Dear Students,
As the Board of Trustees meets today, I felt it important to speak to the campus community. I am writing to reassure you that your student government is doing all it can to effectively advocate for you with the board of trustees. The decision to give now ex-President Ladner $3.7 million was wrong, and was not representative of the morals and ethics that the students of AU strive to embody. I am committed to ensuring that this board of trustees understands that, and act with the interests of the university in mind.
ÿI understand some students' desire for this entire situation to simply go away. I answer by saying that this process will continue with or without us, and it is important that we remain involved so that our voice is heard. AU students literally travel the globe to fight for social justice, and we must do the same here on our own campus. We the students are the largest constituency at AU and supply 90 percent of the university's operating budget through tuition. It is essential that we be involved in the regovernance process.
ÿIt is also important that we stay united in our goal for reform. While our individual objectives may differ slightly, we are all agreed in our desire for greater transparency and real student representation. I ask you to remember that this process of governance reform is bigger than any one of us. It will impact students for generations to come. While we may not have asked for or expected it, we are charged to act for the greater good of our university. I am proud to represent this student body, and I know we will be successful in pursuing change.
Respectfully, Kyle Taylorÿ
Kyle Taylor is President of American University's Student Government
