There are more undergraduate students on The Daily Orange Editorial Board than were present at the final listening meeting on sexual assault services.

Syracuse University gave students the opportunity Monday night to discuss how the Counseling Center should be improved. After the backlash following the closure of the Advocacy Center, the absence of undergraduate students at the listening meeting is embarrassing.

Students cannot complain about a problem and then not show up to find a solution.

There were roughly 75 people who marched in the Rally for Consent on Sept. 17 to protest the changes made to the Advocacy Center. Of those 75 people, 40 went to the chancellor’s office to present him with a petition of over 8,000 signatures of people who were against the closing of the advocacy center. The Facebook group, “The SU Advocacy Center needs your help!” has 1,474 members, as of Monday.

And yet there were only six undergraduate students present at the listening meeting.

The absence of undergraduate students at the meeting presents a different picture to the administration than the one that appeared in front of its door a little more than a month ago. It also doesn’t match up to the trending hashtag, #BringBackTheAC.

When Eve Ensler, a playwright and activist, said in a University Lecture on Oct. 15 that Chancellor Kent Syverud owed the campus an apology for closing the Advocacy Center, many students agreed with her on social media. But it isn’t fair to demand that the administration make changes and then not take part in that conversation when the opportunity arises.

Although the university should have scheduled a listening meeting earlier in the semester when there was more conversation surrounding the Advocacy Center, the momentum behind the cause should not have deflated so quickly if it was important to students.

There has been overwhelming activism on social media and in the form of protests, but discussion with the administration is not being taken advantage of. It’s important for students to voice their opinions, but it’s more important for them to be able to discuss their concerns with the people who can make the changes.

During the Rally for Consent in mid-September, students in the crowd held signs that said, “No more decisions about us, without us.”

If students don’t show up when given the chance to provide feedback, decisions will be made without them.

Published on October 28, 2014 at 12:01 am

Contact: opinion@dailyorange.com