Last Wednesday, the Daily Kent Stater reported on the petty disputes and personal attacks that have been characteristic of USS meetings in recent weeks. Because of these personal conflicts, USS has been so deeply divided over seemingly innocent issues like improving lighting on campus that they even argued fiercely for twenty-five minutes over what the outcome of a vote signified. A week later, the bickering only intensified.

Yet USS did manage to agree on one thing last week. On Feb. 18, in a rare display of unity, USS voted to boycott Boise Cascade Office Products. The resolution, introduced by Senator for Governmental Affairs Sean Buchanan, stated, "WHEREAS, Boise Cascade continues to engage in environmentally destructive activities including, but not limited to, logging in (and importing from) old growth forests É (and) large retailers such as Staples and Home Depot have changed their policies to become more environmentally responsible É USS will not use Boise Cascade Office Products and shall purchase the most environmentally responsible products that are reasonable in cost." The document also declared USS "urges all other departments and the administration of the university to do the same."

As a member of Students Eliminating Environmental Destruction, I obviously support this resolution. However, I think there is another lesson to be learned here. When candidates run for USS, they often have ambitious visions and innovative ideas for how improving the university. Yet when they actually take office, senators are often bewildered by the overbearing bureaucracy and the severe limits on power that go with the job. USS is supposed to be the elected "government" of the student body, but senators often find "governing" the university is really the privilege of a handful of overpaid, apathetic administrators. There are very few important things students truly have autonomy over. It's not surprising that such a disempowered Senate would descend into the childish melodrama that is currently plaguing USS.

Yet all hope is not lost. The process that went into the Boise resolution can be a model for Senate involvement on other issues. Senator Buchanan became aware of the widespread concern about Boise that exists among students and faculty. He then approached SEED (not the other way around) and asked if a USS resolution might help. We said yes and gave him information about the issue. Buchanan discussed it with other Senators, did some independent research and drafted a bill. Meanwhile, the senators who were backing the bill addressed the questions and concerns of the others and gauged public opinion by monitoring the USS online comment board. The senators critically examined the issue and made some changes to the resolution. Once consensus was reached, the resolution went to a vote and passed unanimously, putting the administration in a position where it would be both ethical and politically expedient to stop buying from Boise.

USS is designed to be a rubber stamp institution, but it's not entirely powerless. By taking stands on important issues, USS demonstrates its importance as the elected body of 23,000 students. The more USS asserts itself in this manner, the more relevant it will become.

Mike Pesa is a junior history major and a columnist for the Daily Kent Stater.

E-mail: mpesa@kent.edu