Letter to the Editor: Tomlin had a valid point

Dear Editor, 

I am writing in response to the recent article written by Dan Tomlin about C.A.B. I am glad that someone has had enough courage to speak out about the disorganized, mislead organization we the students know as Campus Activities Board. I believe what Mr. Tomlin wrote is what a lot of us students think and want to say, but are afraid to let their voice be heard under C.A.B.’s current Advisor.

This issue with C.A.B. is bigger then the current situation with “Emerson Drive”. Not only was I a former student who helped out in C.A.B., but I am also a business owner who has been hired as a vendor to C.A.B., and I must say, I saw firsthand how this organization was run under an unprofessional leader.

Talking with other former members of C.A.B., we all agree on how C.A.B. could be a great organization for the students, unfortunately we also all agree that C.A.B. is of the poorest quality of leadership we have witnessed here on Saint Ambrose Campus.

As we have most recently seen with the selecting of “Emerson Drive”, there was no surveying of the students; because your opinion did not matter.

As if a survey would have mattered anyway considering the CAB Advisor always has the last word, and I know first hand through working with her for the last three years as a vendor, helping with C.A.B events, and serving as a Junior Class Senator and Senior Class Senator on Student Government Association that this is true.

Ask yourself why there was no student input utilized in choosing a band? Better yet, when is the last time you saw a survey that even requested your interest and input from C.A.B.? Is this not the organization that is supposed to be “of the students, by the students, for the students?” Okay, so maybe that sounds similar to something Abraham Lincoln once said, but I think you get my point.

Last year I saw for the first time a survey that would benefit students and ask for their opinion. The particular survey was for seniors on what they wanted for their senior gift and was put on by S.A.A. (Student Alumni Association). S.A.A. obviously was not choosing a gift that the S.A.A leaders would want; rather they truly cared about the recipients of the gift.

So here we are again with another BAD choice that was not made by the students, but by C.A.B. I along with other students are very concerned on how such a fine institution like Saint Ambrose has employed such a negative, unprofessional, rude individual.

Has our administration not paid attention to how many students drop out of C.A.B? Just ask around. If we want to have ownership in our organization that is designed to be for the students, then we need to go to the top and fix the problem.

Sincerely Concerned,

Joshua Sherrod
St. Ambrose graduate, '04

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