How and if we engage with each other shapes our community and our perceptions of each other. This year, I’ve been impressed with Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Jackie Font-Guzmán’s efforts to bridge the gap between the student body and administrators. It’s comforting to see a part of our administrative team out on campus, attending CAC events, and particularly, engaging with student clubs and organizations. 

This is my third and last semester co-editing The Weather Vane, and some of the most rewarding moments have been seeing my staff members or myself get feedback on meaningful pieces. The feedback, though, rarely comes from the issues or people we’re addressing. It comes most often in the form of student praises like, “Yeah, I think that sucks too!,” or “I really resonated with your piece on mental health.” Occasionally, we get verbal responses from our professors who have read our pieces and found value in them. 

During my time on The Weather Vane, I haven’t gotten or been aware of my staff members being responded to by administrators. This is a clear problem.

Administrators are inaccessible for a number of reasons, many being valid. Jobs take time. But the same administrators do have access to the student paper and the student opinions shared in it. When this key part of the student body’s voice isn’t recognized by the President and others in the President’s Office, it makes me wonder how hard we’re actually working to make sure everyone feels heard, respected, and taken care of at EMU.  I’ve heard several staff express frustration about lack of action and response after their pieces get released. Not every article needs to be addressed, of course, but the ones covering topics sensitive to students’ wellbeing and life on campus should be. As I leave my position, I encourage any EMU students, faculty, staff, and especially administrators to respond to The Weather Vane. Respond to the student body. Email us at wvane@emu.edu, or you can reach me at jessica.chisolm@emu.edu.