Should information about campus organizations be made public? Sam Houston State University has always been an environment open for students to access any information they might need or consider important.
Recently, the organizations board decided to remove the names of all members including officers. Although organization members do deserve the right to privacy and there might be many factors as to why this decision came to be, information on campus organizations should be fully accessible.
Sam Houston State University’s organizations are fiercely active. Events are scheduled almost every day and information should be acquired in an efficient matter without students and staff having to go through several obstacles just to obtain information on a member or officer.
This decision could lead a lot of confliction, even simple matters like another school club or organization needing to contact mutual members or officers. This also hides important information from new and potential candidates.
Many times, students locate the school departments to ask general questions and often when it concerns a club or organization the first answer they receive is, “You would have to speak to the organizations officer, or one of the organization members if possible”. How would a student be able to find out which officer or member to go to if the names of said members or officers is not accessible?
Not only does this decision have the potential to create general conflict and questions, but it also contradicts itself in that one way or another information on a specific member or officer can still be obtained. Is recognition not one of the many goals an organization tries to achieve? Tabling at the mall on campus, flyers and posters, and free t-shirts with the organization’s name and logo, are all done to gather recognition from students and the general communities on campus. Organization members often pride themselves on being involved in said organization or club. Without asking, a member or officer is already addressing their position in the club and offering information to students to see if they’re interested in contributing to the club or even becoming a member.
This proves that even though the organization board may not want to show the names of organization members or even officers, the people involved in these organizations do want the recognition and information to be accessed.
Let’s not forget that most of these organizations and clubs are done to build a school community but most importantly, to help students gather experience, community hours, and recognition for the build up of an impressive resume, and greater opportunities for future careers. Why would a student who has dedicated their time and hard work to an organization not want their name to be at quick access?
It can be understood that these decisions could be made for safety purposes or other reasonable explanations but if the questions and concerns mentioned above outweigh those reasons, is this really for the greater good?
