Have you forgotten?

By Cheeno M. Luang

(Vol.XXX  Issue No. 4, Editorial Cartoon)

They have sworn the oath of leadership during the Negros Oriental State University’s (NORSU) 8th Charter Day Anniversary. Together with this oath is their assurance to the studentry that they can put their full trust and aspiration to this chosen body. The new student leaders of this institution will have their chances to showcase their leadership skills in their respective colleges, and NORSU in general, in the way they want it to be.

Every student leader must be equipped with skills that make up a good leader. In the first place, that is one essential reason why the students voted them as their new leaders. It is also expected of them to at least realize the projects that they have presented in their platforms during the campaign period.

But before we judge them, let us first take a look at some of the student leaders’ plans for this school year. College of Business and Administration (CBA) Governor Stephen Villegas said that he will install ceiling fans in the CBA’s 3rd floor rooms, construct comfort rooms and a mini-library.

Meanwhile, College of Tourism and Hospitality Management Governor Juan dela Cruz said that his plans include putting up sign boards and trash bins around their premises. Michael Vincent Tubog, College of Arts and Sciences governor, articulated that he plans to construct a mini-library and audio boxes for special announcements.

Other college governors are also having plans of beautifying, improving, and redefining their respective colleges.
However, some of these plans are abstract and the realization of these lie in the hands of our present college governors—plans that remain in the tip of the tongues of these leaders, plans that remain drafts of an unattended official. We, the students, are witnesses of this kind of “false hope” years ago. Needless to say, some of our student leaders are creating plans just to impress the voting body in order for them to be in the position they are in.

Some student leaders visualize plans that are too superficial and idealistic. In the long run, they will realize that it is difficult for them to accomplish such because of too many things to consider before it is realized. This scenario has happened two or three years ago when the former Student Government of Dumaguete City–I (SGDC–I) President Christopher Don Catacutan envisioned the construction of a mini-chapel inside the university. This is just too impractical and a financially-absurd move since this plan requires money, money and more money.

More recently, former SGDC–I President Angelo Nabalse promised to roof the open-court. This is in order to give students and teachers a more convenient place to hold their classes in. However, nothing happened and his plan vanished into thin air.

Both student leaders are examples of people who have pledged before their co-learners of a better university, a better governance. But seemingly, they have planned too much and they forgot that their plans need a bigger monetary budget.

Now that our local student leaders are already making and visualizing some of their plans for the benefit of everyone, we just hope that these young leaders will use their minds to critically analyze the promises that they have made. Likewise, they must see to it that they are creating plans that are budget-friendly, achievable within a short-time frame, realistic, and a 100 percent factual.