On April 1 and 2, students will be voting for a new student body president and vice president. This past year has presented numerous challenges for both our Indiana University community and the nation as a whole. Although great progress has been made within the last year, we as a country still face a raging pandemic, economic uncertainty, and civil unrest. And, it should come as no surprise that our campus community is not immune to these issues. We are feeling the impacts of national and world events play out right here in Bloomington. As such, it is imperative that the student body elects someone who understands these issues and is ready and able to fight for students so that we may overcome these challenges.
As such, The Crimson Post wholeheartedly endorses Dorynn Mentor and Carling Louden for student body president and vice president respectively. Mentor and Louden, running under the campaign Inspire for IUSG, are unquestionably the best choice to represent students and to lead IUSG through these difficult and trying times.
Inspire has committed to fighting burdensome and unfair tuition and fee increases for students. The cost to attend IU is significantly higher than that of other comparable Indiana universities. For in-state students, the total cost of attendance is almost 15% higher than Purdue and 25% higher than Ball State. Because of this, it’s crucial that Indiana University institutes an immediate “tuition freeze” and reduces fees for “all IU Students.”
Inspire has also committed to fighting for students’ rights, namely the right to privacy. On their campaign page, Inspire states that they “will work to secure the privacy of students and student organizations from invasion by the university and third parties.” Not only is the right to privacy fundamental, but it is constantly threatened by university overstep, surveillance, and overregulation. And, as IU and other universities have now begun tracking and monitoring students at a level never before seen due to COVID-19, this is more relevant than ever.
Mentor and Louden are also fighting to restore Fall and Spring break. Although these events were once considered a staple of the college experience, they have since become one of the countless casualties of the administration’s fight against COVID-19. However, Inspire understands the value of giving students a recess from the seemingly never-ending onslaught of coursework and assessments. They are fighting to restore these crucial and valuable breaks. The campaign recently launched a petition to save Fall and Spring break which has since garnered over 15,000 signatures from students.
And, perhaps most importantly of all, Mentor and Louden, have shown a commitment to democratic values and a true diversity of viewpoints, not simply a diversity of ethnicities or identities. As the chairwomen of the IUSG Student Life Committee, Louden fought for democratic elections for IUSG congress members and was a strong proponent of free speech, stating that she believes that “it is wrong for students to attempt to oppress opposing viewpoints, as they are crucial for open discussions.” Regrettably, many of Mentor and Louden’s opponents don’t share their affinity for free elections and free speech. Ky Freeman, for example, another student body presidential candidate, actively campaigned for the appointment of students to the IUSG Congress based upon their race and worked to silence anyone, including Louden, who was in opposition to the idea by labeling them as “white supremacists” and “racists.” Unfortunately, Freeman was ultimately successful in his efforts.
For these reasons, we proudly and enthusiastically endorse Dorynn Mentor and Carling Louden for president and vice president of the Indiana University student body.
Students can vote using this link.
