By Dan FletcherThe Daily Northwestern
As Jay Schumacher comes to the end of his term as ASG president, he said he finally realizes how difficult it is to change a university.
“I came in thinking that I had to make some sort of monumental change,” the Communication senior said. “I wish I would have known what a balancing act the job actually is.”
In his year in office, Schumacher said he has fought against the administration’s new security plan, improved relations between Associated Student Government and the student body and begun work on some issues he expects will be addressed after he leaves office.
Schumacher said the administration’s decision to place alarms on the side doors of all residence halls and residential colleges starting next quarter – despite opposition from students – “was one of the most frustrating things for me.”
“To be quite frank, did I see it as a bit of a slap in the face?” he said. “Yes. But we are students at a private university, and this is one of the very, very few issues where the administration would have taken (this) type of action in the face of such opposition.”
Schumacher said one of the things he is most proud of is the increased visibility of ASG on campus.
“I wanted to increase communication on campus and I think we’ve done that,” he said. “I think we’ve really tried to reach out,” citing not only the efforts with dorm security, but also ASG’s news Web site, more polling and better training for senators on how to deal with constituents.
But Schumacher said he believes some of his greatest accomplishments might come after he leaves office.
During last year’s elections, Schumacher ran unopposed on a platform that emphasized improving mental health resources and expanding wireless connectivity.
While there hasn’t been much progress on either front yet, he said he thinks students will see changes soon.
“Hopefully, within a year or two years, we’ll have a completely wireless campus,” he said. “That’s something I think I helped to push, and I’m proud of that.”
Mental health legislation is planned for Spring Quarter, he said, and might request additional staff for Counseling and Psychological Services.
DIFFICULTIES IN OFFICE
Residential College Board President Sarah Whitney said her organization had problems with ASG this fall, when representatives were elected directly by students for the first time, rather than being appointed through group procedures.
“We hit rock bottom in the fall and we’ve improved from there,” the Weinberg junior said. “I think and hope that relations will keep moving up.”
ASG adviser Mark Witte said Schumacher has accomplished some of his goals but hesitated to call his term a complete success.
“He wanted to remake the world, and there was no way to do everything he wanted to do,” Witte said. “Even if he got it all done in the first week, he’d still come with 100 more things to tackle.”
Schumacher said he didn’t realize all the difficulties of the job when he was elected because situations can change suddenly, as was the case with the administration’s security proposals. But he said he’s happy with the balance struck between reacting to student issues and drafting original legislation.
“There’s not a whole heck of a lot I would do differently,” he said. “Each challenge taught us something.”
Schumacher also responded to criticism that ASG posted too many polls instead of putting actual legislation through during his term.
“The whole polling issue shows how much we respect student feedback,” he said. “So much work goes on in committee that you’ll never read in The Daily. One of the reasons that you haven’t seen as much legislation is that it’s much harder than it used to be to get a bill to the Senate floor. It needs to be well-researched and well-thought out.”
FUTURE PLANS
Schumacher said he doesn’t know what his plans are for after graduation.
He said he thinks his experience with ASG might spell the end of his political career, but he will leave the door open.
“Maybe in five years, when I’m more removed from ASG and get my idealism back,” he said.
Schumacher also will live on in Norris past graduation – in culinary form, at least. His name graces the buffalo chicken wrap, which once was a limited-time offer until Schumacher lobbied for it to become a permanent fixture at Willie’s Food Court.
Right now, though, Schumacher said he’s looking forward to having a life again and being out of the public eye.
“I’m finally ready to say I’ve done the best I could, and I’ve done all I can,” he said. “It’s time for someone else to make it even better.”
Reach Dan Fletcher at [email protected].
Jay SchumacherSelected Highlights
March 2, 2006Schumacher, as Executive Vice President, helps to secure funds for B-status student groups from the Student Activities Fee. The groups will receive funding for the first time this quarter.
April 12, 2006Schumacher sworn in as ASG president. Despite running unopposed, he receives 68.1 percent of all votes cast in the election.
May 8, 2006ASG receives funds for the student server, which hosts student group Web sites and the ASG news portal and is part of an initiative to improve communication with the student body.
