Vis Lupi Est Grex

A Republican would what? What are you talking about?

Besides, Republicans know you have to get a black female and an Asian male on the committee before it’s *really* diverse. Just look at any corporate team photo.

Speaking of Republican diversity, did anyone else notice the well placed diversity behind Governor McDonnell during his response to the STOU? Gotta love that "natural" diversity.

I noticed that, but in fact one of McDonnell’s biggest supporters is an African American businesswoman in the DC area. I’m not sure how much of it was “natural” and how much of it was a legitimate coincidence.. or even if part of it is a sign that the party is starting to diversify.

This is nonsense. Not only is this badly profiling the Republican party, which I may not be a member of, but respect (like a grown-up), but the post shows exactly what the Unity Commission is trying to combat: profiling people by what category they fit in to. Your list up there is something to be ashamed of. These people work very hard on their diversity initiatives and have taken the department into the future. They have been smart, effective, efficient, mature, and respectable throughout. Which is more than I can say for anything posted above.
Shame on this blog. It's no better under new management than old. It still stinks of arrogance and god complexes.
I've been silent too long, and this post went way too far. Unity is not having a room full of people that LOOK different. Though that MAY happen, it is about acceptance, tolerance, and love. I thought you'd all graduated? I guess having a diploma doesn't mean you necessarily think with a clear head and an open heart.

But "sexual health" Neely? How is that even closely related to diversity or unity?

Diversity is one of those amorphous liberal buzzwords that can mean anything you want it to, like "tolerance" or "phycho-social development."

If we're embracing diversity, we must necessarily embrace tolerance, as well--tolerance even of views that are objectionable or offensive, such as this post.

The point is when we outwardly point out diversity, we necessarily categorize people based on immutable characteristics.

Interesting debate: http://unrforliberty.com/2010/02/diversity-as-viewed-by-a-sample-of-unr.html

I am so sick of this old school cookie cutter definition of diversity! Diversity isn't just what race you are. Diversity is accomplished when you have people of different cultures in one community, working together and treated equally. Grow up VLEG, and realize that these kids at least have the balls to get up and try to create a better university with varied backgrounds and ideas.

Sexual Health Week ties into Unity because they are trying to get the students "United" to help solve a problem that the university faces. And even if you don't accept that as being part of the Unity Commission's stated purpose, what is the point of being critical towards an entity for doing MORE than they were told they had to?

I say again, grow up VLEG. I wish you would, cause your blog works every now and again. But then you do something stupid like this and everyone realizes that you guys are all stuck up, pretentious, and unwaveringly ill-minded.

"Sexual Health Week ties into Unity because they are trying to get the students "United" to help solve a problem that the university faces."

Well I'm glad someone actually found a way to link the two but this has got to be the weakest link ever. That's like saying the club commission can over see the baseball team because baseball teams and organizations are often called "clubs."

Wasn't the original and current legal scope of the Unity Commission (which sounds like something out of Nazi Germany) to put on a diversity week that would help people of a diverse background come together and show off the pride they have in their unique history?

Yes, and as far as I can tell, they are still doing that. This sexual health week is simply them working HARDER.

So again, I ask you, what is the problem with this?

They're doing something they weren't authorized by the elected representatives of the Association to do?

They are doing something that could be better done by the programming dept?

Who specifically made the decision to take this event which in the past has been done by programming and give it to this commission that has a sole purpose?

But I guess as long as they are "doing the right thing" it's okay...

Just asking Mr./Ms. Anonymous (pro unity), are you running for the VP position? Because then it would seem you have a vested interested in ensuring that a body you will oversee will continue to grab power. If that's your platform, that's fine, but let's be open about it. I don't have any motive here, I just think broadening the definition to give people with a title something to do is in general a bad practice.

I am not running for VP.

But why don't you go out and ask the student body what they think? If they think it is a travesty and completely irrevocably damaging to our UNiversity, then come and post on VLEG.

