Editor of The Lafayette,

There’s a rather enlightening Chinese parable that spins the tale of an ambitious thief. Once, he stumbled upon a gargantuan bell, too grand and heavy to spirit away as is. Ingeniously, or so he thought, he decided to shatter the bell with a hammer to pocket its pieces more discreetly. Alas, each strike produced a cacophony loud enough to wake the dead! Then, struck by a bolt of misguided brilliance, he covered his ears, convinced that if he couldn’t hear the clamour, nobody else could. Needless to say, his plan didn’t ring true, and he was promptly apprehended.

This gem of a story is a perfect allegory for college President Nicole Hurd’s administration. They seem to operate under the belief that if they simply plug their ears, ah, the problems must certainly cease to exist for everyone else!

For the life of me, I cannot understand why they thought changing the Aaron O. Hoff Awards without consulting the wider community was a good idea. It appears to have become a habit that the administration thinks everything will go unnoticed as if we are too foolish, occupied, and complacent to challenge whatever comes our way.

In her inaugural address, which also themed her speech, Hurd stated that her goal is to make students “become” and “belong,” noting that “Belonging is difficult. It calls us to see, hear, and value each other.” Therefore, how can our students and faculty truly become and belong when we are completely left out of the conversation? It seems that our motto “Cur Non” only applies when the administration is making unilateral changes they wish to implement, while for the rest of us, it’s “Non Potes” (It’s not possible).

I once again urge Hurd and Vice President for Student Life Moschenross to genuinely engage with the community before enacting changes to significant issues such as this. Moreover, I encourage our student body to voice their concerns more frequently and publicly, following the commendable example set by members of L-RAJE and the dining hall protesters. Their proactive stance and vocal presence have undeniably transformed our campus for the better.

It is crucial for us to actively engage in dialogue and express our disagreements with the administration. Without our persistent involvement and scrutiny, the promises and commitments made by the administration risk fading into obscurity just all too swiftly.

Curtis Dai ‘24