New SU President promises to serve all students
BY MARINA BARSOUM
![SU elections were meant to bring in 'new blood' says Atalla [Archives]](http://www.auccaravan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/voters-300x168.jpg)
Atalla, a senior majoring Architectural Engineering, has worked in conferences like The International Conference on Global Economy (ICGE); he went through the hierarchy of the conference from a member to a head then a president.
He has also worked in the architecture`s association, in the IT committee; and he worked informally in other organizations, too.
But when it comes to the SU, Atalla says that the presidency is the first position he assumes in the student representative body.
Ir’s not surprising, then, that questions regarding his experience would be raised.
“Actually the idea of having a president of the student union who has not worked in the union is an advantage, not a disadvantage,” he said.
According to Atalla, the SU has a problem; in the past two to three years, SU presidents – as much as they worked hard as Union representatives – unintentionally excluded other non-union students and those with no affiliation to campus organizations.
“The idea of our elections was that we wanted to get new blood into the union, not because [previous] union [administrations] were not doing their jobs – they were – but because students wanted to see someone who wasn’t part of any old unions,” he said.
Atalla’s Vice President, Mohamed Salama, has worked in the SU for four years, gaining enough experience to allow the duo to run on the same ticket last year.
“If you compare between any organization and the student union you will find huge similarities; you go through the same processes whether getting permits or organizing events; so I do have the experience and also my VP has the experience,” Atalla added.
He stressed that he wants to involve students who were excluded before from the union; when he was asked how he would go about doing this, Atalla said that the SU is responsible for assigning students to different committees on campus, and that this is how he is planning to involve students.
Then he gave an example of a budget committee; in the past the SU had people who are interested in the matter, but not the people who have the expertise.
“We are seeking this year, and this is what we stated in our plan during the elections, for people who have the expertise and we will make them interested in these committees. In the budget committee example, you need a student who has been studying accounting for at least 3-4 years and has the background to review a budget with 23,000 item lines – he knows what he is doing” said Atalla
Mission
Atalla is passionate about his goals during his tenure.
“We did not think of big words, or dreams that never come true; we said that we will see what the students need and we will put a pragmatic plan on how to do it. And this is what we are doing; a lot of people criticized us during the elections,” explained Atalla.
Atalla said that the union is planning to take three steps: Rebranding, Rebuilding and Representing.
Atalla believes that the first step is not as simple as some people believe.
He also said that it is not a matter of changing a logo or an image. The challenge, he explains, is putting forward a new image about the union itself.
“Rebuilding is the second step where we will be expecting to have the trust of the community so we can start the third step which is representing. We will be representing the student body in any fees problems, possible changes in the agreement and any other necessary student representation. This is what the union does – it serves you where you want to be served,” said Atalla.
The SU President is hoping to reach out to students who may have felt ignored in the past. He has been discussing with university officials the possibility of having a movable booth to serve students who sit in the area of the Performing and Visual Arts building.
“I am also planning to make an awareness campaign on the bill of rights, because students are not aware of their rights. We will also be working on amending the bill of rights as we have the right to do this as a union,” said Atalla.
One of Atalla’s early achievements is getting the administration agree to hold a university-wide forum on bus transportation. The contract for Family Transport, the company that operates AUC buses, is up for renewal soon, and Atalla believes students should weigh in.
Atalla said that he knows very well that there is a thin line between being diplomatic and realizing when they need to intervene with a student movement.
“We have set seven steps in representing; currently the administration has been helpful in most of the cases; we did not need to move from step 1 to step 2. They range from step 1 just negotiating with university administration to step 7 a strike and a closure of the gates,” stated Atalla.
He also stressed that he can’t move from step 1 to step 2 without the approval or the awareness of the students.
Atalla is currently planning to create an advisory board for students who don’t have representatives or seats in the Student Senate.
“This board will basically be suggesting solutions to the executive branch of the union concerning any problem from any student, and in the union we will review these suggestions while we are trying to solve the problem,” he said.
Neutrality
Atalla clearly stated that he is not part of any political affiliation on campus, and that he has never been and will never be.
“The executive branch of the union is ultimately neutral, even if some members are part of some camps, we will never allow any discrimination,” stressed Atalla.
He also added that this year the Student Senate and the Student Court are very helpful; and also they are all working with the union for the benefits of the whole student body.
“We are all avoiding any clashes, and we are concentrating to put our energy towards the student’s satisfaction,” said Atalla.
