The Administration Loves Us; They Should Trust Us Too

|| Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash.

The opinions reflected in this OpEd are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of staff, faculty and students of The King's College.

This past week, our campus has been divided by the controversy surrounding the recent changes in finals week structure. I believe this issue has compelling arguments on both sides. However, these arguments were made without the participation of the student body. Students were denied the opportunity to join in the discourse—to voice their concerns on an issue with significant academic impacts.

I am afraid this particular controversy is merely a manifestation of a more fundamental issue: a symptom, not the disease. We can debate the merits of this change all day. But, unless the administration begins to trust us, this will not be our last surprise. Students should have been represented in the conversation, or at least updated throughout the process.

This administration loves the student body; I have no doubt. They want what is best for us and for our futures. They love us, but I often wonder if they trust us. We are adults who gambled years of our lives and thousands of dollars on this community. We should be at the table. We should have a voice.

Whether you believe the finals schedule change was good or bad, it will affect you and the many students to join us in the future. King’s is us, and we are King’s. Give us a voice in these closed-door conversations; we also only want what is best. Only together, with the administration and student body in cooperation, can we continue to promote what is truly best for our community.

Sincerely,

Blake Ashley