What is the main reason for the specialty seats? Is it to give more advantage to the students the seats represent, or is it to enrich the university as a whole? The small budgets and under funding these students receive is more then just an administrative task. The responsibility of insuring a rich learning atmosphere belongs in main part to the student body. In addition, as our representatives you have taken that responsibility one step farther.The Government of the Student Body is the link between administration and the constituents they represent.The number of minority seats are in no means a threat to the entire process, for there are not enough seats to form a block that will have any influence on any one topic. On the contrary, these seats are in place to bring problems, both legal and social to the attention of the university officials. I am proud to be a student at Iowa State, and the main reason this institution has the reputation it enjoys is because it not only tolerates minorities, it embraces them. Every student here can attest to that by just looking at their next degree audit and realize in order to graduate we are required to learn about minorities.GSB disabilities senator Katie Greiman represents students with disabilities. Who are we? We are the left-handed students taking a test in a right hand chair or the person in a wheel chair doing his darndest to get up that steep ice-covered ramp. We are the students that need to have someone take notes for them, because of injury or other medical reasons. Look around this hall and ask yourself — what are we hurting? And there are many more here on campus she represents that encompass all segments of the student community. We have different backgrounds with one common attribute. We have endured and will continue to do so no matter what your decision. I have had the pleasure to have the feeling of belonging to a very special group of people. I belong to the elite group calling themselves CYCLONES. When talking to visiting students from all over the world, their comments are not how bad the weather is, but the accessibility of the university and warmth of the atmosphere. They feel welcome and are amazed in something we all take for granted. How did Iowa State get that way? I truly believe it is because of our tradition of inclusion, not exclusion. This is a time to take pride in our accomplishment, and GSB has to take most of this credit. Now think about the university without minorities. Which classmates are you willing to tell “you do not belong?” Whether in a direct or indirect way, we all have made our mark. We need these seats to ensure the integrity of the community stays intact. Not because they take up too much space, time or money, but because there is no reason why we should not have representation. Jeffrey Thill

Senior

Agriculture business and economics