Being a part of the Oakland University Student Congress allows me to do something that I absolutely love doing: I get to be the voice for the students. There are other people who are a part of this organization who get to do the same thing, some of them being the executive board and some of them being the legislators. All of us make up the representation of the student body and we get to fight for what the students want.

But we can’t do that unless students are willing to talk about the things that they want to see different. We aren’t mind readers, we’re just students who want to make a difference on this campus and throughout this community.

Take a look at the OUSC mission statement below:

“Oakland University Student Congress strives to represent the student body and increase pride and unity on campus through dynamic leadership, a commitment to diversity and an ongoing devotion to the quality of university life. We aim to meet the needs and address the concerns of our fellow students and encourage students to voice their ideas to help us create the best possible “Oakland experience.”

To sum it up, the job of OUSC is to create a better student life atmosphere on campus through events, initiatives, advocacy and leadership. We are in our positions to make this journey that you’re on as a college student better.

But how can we do that if we don’t know what you want to see on campus?

To answer the question, we can’t. Our jobs cannot be done effectively if you don’t show us the things that you think will make this university better and brighter. Our mission statement says that we represent you, and that we have to do the things that will create more of a sense of pride and unity through our leadership and decision-making abilities. We have to bring diverse events and foster multiculturalism in our initiatives.

Our number one goal is to bring that to you. We couldn’t be any happier to do so either. From the Student Services Director, Amera Fattah, to the Multicultural Affairs Director, Maria Arellano, to our Legislative Affairs Director, Michelle Alwardt, we’re bringing some of the most diverse, educational, dynamic events and initiatives that we hope will provide the student body with ample opportunities to get involved and make a difference. The desire from us is there, and we hope you see that. But to move forward, we need you to be there, too.

Our mission statement is what gives us our direction. It guides us through all of our processes so that we can do what’s best for everyone. But out of the nearly 20,000 students here, we can only do so much before we need fresh minds and innovative thinking.

Come on down to our office — located in the basement of the Oakland Center, right next to the SPB office, across from the WXOU radio station, and adjacent to The Oakland Post’s office, located at 62 Oakland Center.

Tell us what you think.

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Robbie Williford is the Oakland University Student Congress Vice President. Email him at [email protected]