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September 16, 2002

Graduate Student Association representative welcomes students

Following are comments by Lee Ritscher, GSA representative, at the Chancellor's Fall Convocation on September 15.

Thank you Chancellor Greenwood for this opportunity to speak before the best students in the UC system.

"It is not enough to get good grades and good evaluations--more is expected of us as UCSC students."

--Lee Ritscher

I stand here today, welcoming you to the University of California Santa Cruz, in robes from the University of Notre Dame--a University whose motto is "God, Country, Notre Dame."

Whether or not one adheres to a variant of this motto is of course, one of personal choice--and that choice is one of our great freedoms. I would rather advocate for a combined motto--utilizing the unofficial motto from my undergraduate institution as a starting point.

Tennessee State University is a southern, small, historically black university. At this university, founded by former slaves, and boasting Olympic athletes and media superstars amongst alumni, many of the faculty participated in the civil rights struggle--a struggle which perhaps led to the breaking down of barriers which permit many of us to be here.

Amongst these professors, the unofficial motto is "To whom much is given, much is expected" and it has evolved as a byword for their students. What these old civil rights veterans mean is that it's not enough for a student to get straight-A's throughout a college career--much more is expected. One must participate in the daily life of the university or the community as an advocate for change--voicing the needs of one's peers.

Alternately, students were encouraged to volunteer in the underfunded classrooms of a public school system--helping those students secure their dream of a higher education. No matter what one chose, the point was clear and well-made--activism is a social responsibility of the university-educated.

Our university's motto, "Fiat Lux," as many of you may know, is Latin for "Let there be light." Many would argue that this refers to enlightened thinking encouraged by exposure to new experiences and opportunities. No matter how you came here, whether as a transfer student or a brand-new freshperson, as one here on scholarship or one whose parents have funded your education--or, like me, a self-supporting student with a family--we have all been given an opportunity to shine.

I would argue that WE are the light that the university can encourage through its daily operations--the classroom professors and instructors, the TAs, helpful staff people and an administration responsive to student needs. It is our responsibility to maintain a high academic standard for ourselves and expect the same from our peers.

It is not enough to get good grades and good evaluations--more is expected of us as UCSC students. It is our responsibility to become beacons of light by our activism --whether that means volunteering in public schools, joining our SUA or GSA, participating in the life of our college system or finding our own way to help others.



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