As the economy continues to struggle, students can undoubtedly look forward to further budget cuts at the College. The first round of cuts sparked intense criticism from students, particularly in regard to the cuts at Valentine Dining Hall. Other, more significant budget items, like visiting professors, went relatively without notice and without protest. Now, with the lackluster course offerings available for next year, and with some departments lowering standards due to a lack of professors (LJST was just forced to get rid of the thesis requirement because there weren’t enough professors), students are beginning to understand the impacts of the less obvious cutbacks. And it is almost too late.

The time has come for students to realize that much larger cuts are about to take place. These cuts will strike at the very heart of the values that we take for granted here at the College. Withstanding the massive drop in our endowment will take more than cutting favorite foods at Val, leaving us no choice but to look seriously at making cuts to once-sacred enterprises, such as financial aid.

We know you’ve gotten the e-mails, the ones that ask you attend meetings where important budgetary decisions will be discussed. And we know that, like ourselves, we don’t always have time and have often failed to attend the meetings. The students, faculty, staff and administrators who have become, however, involved in the process are confronting the choices that none of us want to make. Naturally, those who are advocating measures like cutting need-blind admission for international students or ending the no-loans policy do understand the vital importance of accessibility. They just know that we may not have a choice.

What is inexcusable, however, is the apathy of the student body. Content to either leave the decisions to others or ignore the problem in a futile attempt to make it go away, very few students have been contributing to the process.

At this point in the semester, as students begin to scramble to prepare for final papers, exams and projects, it is understandable that even well-meaning students do not give much weight to attending these meetings. After all, isn’t that what we elected our senators to do for us? Aren’t they supposed to be devoting the time to understand the minutiae of the budget? Basically, yes. This does not, however, excuse their overall lack of participation. Don’t want to show up to a meeting? Fine. Don’t want to spend hours poring over the budget? Fine. We understand. But that doesn’t mean that students can’t contribute.

Students can contribute to the process by communicating with their representatives about the things that matter to them. Stop one of your senators in Val, or chat with the student Advisory Budget Committee members in the mailroom. Let them say “someone told me,” and help them find alternative solutions. Find the time to show up, even to just one meeting, and help demonstrate to the administration that the student body will do more than just accept the decisions of the “responsible adults.” The student body has proven on many occasions that it is capable of creating change and working for the benefit of the local, national and world community. With such changes happening on our doorstep, impacting our lives, this is not the time to abdicate responsibility to someone else.

As responsible college students, we must make a commitment to looking after our own future and the future of the institution that gives us so much. It’s time we stopped avoiding the uncomfortable, face the facts and drop the apathetic attitudes. The College needs student input as much as any in these rough time, so please, when you can, make the effort to show up at a College meeting and share your thoughts.