Editorial: Attend Pitt forum, help initiate positive change

Chancellor Gallagher and his administration are inviting the student body to have a say in policy making.

Today, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., in the William Pitt Ballroom, the University will host a “Student Open Forum and Brainstorm Session,” where administration, such as Vice Provost David Dejong and Interim Dean of Students Kenyon Bonner, will take questions and give students a chance to voice their concerns about upcoming University policy goals and initiatives.

We should all take advantage of this chance to affect University policy. If students disagree with a policy plan or initiative, it’s easier to stop it before it starts, rather than trying to fix them once they have already become a reality.

It’s worth noting, however, that it took some work to include all students in these policy efforts. For instance, this open-forum would not be happening if it wasn’t for Americans for Informed Democracy and Free the Planet — the student organizations sent an open-letter to Chancellor Gallagher on Sept. 24, urging him to better include student perspectives on said policy efforts.

Don’t let their efforts go in vain.

Starting with the forum today, all student voices will, ideally, be heard and taken into consideration when it comes to University policy — still, being heard requires speaking.

At the forum, students and administration will discuss the policy goals outlined in “The Plan for Pitt,” the administration’s strategic planning framework. The strategy focuses on further improving things like campus diversity and affordability.

If students want the University to take their opinions into consideration, students must actively participate. Of course, this means the University must open up campus discussions to students — which it is now doing — but it also means that a representative sample of students must be attending these discussions, as well.

The best ideas will have the most student input. For example, we can’t really tackle diversity if we’re only hearing from a small number of students on the problem.

Therefore, all students should go to the forum today — if not solely for the campus-wide benefits, at least do it for the free pizza.