Vis Lupi Est Grex: Groupthink

After viewing the ASUN notebook covering the candidate selection for the open COLA seat, I'm very concerned that groupthink is starting to form, even though the group has only been together for a month. I urge, in the strongest terms possible, all the members of the Senate (particularly Gracie Geremia) to read the wikipedia article on groupthink and consider each of the elements of what contributes to groupthink and how to avoid succumbing to it.

Assuming the Sagebrush reporting was accurate, I saw evidence groupthink may be starting to form. Here is some evidence:

2:01	Delaplain said accusations from anonymous sources, such as the blog Vis Lupi Est Grex, cannot be allowed to drive ASUN policy.

2:01	"We can't let people who lack the courage to stand up for what they're saying tear down everything we're trying to do," Delaplain said.

2:02	Speaker Geremia, as part of her report, echoed Delaplain's statements and said the senate would no longer allow anonymous statements to be read into the record.

From the Wikipedia page:

Social psychologist Clark McCauley's three conditions under which groupthink occurs:

Directive leadership.

Homogeneity of members' social background and ideology.

Isolation of the group from outside sources of information and analysis.

So here we have someone of directive leadership (Geremia) reinforcing the member's ideology (outsiders attacking us), and setting policy prohibiting "outside sources of information and analysis". I'll point out that she has warned the Senate away from Vis Lupi Est Grex on a couple of other occasions as well--this is how groupthink starts. The following is a list of questions and comments possibly indicative of the group attempting to identify outsiders and exclude them from participation (some of these may also be violations of law as well):

2:25	Sen. Geramye Teeter asked Day if he had any affiliations with political groups on campus like START. Day answere that he did not.

What in the world does one's political affiliations have to do with the ability to serve as a Senator? This question should NOT have been asked, but it would have been okay for the candidate to volunteer it in his application.

3:38	Purney said that Day did not have any specific goals.

3:38	Kealy said that may be a positve point more than a negative one.

Kealy thinks it's a positive that the candidate not have specific goals. From a groupthink analysis, it is because that candidate does not present a threat to the group dynamic. Think about it.

3:48	Purney said Thornley "tends to pick fights on the Internet," and that could be his downfall.

Gracie Geremia picks more fights on the internet than any other public official I have met in four years of school at UNR, and she is Speaker of the Senate. Senator Purney also has a bit of a reputation for scrapping online. I think the subtext is actually that Thornley tends to argue positions threatening to the group's ideology and cohesion.

3:53	Hernandez said that Thornley's negative comments on the Sagebrush message boards might reflect poorly on the senate as a whole. "From a P.R. standpoint, it would not be a good decision for us," she said.

Does this need a comment?

4:21	Sen. Shirley Diaz said the senate should keep in mind that the students did not vote Sadykova into the senate.

As if 90% of the voters actually understood who they were voting for in COLA. This criticism is hard to take seriously.

4:23	Sen. Lea Moser said Gelmsted's age should be kept into account. "She's old enough to be a grad student," she said.

This is the original comment that got me thinking there was a groupthink problem. First of all, this is illegal as hell, and if I were Ms. Gelmsted, I'd find it worth my time to stop in and talk to ASUN Legal Services about filing a complaint or suit. Second, the campus is composed of all sorts of students and it's rare for non-traditional students to be represented. I can only think of a couple Senators in the past four years older than 25. Ms. Moser seems to believe that older students should not be on the Senate. I pray that Ms. Moser stays way the hell away from any diversity initiatives. I have to give half a point to Senator Kealy for saying her age could be a strength, but I have to dock half a point for not reminding the Senate that considering the candidate's age is ILLEGAL.

4:54	The fact that Gelmstead lives in Fernley has been raised as an issue. Some senators feel that the distance might affect her ability to get to meetings.

I don't know who said that, but I don't see why Ms. Gelmstead's distance from campus should be a factor in her ability to serve. Whoever said this is grasping at straws for reasons not to appoint this candidate.

I hope there are a few Senators able to recognize the signs of groupthink, and who push for the Senate's leaders to take steps to counter the effects. Otherwise, we could be looking at a repeat of last year.