With a two-year background in Student Government, Andrew Dunkiel would certainly win back his position in the House of Representatives by default – if he wanted it any longer.
But Dunkiel isn’t running for re-election, and it’s not because he’s burned out. It’s because he’s got beef with the way SG works.
“It’s not that the people running for Student Government are looking for a resume filler,” says an irritated Dunkiel. “But that they campaign their political ideas rather than worry about student interests.”
His disgust isn’t reserved just for his fellow student politicians. He also has harsh words for FAU administrators.
“I feel like there’s more of a shift lately of administration opposed to the students” Dunkiel says. “The whole entire reason I joined SG was for the students, and I don’t want to be there to appease and work for the administration instead of the students.”
Dunkiel’s problem lies not only with the administrative policy “you build it, we pass it” concept, but also with bills passed concerning student opinion.
“I respect that we need to prevent frivolous spending,” Dunkiel says. “But not when we pass a bill solely based on what the students decide and the administration still wants to have a say so – that’s not right.”
Vice President of Student Affairs Charles Brown disagrees with the notion of an administratively-run SG and questions the reason administration is involved at all.
“What Student Government doesn’t want to accept is that there are bad things that have happened in the past,” says Brown. “And because of that, the board, through President Brogan, has given me review power over deals that are put forward.”
When SG discussed purchasing the digital marquee at the entrance of FAU, they were warned not to go through with the plan. The Canadian-manufactured board is not meant for South Florida conditions, and it now sits black and rusted as a result.
“It’s blunders and mistakes like this that we are trying to avoid” Brown says. “I don’t want to control Student Government, and Andrew [Dunkiel] and all of SG knows this.”
Brown knows every time Student Government makes a mistake, he’s on the line.
“I am the one held accountable by the president and the board of trustees,” Brown says. “Which is why SG needs an oversight.”
Looking for a good debate? According to Brown, the administration handles SG lightly and he would “personally debate with any of the students that 99.99 percent of the things thrown across the table are passed.”
Brown doesn’t want to end up in the principal’s office at the end of the day for turning a blind eye to SG, but still stands behind its ideals.
“I don’t want to control SG and I’m not the SG,” Brown says. “The SG is the student’s organization.”
Student Body Vice President Abe Cohen agrees with administrative guidance in aiding the needs of students.
“The administration is in no way controlling SG,” Cohen says. “In fact, they make it better by leading us in the right direction.”
More than just a race against administration is burning a hole in Dunkiel’s heart at the SG; political slant and campaigning are kindling the flame as well.
“At the end of the day, all you have is a bunch of students fighting over power, and that’s not healthy for our student government in any way,” Dunkiel says.
In fact, politics isn’t the retiring House Rep’s thing.
“In all honesty, I don’t give a shit about either party,” Dunkiel says. “I’m happy sitting between it all and doing nothing.”
The SG experience for Dunkiel hasn’t been all that bad; in fact, he’s proud of a few minor points in the past one and a half years.
“Student Government has given me more training and knowledge in the past year than I’ve gotten in my whole life,” Dunkiel says. “I’ve actually gotten everything done that I wanted to get done while I’ve been here.”
Although he’s not running for re-election, Dunkiel is confident in FAU’s democratic voting system and hopes we all vote.
“The people who [vote] put in the effort,” Dunkiel says. “They are the ones who will have a say in how their money is spent.”
