The quest to cure student apathy has been roadblocked by a new Web site called www.nushuffle.com. Created by Craig Shames, a middler political science major, and fellow “anti-spirits,” as he calls them, the Web site has caused a stir among NU students frustrated by the lack of student involvement in campus activities and the constant battle administrative offices put them through. Launched on May 1, Northeastern’s birthday, the Web site is still a work in progress but has editorial pieces by Shames, a “shuffle-board” for students to complain about the problems they face at NU and satirical pieces about campus happenings such as the closing of UHOP to something I like to call the “Freeland Follies.” Shames has been a huge advocate of student activism. He sits on the Class Council Governing Board, he’s in Army ROTC, and he has written commentaries in The News about student apathy. So it is ironic that he is one of the students behind the Web site. Although he made progress to get students involved last year, he found there were a lot of things he could not do. Now, he is turning the tables. “I’m trying a negative approach,” said Shames. “I’m actually doing it for betterment.” By rallying around negativity, Shames and the anti-spirits hope that people will not only complain about what NU could be like, but will be encouraged to do something about it. In the end, Shames sees a huge following of students who will participate in activities and attend sporting events, causing NU to feel more like a residential community than a commuter school. Shames believes the administration is very open to students getting involved but are weary about change; he wants change right away. To that, Todd Shaver, the director of Student Activities said, “Hold on. Be patient. Next year is going to be a great year.” Shaver, who was at first frustrated when he visited the Web site, said “an institution moves slowly. Everyone is working hard to get the problem fixed.” Initially the site was intended to be NU’s version of “The Onion” said Shames, but now that it has created such a following, Shames and his collaborators would like to see this as a forum for students to voice their opinion and problems. Shames hopes that the administration will take this site seriously. Shaver, who has seen an immense growth in student involvement over the past five to six years, says that with semester conversion, the new addition of residence halls on campus, and the vote to raise the Student Activity Fee, the culture of the school will change, creating more programs. As far as the student activities office is concerned, Shaver doesn’t believe the Web site is helpful in making change on campus. He suggests that students become involved in student government, addressing these concerns to the administration, dropping by the offices or writing letters in the Northeastern News. Though Shames said he has seen a slight increase in student participation, he doubts he will see a basketball game sold out by the time he graduates in 2005. Shames believes our history as a commuter school works against us. The reasons are all there: we compete with the city of Boston, our athletic teams are good but students hardly participate in athletic events and we have a co-op program. While working full time, tired co-opers would rather get some shut eye before returning to an eight-hour work day than going to a meeting at the student center to debate what kind of decorations should be used for the next event. That’s inevitable. I agree with Shames on these points, and so does Shaver. However… A student must take the initiative to take advantage of campus happenings. It is his or her job to stop by the student center every day, read the fliers on the walls, get on a group’s mailing list, join a group, participate in work study if you can get it, play some basketball at the gym or watch a weekly movie at their residence hall. You can’t just keep blaming our administration that you aren’t having fun here. At President Freeland’s luncheon with student leaders on campus, I asked him what advice he would give student groups worried about the lack of student involvement at events. “Stay persistent,” he said. Freeland is optimistic that the university is moving in the right direction since the university now has at least 180 organizations. Shames told me the Web site is also intended to laugh at the things around you, but I doubt if being apathetic, upset at your surroundings and constantly pondering why you came here will cure this virus around campus. Instead, it may just cause resentment. If students do end up doing something about their complaints constructively instead of just mocking the administration, then I can only believe that this Web site is “for the betterment” of the university. I won’t be here to see the change this Web site may create, and if it does, that’s great for Shames and for future NU students. His ironic model of promoting a cause through negativity may just work. It’s up to the classes after 2003 to see this cause through.

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