The New York Times called the massive amount of snow that hit the Northeast inspiring and tranquil, enabling we humans to marvel at Mother Nature’s grandeur.

Inspiring, nope. Grand, I think not. Picturesque, not when you are trudging through it at one in the morning.

So, what does this have to do with semester conversion? Nothing, really. You see, the snow has blanketed my brain. I have writer’s block.

(Thinking to myself)

What can I say about semester conversion that has not already been said? Of course students have questions and the faculty has answers, but the real problem is there is no exchange of dialogue. How will the university survive semester conversion if the two parties are not speaking to one another? Both sides are to blame – to a point. It just seems like there is something missing, there needs to be an additional step in the process, an essential middle man to bridge the gap.

But what?

(Procrastinating.)

Students get aggravated when they feel as though the wool has been pulled over their eyes. Advisors, deans and professors are equally perturbed when they feel as though their opinion has not been voiced. I hear both sides, but either side never hears each other. Hmmm, I guess that makes me the middle man. Wow, what a concept, a newspaper airing the opinions of others, amazing.

(And the light bulb goes on … )

Maybe that is it. I know that the case of semester conversion has yet to be solved, and I know all the questions the students have and have not been answered, so … use the newspaper as a forum. Have the students write in with their qualms, questions and queries and pass them on to the head honchos over at mission control (112 Hayden) and maybe it will get the ball rolling.

(Sigh.)

But, then, there are the deans of certain schools, certain colleges that insist that their school will convert without a hitch. Some of these deans (I won’t mention any names) point the finger at other schools and programs. Programs that don’t have as many electives like oh, say, engineering. Of course it will be easier to convert your students when they have their next five years mapped out for them when they walk through the door. The picture will always look pristine and crystal clear when you ask an SGA VP how they feel about their experience, these students are on the ball.

(Well sort of …)

Think about it, the SGAers are put in the spotlight and paraded around committees, luncheons and forums because, lets face it, they sparkle. Shine up Schwabacher, give him a mike (not Benson or Romano) and sit back and enjoy the show. They may only be 20-somethings themselves, but they are politicians; this is what they do; they speak, they put on a show. No hard feelings, that’s what they do, they’re puppets. I mean, they’re “your student government.”

Now, you can’t hold it against the SGAers for being the twinkle in their perspective dean’s eye. These kids know what is going on, they are in the loop. Sure the student senate is the largest it has been in a while, probably since Romano was in diapers, what’s that, ten, twelve years? Anywho, in order to get the rest of the student body into the loop, something has to be done.

I know that Schwabacher seems only to respond to an audience, but trust me, if you tell him that someone is not doing their job, he’ll call them on it – that is what he in being paid to do (yes, he gets paid, quite well, as a matter of fact).

(Note to self: have the News editor look into that.)

In order to get a working dialogue, someone has got to give. Although there are a few higher ups that are willing to come down to the student’s level and lend a hand, it is not the majority. Students are just as stubborn, if not busy, but let’s face it: for what you are paying to stay here, you need to be vocal.

If you think your voice is not loud enough alone, let us know at The News. We can go to the source and find out what is happening, or isn’t happening; that is what we are here to do. Or, if you still are not being listened to, go speak with the megaphone of the university – “your student government president,” The Schwab.

(Now to write this damn column …)