Young, beautiful and brave women, not sheep

This opinion piece is to respond to Professor Sandra Earley's concerns about the appropriateness of the Miss AUBG competition. I believe there were some issues raised that were found inappropriate and offensive towards some members of our community. As a Senator of the Student Government (SG) of AUBG, a female and a member of the budgetary committee, hence directly connected with the accreditation of the AUBG Pageant Club, I felt I had to stand up for my beliefs.

The SG has 15 members to whom the AUBG community, consisting of more than 1100 students, has entrusted its concerns and has given them the power to be the voice of the community. Therefore, I now raise my voice back.

The SG has always promoted new initiatives on campus that would be of the benefit of the community. Our role is to encourage students to show enthusiasm and be active participants in the university life.

Procedure-wise the AUBG Pageant Club was recognized and funded just like any other club at AUBG. The majority of Senators did not see any reason to deny recognition to this social project, hence giving them the right to apply for funding. The club president, understanding our limited annual budget for clubs, approached the SG with a modest monetary request (40 dollars), assuring the members of the budgetary committee of the club`s successful campaign for outside sponsorship. I would like to accent that the SG always encourages club presidents and members to seek outside funding and this club has given us a reason for admiration, not criticism.

We must not forget that AUBG is an institution built on the model of the American liberal arts educational System and what could be more liberal then to applaud the eagerness of our students to create and participate in the numerous extracurricular events. Isn't this what makes the AUBG experience unique in the first place? I see the contestants of the AUBG beauty competition as young, beautiful and brave women, not sheep - as they were described in the previous article.

I believe that the event was a great success that will prove that there are many different ways to "promote leadership" as our beloved University slogan reads. I think we will see more successful events from this club in the future.

As for the AUBG cheerleaders, I consider them one of the most active clubs we have on campus. They have performed during SG Parties, not to mention their frequent appearances to support Griffins at Football and Basketball games and other activities on campus. I believe they are one of the faces of the American model of university community. They deserve a more positive description than the one in the previous article, and also respect for all their efforts throughout those two years.

Both in the case of the Cheerleading Club and the Pageant Club, the SG just made it possible for students to do what they want to through our official recognition, and I dare say this academic year we have proven that we have some of the most active students. We should not criticize their enthusiasm, but should instead encourage them further. The SG will continue promoting student initiatives in the future.

In conclusion, I strongly feel that each person claiming a sense of belonging to the AUBG community should support the strive of individuals for innovation and admire the spark in the eyes of those who wish to take upon themselves to create something different. Congratulations to all the participants of the Miss AUBG Pageant.