Until then, stfu

Na this is way better. So what exactly will the Unity Commission be doing during this Sex week? Will we get demonstrations for how to put on a condom? Any displays? Exhibits? Since it seems the commission loves to have it's face plastered all over the campus, maybe they should post some examples of sexual health.

This is a serious issue, but frankly having a bunch of people who's only qualification is they got appointed a board to discuss sexual health is a joke. I'm sure they'll have speakers who are doctors and stuff but it just doesn't make sense to 1) have this under ASUN and 2) done by some commission with a loose affiliation to the issue. It's just another example of people with titles who think up ways to look busy.

Clearly I'd rather them get paid to sit around and NOT program for things they find important.

Just because Flipside is the main programming board doesn't mean they are the most qualified.

But let's be honest... That's why they are programming and doing something productive, and you are writting on VLEG. People who take themselves as seriously as you guys should just create a commune and hide in it. Then we wouldn't be bothered by such drabble.

Anon. at 11:20, it doesn't matter what the student body thinks about what is permissible or not, what is justifiable or not. What matters is what is the grant of authority to the commission in ASUN law. In other words, what the Senate told the commission to do. If they are exceeding their authotity to act and to spend money, then they are breaking the law.

In government, what is allowed to be done is defined in terms of what the people have properly delegated to the body. It we permit government doing more than what it was authorized to do, then government has all the power, then the government's power is supreme to the people's power. That is not how it works.

Wow, Neely came here to chastise VLEG. At last, VLEG, have you no shame? How funny.

Neely, you came here to score points by attacking VLEG and defending (what you perceive to be) a popular ASUN initiative. I can see directly through what you’re doing. It’s baloniness. But that’s okay! Everyone else sees through it, too.

I find it, like everything else, amusing. Thanks for your post!

To Anonymous, who thinks VLEG should grow up. Ouch! Wait, what? Sorry, I’m distracted by something else you said: "and realize that these kids at least have the balls to get up and try to create a better university with varied backgrounds and ideas”

Hm… Students for Liberty actually do that. I think there are a few other groups that do that too. College Republicans used to (Go Pack Patriot!), and for a while the Young Dems did that, too. I think the Asian student group, the name of which I don’t recall, was pretty successful. And the Night of All Nations group! Wow, the very best effort at doing what you’re talking about.

What does ASUN do? Nothing, really. Squander student money. Pat themselves on the back. Screw up. Think about totem animals. Strut around. Create useless committees.

Listen, I am a right-winger giving credit to the Dems, who I disagreed with on almost everything. But I can acknowledge that they were trying to, what that? “Get up and try to create a better university.”

There is something despicable about a group of one students appropriating money from another group so the first group can lecture the second about how they have to… what you say? Ah yes, “grow up.” I don’t think that’s cool, or right, or admirable, or anything but deserving of ridicule and spite.

To hell with their intentions! It’s theft and hypocrisy, and it should be called such.

Oh that's weird, if you had done your homework you would have seen that the Senate ALLOCATED money to the Unity Commission for this specific purpose.

Huh... God, I wish I was as smart as you Corinna.

Can you cite to the appropriations act that says "$X for Y purpose"? Since we are not enlightened and we wish to be, we would appreciate your knowledge.

I'll look for it tomorrow.

THIS really is why Vis Lupi gets such a bad name.

"Hey guys, if we can find the most obscure and weak way to find out how to undermine even the most positive of things, we'll FINALLY have purpose."

Get over yourselves. It is a student goverment (ie, NOT ALL THAT IMPORTANT IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS) that, despite your always wild allegations, doesn't TRY to rain destruction down on the University. Even IF the money being used is not specifically allocated for that purpose, it is a stretch that they are out of their purview.

Even still, I allege that IT ISN'T IMPORTANT. I have not heard a SINGLE student come to me and say "YOU GUYS ARE BREAKING DA RULEZ!!!" You know why? Because people LIKE what the Unity Commission is doing. You know why people don't come up to me and say "OMGAH VIS LUPI SAYS YOU BROKE DA RULEZ!!!"? Because nobody CARES what a bunch of bitter, slovenly, and ultimately GRADUATED people say. You don't want to better the university. You want to feel intelligent by finding any loophole possible because nobody ELSE is as smart as you. It hasn't worked. We all think you guys are idiots. Besides Shane, he seems like he has the right idea.

