I am replying to Cameron Dunbar’s May 17 column, “Student ‘sandbox’ election: Turn on, tune in, don’t vote.” Like Dunbar, I sometimes find Student Senate’s general unwillingness and inability to effect meaningful change frustrating. But I must object to one of his examples as misdirected and ill-informed.
Dunbar poked fun at the three Student Senate presidential candidates for coming together to express strong support for the Bobcats for a Conflict-free Campus campaign, which aims to end university complicity in the deadliest war since World War II by implementing socially responsible procurement and investment policies for electronics. Electronics contain conflict minerals sourced from armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The candidates’ joint letter to The Post stated, “In following the other schools that already have policies on conflict minerals, OU could be a leader for human rights.”
Dunbar apparently found that amusing, commenting, “So glad they can all agree that by following others, they are leading!”
While rhetorically suave, Dunbar’s comment was more cynical and snide than constructive or substantive.
Only 10 schools in the world have passed policies on conflict minerals, and the movement has taken off in the past year, with students at more than 100 campuses throughout the country and the world now fighting for conflict-minerals policies. Most of the schools that have policies are elite private schools such as Stanford University and the University of Pennsylvania.
By publishing a strong policy on conflict minerals, OU really can be an international leader on this issue. We would not be acting without precedent, but we would be pushing the movement forward and setting a great example for other public schools.
It would not have taken much research for Dunbar to understand that the candidates’ seemingly oxymoronic statement was both accurate and important to the future of OU.
Shame on Dunbar for trying to be clever by poking holes in candidates’ rhetoric when they had the courage and integrity to stand together on a very serious issue.
If Dunbar really wants a Student Senate that is willing to fight for meaningful change, as I do, I suggest he abstain from lampooning candidates for trying to do exactly that.
Ellie Hamrick is a junior studying anthropology.
