What ever happened to Nilda Brooklyn and Joy Nair? The ASUO president and vice-president have all but disappeared from view as the term has progressed, and one of their campaign promises seems to have vanished almost as quickly.
In the spring, the pair promised to engage apathetic students in ASUO activities in an attempt to call attention to the good deeds of student government. This public relations campaign is nearly nonexistent, with the only visible promotions done in preschool sidewalk chalk on walkways.
Not only are students literally walking all over ASUO’s sidewalk ad campaign for their Friday night movies, but in a rainy state like Oregon, it’s simply impractical to promote student government with colorful chalk. The messages just wash away, along with any practical hopes of getting students involved in ASUO activities.
The latest ASUO election has not been advertised very successfully, either. Small fliers encouraging students to vote are at best ineffective and at worst a gross waste of paper. Although former ASUO President Jay Breslow didn’t have the best public relations tactics, either, at least he had a monster-sized ballot box outside of the office to let students know it was time to vote. Our current executives should take a cue from Breslow and find a gimmick to get voters interested. Perhaps offering students a coupon for a free pastry at Greatful Bread when they voted would increase turnout. It would certainly be a sweet use of incidental fees.
The women seem to never be available and often decline comment to reporters. By running a somewhat inhospitable office and not stating their side of stories, the executives can be cast in a negative light in the minds of students.
Now that former ASUO controller Justin Sibley is planning to file a wrongful termination grievance against the executives, the time has come to answer charges. If they don’t act quickly, the pair may be falling into a dangerous trap of negative publicity that could be difficult to recover from.
Brooklyn and Nair are having a hard time getting people interested in ASUO because most people don’t know who they are. By hiding in their office, they are separating themselves from average students and creating a huge rift between the ivory tower of ASUO and reality.