But oh yeah, as the anonymous before me said, we DID pass something. Huh, go figure.

Anonymous (10:24): I want to reply to you, but I cannot be convinced you will do more than haul off with a knee-jerk reaction. Besides, I have a feeling I’ve sat across a table from you at Gold’N’Silver and listened to this insanity before.

ASUN has a 1.4M budget. It is funded by the students. How that money is managed *IS* important in the grand scheme of things because it sets a precedent for those who plan to continue in public service. It matters because a government that takes property and wastes said property is behaving despotically. I would like to hear you say, “it’s not that important” after having ~$500 taken from you without your consent. Obviously we care about the university; otherwise, we wouldn’t expend a drop of energy advocating for students from whom you are stealing.

You are the one pissing away student money and laughing it off as no big deal. Who is the one who doesn’t care?

Again I say, this isn't throwing money away.

It is going towards a good cause which, AGAIN, has recieved NO student backlash.

We aren't letting Flipside buy a bunch of laptops for themselves with programming money.

We are letting the Unity Commission do what they are supposed to do... Program. All of this money in our budget is being used to combat an issue of importance on this campus.

I just don't understand how you equate this with "pissing away student money." Or even stealing.

If you have a problem with the Unity Commission as a whole, that is different. But if you honestly have a problem because they are doing something productive with the money students pay into the system, you may want to check your mental health. Would you rather it just sat in the uncommitted account?

I think we’re talking past each other, and that is mostly my fault for painting with broad strokes while you are talking (I think) about Sexual Health Week.

I’m referring to the general lack of oversight of the student budget; things like the $10,000 that was (in my opinion) improperly allocated for the Homecoming billboard; or the hundreds of t-shirts that never seem to be distributed past ASUN staff, or the extra food I’ve seen taken home after ASUN-funded events. I think the Diversity Commission is pointless (see above for my list of clubs doing a better job), but my point refers to ASUN as an organization, not the Diversity Commission in particular.

Well then we agree on something. I assumed you were discussing the Unity Commission's Sexual Health Week.

I agree, the billboards, t-shirts not being distributed, and the wasted food are undeniably ugly.

So if the Unity Commissions is supposed to "do what they are supposed to do... Program" then why the hell do we need a programming board? Duplicative much?

The law creating the Unity Commission is very short and very vague. On what the Commission is to do, it says, "The Unity Commission shall be charged with creating on-campus diversity initiatives, including but not limited to, an annual Diversity Week." (The commission was renamed from "Diversity Commission" after this act passed.) That's it, except some provision about being a liaison to stuff. The term "diversity initiative" is not defined.

The only thing that needs to be answered is whether sexual health programming is a "diversity initiative." Given the traditional scope, history, understanding, and practice of what this commission does, I maintain it's a stretch.

I know it's fun and fashionable to engage in debates about subjective value judgments (what they are doing is a good thing, it's a good cause, etc.), but that is not the issue. Last I checked, ASUN officers don't take an oath to do the right thing or to support a good cause; they take an oath to uphold the Constitution. If we accept "it's the right thing" as justification for everything ASUN does, then isn't ASUN's charter necessarily meaningless?

I have a question. What can the unity commission NOT do?

Interesting debates. People like to report to me about all the "gossip" about ASUN from this.

I noticed "across from you at Gold N' Silver." For the record, i have not and will NOT ever write anonymously. I have far more integrity than to write anonymously. If you have an issue with ASUN Senate, e-mail me. If you have an issue with Unity commission, contact Charlie Jose. If you have an issue with programming, contact Casey Stiteler. I think you get my point....It's usually a lot more effective than continuing a trend of character attacks, because people are not brave enough to post behind their names. This is good dialogue (some), but the venue....not so much.

