Caroline Beranek’s letter to the editor (“Take Back Campus was thinly veiled campaign strategy for ASUO candidates,” ODE, March 12) was shocking. Since I am not connected to Kari and Jesse’s campaign or the current ASUO government, it is unfounded that Ms. Beranek would accuse me of attempting to “cover myself in case people started talking.” I wrote the commentary because people are already talking … albeit about the wrong issues.
The Take Back Campus event has become a subject of controversy surrounding ASUO and elections. Its origins as a Sustainability Coalition event and its intent as a forum to raise student awareness and address the underlying causes of student disempowerment on campus have been ignored. We collected contact information with the intent to inform interested individuals about the issues, not as any sort of recruitment strategy. It is common for involved students to continue to remain involved on campus, including running for office. I find it sad Ms. Beranek can only assume the most negative political motivations for student involvement in putting on a forum or writing a guest commentary.
It is unfortunate that in the face of larger issues on campus and in the world at large so much energy and newsprint space is devoted to the bickering surrounding the ASUO elections.
Emmalyn Garrett
Sustainability Coalition member