The current USG administration has a problem. Not a problem in the “We’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat” sense of the word, but an attention problem. They just can’t seem to get enough of the campus spotlight.
Earlier this month USG created a mascot for themselves (apparently a new crest wasn’t enough), Slothie the SeaSloth. Slothie had all of the characteristics of your typical mascot, obscure animal, catchy-school-related name, etc. One major difference is this: Slothie is a homosexual.
Now we’re not saying anything bad about homosexual school mascots, a mascot’s sexuality is entirely irrelevant in most cases. However, in this case it doesn’t appear to be. After the creation of the mascot, USG is now hoping to have Slothie be in a Facebook-official relationship with Wolfie, so that, according to a post made on the Slothie Facebook page before the original Facebook profile was deleted, Wolfie “could be the first official gay school mascot.”
On the surface it may appear that USG is maybe trying to encourage the University to think more openly. But what I see is someone trying to pick a fight. If the University decides to ultimately not enter in this Facebook relationship, then it’s very possible that members of USG, or the campus community for that matter could say that the University doesn’t support gay rights.
Are we over-analyzing this situation? Probably. But it stems from the recent childish behavior of USG officials on social media networks, especially Facebook. The worst of these offenders would be President Adil Hussein and Mario Ferone, the VP of Communications. The duo often tag-team in satirical responses of those criticising USG. When their satire isn’t appreciated (most of the time it isn’t), they respond critically, stating that it’s not their fault that some people don’t have a sense of humor.
USG is a professional organization, or at least they try to be. Recent administrations have had their share of embarrassments, but I’ve never seen one do it so actively and so rapidly. Whether it be the twerking video posted to Instagram before the Mac Miller concert (which was deleted), or any of the outcries made by USG officials on Facebook, it simply reflects poorly on them as an organization.
We can partly can understand where they’re coming from. They’re students, just like us, and that’s how they want to appear. That’s certainly the platform they ran on. But a line has to be drawn somewhere. If you make members of your organizations appear like imbeciles on the Internet, then how can you expect the student-body to take your organization seriously when the time comes for that? We’re not trying to say that the current administration has tarnished the name of USG or anything like that. I’m sure when it comes down to it, Adil, Mario and everyone else at USG are pretty professional folks. But they don’t make it appear that way, which can be detrimental to any cause they’re trying to pursue.
We at The Press like shenanigans as much as the next guy. In fact shenanigans are what actually make us The Press. All we’re saying is tone it down. Twerking and other extreme behaviors are best left to Miley.
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The Stony Brook Press
