“YCC? What the hell is that?” “Oh, right, the people that put together the Spring Fling.”
Yah, that’s us. Some of you might even remember us for our amazing bathroom achievements such as my personal project last year to get those handy little storage bins in every bathroom.
It’s an odd situation in which the Yale College Council finds itself. To students, the YCC is invisible. To the administration, it’s a thorn in the side. For example, the administrators know me because I’m always harassing them on behalf of undergraduates, but most students don’t know they elected me treasurer for this year. Frankly, most of you who know I’m treasurer couldn’t give a flying rat’s ass about what I do outside of making sure Spring Fling is a lot of fun.
Since a large part of Yale’s campus expects and desires that the YCC organize not only bigger events but also more of them, the YCC will do that next year.
A fall concert should and will be added to the expected list of YCC activities that include the Winter Ball and Spring Fling. In order to facilitate such activities, the council will have to look outside for more sponsors like those I have found for this year’s Spring Fling, since President Levin will unfortunately give only so much.
With an active council, the YCC will be able to come up with many other ways to amuse and entertain.
To my advocate friends, don’t worry. I’m not saying that the YCC will abandon the issues. Next year’s council and I will remain committed to changing Yale for the better. We will continue to make the educational experience better for students and make life at Yale a little more convenient. We will continue to fight for a more environmentally and socially conscious Yale.
The next year is sure to find the YCC making undergraduate opinion about Yale’s negotiations with both current and prospective unions clear. The YCC will continue to push the administration to do what’s right (and to catch up with those other schools) by putting some money back into the pockets of those who are on financial aid.
But no matter what, the activities that the YCC organizes are what have and always will give the YCC legitimacy in the eyes of administrators and students. Without the ability to say that we truly serve the students’ main interest (big activities), how can the YCC claim to represent the campus on major issues?
Issues are inseparably linked with activities because political representation is inseparably linked to service. To remove or weaken that link spells disaster for the YCC. The activities will be seen and enjoyed; the issues will have the legitimate backing necessary to be heard. True.