I’m currently in Tallahassee, the capital city of the great state of Florida. I’m doing some sightseeing, checking out my future office space (after you walk through security turn to the left at the Five Flags of Florida statue and it’s the office that says “Governor”) and researching for one of my three papers that I’m writing by day. I’m getting an updated taste of ‘Nole life (last time I was here was back in 2009 for the South Florida game) and nightwalking capital style once the sun goes down.
The Florida State University campus is huge, so it took me over 20 minutes to walk from the west side to the east to meet up with my sister at some bar that was dominated by fraternity dude-bros, most of which were decked in tucked-in fishing shirts, top-of-the-knee khakis and boat shoes, which in my opinion, couldn’t hold a candle to my shirt and tie combination.
In the heart of campus there is a student union building, there is the student newspaper, student organizations, student meeting places, student services, a variety of places students can eat, a post office (not a mail room) and a Chili’s. Get this: you can’t drink at Doak Campbell stadium during a football game, but you can get liquored up on whiskey and water before your Florida Politics class.
I sit down at the chain waterhole and crack open the Florida Flambeau—FSU’s having a showdown with a possible resurgent Miami football program down at Joe Robbie Stadium on Saturday night and the campus is a buzz.
As I scan the FSU campus rag, I encounter an article in the news section concerning Amendment 12 on the ballot on Nov. 6. It reads like an opinion piece.
For those who haven’t been following, Amendment 12 will replace the Florida Student Association with a council of State University Student Presidents. The student presidents will then appoint the student representative to the Board of Governors. Funny, there are currently 10 members of the FSA, and the only student government that does not participate is FSU’s.
Apparently FSU doesn’t like the fact it is equal to small schools like New College of Florida and the University of West Florida. According to the article, these schools “don’t accurately reflect our needs,” said Harrison DuBosar, the director of FSU SGA Government Affairs office. Members of FSA also have to pay dues to fund the association. This way, each university has some skin in the game. FSU hasn’t paid since 2009 and has been whining ever since.
The older schools in the State University System of Florida have different interests and goals than the younger, smaller schools. USF St. Petersburg is in a weird spot because we have more in common with UWF or New College than we do our own parent campus (save the name and colors).
If Amendment 12 passes, you can expect a divide between the big schools and the small schools, as there are different goals in mind for each side of the spectrum. The big schools will nominate their own to represent their interests. We at USF will get used by FSU and UF to vote with them only to be hung out to dry like we have been for the past 56 years. Vote no on 12!
fkurtz@mail.usf.edu
