Is the Student Life Fighting for a Pulse?
This isn't a new problem for universities and colleges. It's a historic ritual, the graduating class leaving big shoes to fill and whatnot, but there is a lack of want to engage that is uniquely distinct at The American University of Paris. Around this time of the semester, many prep for summer and the upcoming fall semester. There's talk of appointments, flyers for applications, and re-elections flying on the spring breeze. The prospect of open board positions and vacant leadership roles is turning into a bit of an existential crisis for student organizations. This is probably because the students aren't the ones competing, but the organizations. It's becoming increasingly clear, as summer heat creeps closer, that there's a drought of willing students. The Student Government Association just held re-elections for the next school year, and not only did the majority run unopposed, but even after the results were announced, nearly half the positions were unfilled. This issue was even faced by Peacock itself last semester, as the application deadline for board positions was pushed back due to a lack of applicants. Why is this happening? What will get student life lively again?
The Revolving Door
A newer club on campus, Casita Club, is dealing with this issue as well. Casita Club, established two years ago at the time of writing, is a cultural organization for Latin Americans to fellowship within AUP. Current sitting co-presidents, Ava Castaneda and Yamilett Suarez, have to replace nearly the entire board. "We started it as sophomores, but it really didn't get off the ground due to, like, funding issues within SGA until our junior year. [...] I think because of the way that clubs function at AUP, a lot of these clubs are very transitional. They tend to have short runs. It's kind of something that I think a lot of other clubs might experience when, like, a tight-knit group of people who've been running it are all graduating." Castaneda comments on how the club was made as a labor of love between friends, and now that these friends are graduating, it is a simple problem, but in AUP, this can easily spell the end for clubs. Castaneda is very much aware that clubs at AUP aren't necessarily a permanent fixture on campus and can be transitional. "Just as fast as clubs are popping up on campus, we've seen a couple of clubs die off. Some of it, I would say, is leadership issues." This problem of people not being willing or able to dedicate time after school has led to the demise of many clubs, and it is something many organizations are trying to stave off. It can even spell an apocalypse for the AUP club climate.
Barrier for Entry
This aversion to student leadership is the symptom of a bigger illness. Suarez and Castaneda have a theory about why the student body is experiencing rising absenteeism. "I would say the other reason is the financial stress on club leaders, the way that SGA funding is organized," Suarez supplies as one potential problem or barrier for entry for many. It seems to be a common problem among many student community leaders: reimbursement may be delayed or a confusing process to navigate. Some club leaders are making difficult financial decisions, forgoing the events in favor of their own pockets. This lack of support and resources can also be an issue for students, not just those in leadership positions. When asked for a statement, Raneem Grira, former undergraduate president, states: "We have a beautiful community of students who truly care." That said, she also echoes the same worries and pressures as the co-presidents of the Casita Club. The lack of engagement is not purely from disinterest: "The lack of engagement is not entirely the fault of our student body; it's several environmental barriers." Castaneda and Suarez have both referred to AUP as a commuter school, as in people commute to the school for rather long periods of time and simply do not have the time between school, work, and outside obligations to come back to campus. Grira agrees, "I can even argue [for] some less present students with [...] who can't truly commit to the community without becoming vulnerable to the lack of support." All three, Castaneda, Suarez, and Grira, mention the unsustainable care, reinforcing the lack of engagement at AUP.
Who does this affect?
