By Katherine Rizzo
Despite efforts last year to re-emerge, the Boston Intercollegiate Government (BIG) remains defunct, those familiar with the organization said.
Former Student Government Association (SGA) President Joey Fiore said the group, designed as a coalition of various student governments from universities in the Boston area, has stayed on the ground largely because student representatives are too busy.
“[It’s a] result of everyone having a ton of things to do at their own campus,” Fiore said. “Your own school has to come first.”
The group included representatives from Boston College, Northeastern, Harvard University and Boston University. It was primarily active from 2002 to 2004, but was officially disbanded by spring 2007, Fiore said.
“The idea is to facilitate communication between student governments [throughout Boston], so we can work together,” Fiore said in a March 14 article in the Northeastern News about the council. “And beyond that, it’ll help us get some greater advocacy power within the city itself.”
Efforts to revive the group last year came primarily out of concern about the “no more than four” housing ordinance that mandates that no more than four undergraduates can live together off campus, as reported in the article.
A group of students met with Mayor Thomas Menino and Boston City Councilor Mike Ross last year, Fiore said, in hopes of reestablishing the group, but efforts to follow through this year have fallen flat.
“There was supposed to be a meeting this summer held at Northeastern University, but that never happened,” said former SGA senator Matthew Soleyn in an e-mail. “The idea is good – we need a citywide student voice, but someone really needs to take initiative. Our SGA would be ideal.”
SGA President Rob Ranely said he communicates with other student governments regardless of a formal group.
“I have talked to people from Harvard, Boston College and Boston University asking them how they do things at their school,” Ranley said. “There is an interest in communication and cooperation.”
Though the housing ordinance was passed despite protests from students, Ranley said there are still concerning issues a student government coalition would be beneficial for, like lowering the admission age to 18 at some area nightclubs.
Ranley said he remains optimistic that BIG’s second act has yet to come, and that there are plenty of issues the group should come together for.
“It is a definite possibility [BIG will become active again],” Ranley said. “There are city issues that would need city-wide involvement.”