Gracie,

Although I disagree with you, strongly, about a great many topics, I recognize and agree with you that you do not post anonymously, and for that you have my respect. I apologize for even considering the notion.

P.S. In talking about diversity, you only talked about race and gender, not other things like socioeconomic status or sexual orientation. You also didn't even analyze the races close to what they would have classified themselves, Charlie was born in the Philippines, making him neither Caucasian nor Hispanic and Commissioner Coleman is not hispanic nor Caucasian, as well. Furthermore, you have not listed or analyzed the entire Unity Commission, as three (to my knowledge) are not listed-- which consist of two males and a female, all of different ethnicities.

I appreciate the dialogue, but in order to make a claim like "republicans would call this diversity," you should probably do a bit more research, before trying to label somebody a specific race--you should probably also take other diversity classifications into account, and then, maybe, you could have an argument.

In other words, "See, there are brown colored people in the commission. And poor people. And men. And probably some gays, too!"

Honestly, do you realize how incredibly offensive you sound Gracie?

Offensive? I'm just letting the author know that his classifications are incorrect. I'm not taking a stance on whether race, gender, etc define diversity, as I'm fully aware that's what the Unity Commission is trying to combat. Labels (like sexual orientation, race, gender, etc.) don't soley make a person/group "diverse," by any means. I'm just pointing out simple statistics that easily negate the premise of the author's argument...NOT MINE.

I'm not agreeing with any argument. i'm just correcting the "facts" stated in the initial blog post. If my corrections are offensive, I'm not sure how, as i didn't state my opinion in the matter.

Thanks for the post though, anonymous one. I guess anonymous people are diverse, as well.

...Your remarks were offensive as they uphold the notion that there is such a thing as race. The entire notion of racial identity is sickening and antiquated. It promotes bigotry and elitism in equal amounts. It makes of people both criminals and victims. Racism can only exist when there are “races” upon which people can misplace their frustrations and hatred...

...or consider, reading the whole thing at our site.

I’m in the unwanted, uncomfortable, and ridiculous position of defending Ms. Gracia’s remarks. She’s not standing for the proposition that there is such thing as race; she’s standing for the proposition that diversity is scale with more than one axis.

Many people acknowledge and self-identify with a “race,” which is a short-hand for a combination of genetic lineage, skin color, and cultural identity.

You are making a molehill out of a pile of melanin. Why?

I think your argument on race is interesting, but i also believe in the diversity of opinions and clearly you do not. By stating that there are only "right and wrongs" in society, you show me that you don't even believe in diverse opinions, beliefs, and values, which I find offensive. I can make an argument without attacking your character, as I have done in my last two statements on this blog post, but it seems that you resort to low measures like critiquing someone's grammatical errors or personality, as a means to prove your argument.

I commented on your site, you can read more there. I don't wish to fight with you over our definition of diversity. I can honestly say that your view on "race," opened my mind a bit and I am in no way appalled by your disagreement, as I agree that classifying someone based on race is how racism came about. That part of your argument is valid--too bad it gets washed out with your obvious display of dislike towards me and your closed-mind, as proved in your post on unrforliberty.com.

i like how mine never got posted but is the real issue of patronage!!

Anyone else notice they are all his friends, go look at charlie's pictures and see

@wow_really?

No one is filtering comments. Grow up.

Silly you. As a Commissioner myself, I guess you missed the point entirely. Unity is to unite people. Get it? Diversity seperates people. By pointing out the sexes of the commission you have made yourself look ignorant. Half of the Commission is of a different race, including myself. You have no idea what our past lives have been; through economic status, experiences, races, orientations etc.

You are exactly the type of person that the Commission is trying to get it. If we don't try, how will we ever unite as a campus?

A funny note. I heard you graduated and are in law school. Why don't you stay there?

“We like diversity. Except diversity of opinion. Stay out of Reno, you nasty malcontent!"

Since you're a commissioner, can you please explain how talking about condoms and HIV are "unity?"

