared in Moore Lounge with a healthy stack of Domino’s pizza on the back table and chairs set up on the main stage. Around six non-BSG members attended the town hall. The members of BSG immediately came to the conclusion that the turnout for the townhall was far from enough to even begin considering ratification of the document.
After initial readings of the current draft, attendants were welcomed to propose changes. A major goal for the session was to reduce the length of the document in an effort to make it more accessible and concise. BSG’s changes for the statement have been criticized as being too long and having too much “academic” language. More specific contested inclusions were points that concerned ICE, COVID-19, and land and labor acknowledgements. The actualization of the Black Demands put forward by Black Students United is a point listed under Community and Identity, and there was discussion about linking the Black Demands directly in the statement of culture. The purpose of the document itself has been a source of discussion, considering it is debatable if the statement should represent current student culture or an ideal to be achieved. Even the less-criticized points were subject to scrutiny, as choices in diction in every category were investigated.
This desire for a shorter document was voiced because previous iterations of the statement of culture have been handed out as pamphlets during a particular convocation, limiting its length. This is also the reason for the prioritization of accessibility, as freshmen should be able to read and gain an understanding of the statement of culture before taking any classes.
The student statement of culture is a relatively new document in the college’s history. It was implemented by Eric Boynton as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The intention was to create a list of values that all students were expected to uphold.
The town hall in Moore Lounge was another step for BSG towards creating structures that accommodate student’s needs. A common sentiment from everyone involved was that more input and participants were needed for change that properly represented the student body. The idea of postponing the meeting seemed to be the most agreed upon way to get more students engaged with the statement of culture. After two hours, BSG’s reservation for the Moore Lounge expired and the town hall attendees dispersed.
Featured image: Ollie Idizowski’28
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