Hard work pays off: BSG A-Okay

Dear Mr. President, Mr. Vice President,I realize you have less than 10 days left in office, nearing your graduation and completion of your term in office of the Brockport Student Government. This column will serve as an open letter, of sorts, to yourselves, administration and volunteers.

Let me start by saying BSG has been the bane of my existence since I started writing for The Stylus three years ago. I've been denied interviews, physically removed from the BSG office and been told I'm a horrible reporter. This year, it's been different. Your openness and willingness to speak with the press was always appreciated. Which leads me to my first point.

Marketing: Your marketing has certainly improved, and I'm not saying that because your Marketing Director told me I should (just kidding, Jeremy. Good luck in Virginia!) It was a little disappointing, however, that your posters, flyers and promotional items did not induce acid trips like some of last year's posters. Luckily for me, Brockport's become more of a drug-ridden village, and had I wanted to do acid in place of your normal posters, I probably could have still found some. Your marketing department also did a fantastic job serving as PR officials for you, really making sure the scandalous stuff I'd pounce on didn't get leaked to the general public. Or at least to The Stylus office. Have I mentioned it's rather annoying when it's one of your good friends trying to keep BSG secrets from you? Nonetheless, good job cleaning up the marketing act.

Programming: We didn't always see eye-to-eye, but with the students' interest in mind, you did well. Catering to the students who pay your salary is always a good idea, and something I hope many will keep up for years to come. Although I was recently informed the fireworks and festival in mid-September was not for my birthday, but rather for Eaglefest, it's still cool you're putting on events that have such wide appeal for students.

Granted, I attended few BSG-sponsored events (I do not want a trucker hat, nor do I care to have a photo of myself in an inflatable chair - although that inflatable beer bottle was pretty cool), but I know a lot of students were a lot happier with the events that were put on. While each event may not have tickled your fancy, I'm sure each student on campus found at least something to attend - be it free, or for a low cost.

Your concerts sold out ... twice. Job well-done with this, especially asking for student opinion. Country was a good choice for the fall, despite the push-back for not having a rap or hip/hop concert. Consider it ill-deserved; there's rap each year. This year was clearly the year to cater to the more mellow, country-loving students.

Of course, there should have been more communication between the executive branch, programming and marketing. It's frustrating when you're told one thing by A, told to ignore A by B and then told that A and B don't know anything by C. This isn't verbatim, but pretty darn close. While two of the three I'm speaking of are graduating, the rookies need to take heed: Constant communication between staff members will yield constant communication with students. Frustrate, annoy or otherwise agitate students and you'll lose their support. Probably not a good idea when they're the ones who allow you to operate each day.

While I don't think any BSG president or vice president will accurately understand the role of the media, particularly student media, as well as the legalities that come along with being a member of the press, it's always funny to watch everyone in BSG try. First rule to remember next year: The press is your way of getting the word out. While I don't support feeding the media information, remember that friendly relations with your respective student reporter or editor, means friendly acceptance to story ideas. We're people, too. Burn us once, we won't be burned again. And we remember our burns.

Perhaps your biggest accomplishment has been restoring order within the legislative side of things. I have never seen a board meeting so organized or run as smoothly. The elimination of board meeting bickering was certainly a welcome addition this year, even though all the juicy things are said Monday nights, the same night of Stylus production. A word of advice for board members next year? Go to your office hours. Be in the office, or near the office, during them. More than once, I went to the BSG office looking for a rep during their office hours. To my dismay, they were "there," but not physically in the office.

It's difficult to talk to my ever-so-open student leaders when their availability is less than open. Kind of a bummer. And for those of you afraid of some good or bad press: You're lucky I have been so sick for the past two months. I totally would have staked out your office hours.

Overall, I can say Brockport was privileged to have these two young men work as their student leaders, as well as Treasurer Lindsey Geyer. All three have bright futures ahead of them, with prestigious accomplishments left behind at Brockport. I'm normally much more critical, but it's been a good year. To go off last year's campaign slogan, this year was better.

Now it's up to Evan and Nate to bring one home for BSG. Continued improvement is on the horizon, especially if they hire eight staff members. Evan and Nate, plus eight. It'd be perfect.