I still have faith in my university, even after more than a year of standing by and watching the daily struggle of who will obtain top position at Suffolk. Holding onto this faith has shown to be a struggle, one that leaves me concerned with each passing day, week and semester.

I would be lying if I said I was not disappointed. Higher administration has taken more than a year to appoint a new president and as of Tuesday evening, one has not been chosen. With this amount of time and no stable leadership, I am a concerned Suffolk student.

Moreover, this university has lost its luster that once emboldened me to welcome my acceptance letter. Gone are the days where I remained a hopeful Suffolk student, optimistic about the future of this university and the many naive dreams I had for the future.

Suffolk may look like a student-driven university from the facade they portray but more often than not, I cross paths with fellow peers who do not know the word “extracurricular.” The university recycles the same students into the multiple clubs and organizations, while a large portion of the student body seems to not be involved.

Whether this is because of too many commuter students, or lack of guidance and encouragement from faculty and advisers, there needs to be a societal change in the way students view activities on and off campus.

The university does not have clear intentions for its future but shows lack of empathy toward the Communications and Journalism Department, supposedly one of the largest departments on campus. As a prior Print Journalism major, it was made clear to me that my education was less important due to the rumor that Journalism is a dying profession and that Film and Media Studies is a popular choice among students. Thank you for the support, Suffolk.

I used to be encouraged to pursue what I wanted but Suffolk has shown its true colors. This university seems to have biased intentions from every corner of its walls, playing puppeteer amongst their puppets, those who they can manipulate with silence or punishment. This can only go so far.

Suffolk has the potential to be a leading university and that is why I still have a sliver of faith. First, they need to be transparent with their students, faculty and staff. While taking classes on the study Public Relations, the number one mistake that large companies and organizations make is not being honest and upfront with the public; lying or refusing to answer will only exacerbate the situation, leaving a disastrous wake.

Second, students not only need a voice, but they need to find it as well. The current situation and atmosphere is not entirely due to the inner workings of upper administration but also seems to be the lack of motivation and responsibility taken by many students.

We are what make Suffolk a university so it’s past due that students make a tsunami instead of a wave. There needs to be change enacted at Suffolk and the student body is where it needs to begin.

This moment in time is the tip of the iceberg, whether Suffolk can pull itself back together or go down with the ship. I’m concerned, but I still have faith in Suffolk.