Brutually Honest gives voice to student concerns
Students need to be aware of issues, develop an opinion and speak up, according to Utah State University students who participated in Brutally Honest on the Taggart Student Center patio Tuesday afternoon.
Brutally Honest, an event hosted by Associated Students of USU, gives students the opportunity to stand up and complain about anything they want, said Tagg Archibald, ASUSU executive vice president.
Bill Bower, a student majoring in environmental studies, said students need to ask questions and be aware of what is happening on campus.
“When are you guys going to stop being apathetic about what’s going on?” Bower said. “You guys deserve what you get.”
Students expressed opinions about issues such as limiting tuition increases, increasing parking and voting in the upcoming election.
Students need to voice their opinions about tuition increases, junior Leah Ronnow said, but they are not well enough informed.
“People don’t know anything about it,” she said. “They need to have an opinion about it.”
Ronnow said students should be interested in education and information. They should also share their opinions, she said.
Students also expressed their opinions about the upcoming election and the
presidential candidates. Laurel Evans said students should be more politically active by exercising their right to vote.
“If you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain,” Evans said.
Other students discussed a need for more parking.
Tom Davis said he can never find a parking spot.
He said, “I paid $30 for a B [Lot] permit and haven’t parked in one yet this year.”
Ronnow said students should try taking the shuttle or walking up the hill. She said it takes her the same amount of time to do this as it would to drive.
Students also expressed opinions about gay marriage, smoking and talking on cell phones in libraries.
Archibald said Brutally Honest was started last year by Ariel Thrapp, who was the ASUSU executive vice president. He said now Brutally Honest is now run by the Ombudsman committee. None of what students say is criticized, Archibald said, so it is a positive environment to voice opinions and complaints.
“Brutally Honest lets students get feelings off their chest,” he said.
He said Brutally Honest also lets the student government know what students want and need. Student government leaders will take these issues and try to solve the problems that they can, he said.
-beacannon@cc.usu.edu