Senate prez candidate has unique background
First in a series on Student Senate president candidates
By Mike Ludwig
Campus Reporter
April 24, 2008
Ohio University senior Mashur Rahman worked as a trained shoemaker at his father’s shoe factory in Dhaka, the capital city of the Bangladesh in South Asia, before coming to OU.
The transition wasn’t easy.
In Dhaka, Rahman, part of an influential family, was surrounded by millions of people. In Athens he’s just another student, but he said he has learned so much from the “humble” people in our community, and now he wants to give back by serving as president of the OU Student Senate.
Rahman is a Student Senate outsider, but he’s not coming into this election unprepared. His ACT party’s platform could change the way student senators communicate with their constituencies and ensure that student-athletes are represented by a senate commissioner. He also wants to improve the bargaining power of Student Senate and move toward shared governance in a slow and “structured” way.
On Tuesday we spoke with Rahman to find out why he decided to run as an outsider, and how he would shake things up as Senate’s new president.
What brought you across the world to OU?
From a very young age my dad always painted the picture of, well, whatever you do you are going to pursue your higher education in America, and not in Canada, not Australia, not the UK or France. I always asked why, and he said the college in America really prepares you for life.
What have you learned from Athens?
The closeness of the community, the humbleness of the people. I was prepared for things to go so wrong, and once I landed in here, I was surprised. I don’t have words to explain. People here really made me feel like part of the community. After three years, I feel like I can say I am a part of the community.
How has this inspired you to get involved in student politics?
I’ve always been very active in politics as a whole, being an international student and all. I want to go back and run for political office, I have political aspirations. In the last year the Student Senate has not lived up to its expectations.
What is the main point of your platform?
If I get elected, I am going to try to pass a bill that will enforce a policy which goes somewhere along the lines of: a student senator must update the Web page two times a quarter, which is not asking much, or send out e-mails to their constituency. As a student senator, they need to be on the field seeing what we all need. If they don’t do that, then we won’t have them back on the Senate. They could be on probation for a quarter, but if they don’t get their acts together, there’s going be harsh consequences.
And that’s not too drastic because the need for that kind of accountability and communication is so great?
Oh yes, it is because it’s an elected position, you’re being elected for it, you want to do it, and you have promised the community so much but don’t deliver. You are the voice of that particular group of people; you have to be in touch with them; you have to communicate with them, understand their need and represent their need.
Do student senators communicate poorly because they can’t realize their power within the university without a vote on the Board of Trustees?
To a (great) extent. I think it would be wrong to place all the blame on the senators. To a (great) extent it’s a result of the system.
Would you support giving the student trustee a vote on the Board of Trustees to help legitimize the Student Senate?
Yes, certainly. We help to run the college, maybe in a small way, but I think we have the potential to have a larger impact, a stronger impact.
Let’s talk a bit about other issues you addressing with the ACT OU platform.
Our second platform is athlete’s representation on Senate. Currently there is representation on the Senate, but it’s on the trial; it’s not a permanent position.
Callie Broomfield is athletic commissioner, right?
Yes. She’s been appointed by the president as a commissioner to the Senate, and I think the Senate is evaluating if there’s a need for this position on the Senate, and if I’m elected, I will make it permanent position. Voices of different groups need to be heard in the Senate. It’s a place where different groups engage in dialogue, where we confront each other’s problems and try solving it.
You said that the university is ripping off international students with interim dormitory housing during spring break and winter break, and you want to change that.
Yes. It’s difficult to pay more. Think about this. Nine or ten days of spring break, $28 dollars a night, $280.
And you want to lower those prices?
Yes. Work with the Resident Life office and housing to lower those prices, or find another alternative. It is important to the international community because it costs us a lot of money.
Are you satisfied with President McDavis’ extended contract and the way the Board of Trustees has set up his evaluation process, or would you suggest a more collaborative evaluation structure that would take into account other constituent groups?
Well, yes. It is important that other parties are involved in the process, but it’s a gradual change. The way I want to put it is, let’s take an example from Iraq. The war in Iraq. You cannot give power to people who cannot handle it, and I think the different parties you are talking about will take a while to understand and be on the level where they can be actively involved in the process. It should be a structured process.
Are you talking about shared governance?
Yes. You cannot do it overnight. It would put the future of this institution in jeopardy. And I don’t want to see that happening at this point in time.
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