This week’s rounds of Student Association meetings, both the Senate and Executive representation saw various topics of discussion regarding subjects encompassing a wide range.
The subjects presented include but are not limited to, a discussion progression of outreach into the student body, potential visiting speakers on campus, a proposed collaboration between the Plattsburgh Association of the Visual Arts (PAVA) and the Student Association Art Acquisitions committee to create a LGBTQAI mural, and the formal assimilation of two new members of the Senate who have recently been elected during the past week’s special election.
A specific example that showcases the values that our Student Association is working to promote are demonstrated by the effort to bring Tim Mousseau to speak on campus.
Vice President of Clubs and Organizations Mackenzie Dumas detailed the ongoing pursuit to acquire sufficient funds in order to bring Tim Mousseau to speak on the campus in the future. Mousseau himself is a victim of sexual assault, an event which impacted his life to such a degree that has compelled him to travel across the nation, preaching his methodology that he attributes to his liberation from victimhood.
Mousseau’s college speaking tour contains three keynotes, the subject of which is detailed within Mousseau’s website www.timmoueseu.com, where a list and descriptions can be found.
First being, Tattooing your Leadership Legacy, which is previewed; “What are the similarities between tattoos and leadership? As a permanent expression of the self, a good tattoo has significance and is accomplished as a work of art. As guides to the future, students are taught leadership practices that help them create organizational legacies centered on improvement.”
The second – and clearly most relevant – Retaking Our Story: Reframing the Sexual Assault Conversation, “In this keynote, Tim leads a deep and vulnerable conversation on the difficult topic of sexual assault drawing from his own experiences and countless interactions with others in support groups. Why is an underlying culture of shame implicit, and how can it be stopped?”
Concluding on Fewer Leaders, More Innovators; “For decades, student organizations, fraternity and sorority chapters, and athletics teams have been facing the same exact problems with little movement. The same conversations keep happening year after year while the same issues are simply infecting new groups of people. We don’t need to be told what is wrong—what we need is innovative thinking.”
Student Association President Vrinda Arun Kumar expressed her thoughts regarding Mousseau describing his narrative as, “. . .unconventional within the typical campus conversation.” She continued to highlight the reality that during the examination of sexual assaults within college or university settings the focus is primarily on female victims, the inclusion of the prospective of a conventionally masculine individual can enable a “fresh voice” to enter into the discourse.
According to Vice President Dumas, if successful, SUNY Plattsburgh can expect Mousseau to visit campus around the first months of the 2017 Fall Semester to enable access to the ballroom, as well as aligning with what has been termed the “Red Zone” – the roughly three month period following the beginning of the fall semester during which the rate of sexual assault committee on campus increase.
The proposal to provide Moussaeu the opportunity to share his story and impart the wisdom and advice is presented during the days prior to the beginning of Diversity Week serves to reinforce the consistent and forward focused effort put forth by the members of the Student Association in pursuit of exposing the student body to voices that otherwise are silent.
Email Kyle Welling at news@cardinalpointsonline.com
