Those in attendance last night at the UPUA meeting may not have been expecting anything interesting to happen, but they were in for quite a treat. Drama ensued partway through the marathon session when DJ Ryan, CCSG Liaison to UPUA, resigned his position, effective immediately.

The resignation was not a personal decision of Mr. Ryan, but of CCSG as an organization. CCSG, after attempting to collaborate with UPUA on many issues of importance, decided that they were not interested in continuing a formal relationship with a group that did not want to work with them. In the speech announcing his resignation, Ryan noted that many members of UPUA viewed Penn State students at Commonwealth Campuses as “second class.”  This feeling has also recently come to light in our comments. He went on to say,

While some members of this advocacy group [UPUA] feel that because one attends classes at one of the “other” campuses, they’re not part of the privileged +44,000 who go to class here. That kind of blinded ignorance not only gives a bad name to those who embrace that philosophy, but it gives a bad name to every Penn Stater, at any of our 25 locations.

Speaking to DJ after the meeting, he was disappointed that his position as liaison between the two student governmental bodies did not lead to more collaboration, but he is happy CCSG made the effort to reach out. Ryan said that the decision to resign had been a long time coming.

Ryan did note however that several UPUA members, specifically Gavin Keirans, Samantha Miller, Crissy Boggs, Sam Loewner, and Christian Ragland, went “above and beyond the norms of [UPUA] to work with CCSG and the Commonwealth.”

Ryan closed by saying,

No matter their efforts, we see no change from many members of this body, and in some cases things have worsened. It is with these thoughts in mind that CCSG must do what CCSG has always done – fervently support the students of the Commonwealth Campuses. It is with these fine students in mind that I resign my position as CCSG liaison to the University Park Undergraduate Association, effective immediately. Thank you.

This event, I believe, very publicly illustrates the opinion many University Park students have towards their Commonwealth brethren. I’ve heard people make disparaging remarks about Commonwealth students. Everyone has. It is unfortunate that this attitude extends to those in our governing body. A CCSG and UPUA working together to effect change would be much more effective, not to mention efficient, than a CCSG and UPUA working separately. It is a shame that those responsible for UPUA’s attitude did not come to that realization.