Student Government Says It’s Time for a Change

By Bobby Hankinson

If Whitney Houston ~ God, help her…or us! ~ has taught us one thing, it’s that the “…the children are our future.” As Worcester continues to grow, representatives from the area’s colleges are coming together to lead a youth movement that may make Wormtown once and for all the place for students to flourish.

Spawned from a committee on economic development, students from schools like Holy Cross, Becker, WPI, Worcester State and Assumption are organizing to represent their needs and the needs of their classmates and future generations of students.

Assumption Student Government Association President Jon Weaver says that, though the group is still in its infancy, he hopes it can help college students deal with common problems. “Our ultimate goal is to see this as something self-sustaining and also something people can come to,” he says.

Ideally, the group will become a collection of Student Government presidents and underclassmen representatives who meet to discuss ways to integrate Worcester’s 30,000+ students into the city. Together, they could share their experiences dealing with university-related issues as well as brainstorm on ways they would like the City to improve college students’ time here. One hot-button issue already on everyone’s top ten list is student transportation needs.

The group could also help throw some more dollars into the local economy. Weaver said it could be an outlet for businesses in the area who are wondering, “If we only knew what the college students were thinking.” One idea Weaver brought to the table is implementing a card system whereby students could put money on a card and then use the card at many local businesses.

In addition to providing a venue for students to do some serious networking, the group could be just what’s needed to improve Worcester’s campus life. Given that the group really is just a fledgling entity, it’s encouraging to hear that there’s already substantial enthusiasm amongst students who want to approach change in a positive, pro-active way instead of simply getting down on the City. There’s a very “can do” attitude amongst the participants, and Weaver states confidently, “We always say we want Worcester to be a college town. We just need to find a way to do it together – not just on our campuses, but in the city.”