And since you are an elected...scratch that...hired official, mind putting your name so we can hold you accountable?

As a campus that has STD rates that are double the national rates we felt it was our duty to help get this information to the campus.

I'm not really understanding why people are so angry about sexual health week. Shouldn't we all be informed?

What kind of events would you prefer we put on? Instead of ranting, please come to the meeting with suggestions! We meet in the President's Conference Room at 9:30 PM every Wednesday.

For everyone's information:
Charlie Jose is an Asian American.
Kristen Sroczynski (myself) is an Asian American and Caucasian.
Rebecca Coleman is an Asian American, Native American, and Caucasian.
River Jangda has Middle Eastern descent.

Does that really matter though? We are students trying to improve the disconnected university we go to. Let's all try to help. I realize that ASUN doesn't function for the students, and that is exactly what needs to change. If only a few people applied to the commission in the first place, what does it say about the need for this commission in the first place?

The people who are upset about this don't have a problem with the event. Sexual health is an important issue for college students. They have a problem with the body that is putting the event on exceeding its authority.

Totally agree with Anon 3:33. It's not the event, it's the fact you guys are putting it on. That's great you want to do something, but stick with what you were created to do, diversity.

I agree with both of the previous anons. Why isn't the Student Health Center doing this? Or Flipside? Or one of the many clubs that are funded through ASUN majoring Health Sciences or something. To Kristen, or whomever made the comment to the author "I head you graduated and are in law school, so stay there" or however it went. Lets just wait for everyone to graduate or drop out so we don't have to listen to them. What a wonderful comment. Kudos.

It is UNITY commission, not diversity commission. What kind of events would you suggest? No one is coming forth with any. The student health center is promoting this event also. The funds going forward to this event are minimal as most are from donations or volunteers.

Did you have an interest in unity before or after you became friends with Mr.Jose, because I am guessing he could have gotten a more diverse group, say, lesbian african american, or gay male mexican, as i can see asian america (Mr.Jose's ethnicity:see chink.) It's an abamination (obama-nation) that it isn't more diverse, that is, extending out to the other races and or genders as well as well as those outside of the ASUN circle.

How's that diversity week you guys are legally required to be planning? Thought of doing anything for black history month? If you think socioeconomic status is something we should be "unified" about, how about you hold a "white trash" week. The fact that this was the only thing you guys could come up with is just pathetic. There is plenty you could be doing.


Do you even know the history of the body on which you serve? It started out as an informal group of students from diverse background that would have a direct line to the President. President Ragsdale (2007-2008) came up with the idea and invited a ton of students to participate so she could get a diverse set of opinions on student events and essentially get out of the "ASUN Bubble." Then the Senate formalized it, at her request. Then it became a commission with a "diversity week" and was called the "Diversity Commission" at which point it was given to the VP because a senator who was running for VP wanted something to do if he got elected. Then because "diversity" sounded like it was only for brown people, they changed the name to "unity" which sounds like a propaganda committee or something. So before you go off and use your capslock, do some research on the body you serve on.

By the way, the whole original intent of getting outside the "ASUN bubble" has completely been reversed and now the commission has simply been brought inside the bubble and any outside ideas are bad ideas.

Don't try to reason with them... They are stuck in the past of what the Unity Commision USED to be, and cant see that it has changed...

Trust me, arguing with them does no good. They'll just post under different names. I'll bet 90% of the posts that agree with the author are written by the author.

Pay them no mind... They died out once.

DOT is a tool

Unity and diversity seem to be competing interests.

To me, diversity connotes inclusion of different people, based on demonstrable categorizations (age, socio-economic status, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, spiritual practices and other outwardly apparent human differences).

Unity connotes abandoning diversity in favor of a singular group identity.

Unity seeks to stymie differences--or dissent--in favor of one group ideology. Diversity, however, seems to foster and embrace differences.

Unity is totalitarian in nature. Diversity is individualistic in nature.

Diversity seems to be the better value.

Telling that ASUN would rename something to promote unity. "You're either with us or against us."