This past Wednesday I received a bit of information that took me by surprise: Boken is not happening this year. I wouldn’t doubt it if this is also news to anyone else reading this editorial (in fact, we’ll be digging more deeply into this in next week’s issue). As you may also be, I’m a tad disappointed with the removal of Boken from Stevens’ big event line-up. Boken had the most character and thematic consideration out of the all the events, and wasn’t a generic DJ-spun rave/dance party, like Techfest, the Kick-Off Fiesta, and the original generic spawn itself, Return to Glory.
I thought Back to Techfest was a great theme-infused event conceptually, though I wasn’t there. I also think that dance parties and raves do have a place in Stevens culture. However, when Boken has sported several memorable themes, that predate my entrance to Stevens, such as Super Boken Land and Night of the Living Boken, it breaks my heart to see it go. But I digress: this piece is not about the loss of Boken or the persistent existence of Techfest, but about communication.
When I explained this to an SGA member, telling them that Boken’s removal was “news to me,” they replied, “It’s news to us, too.” I’m certain there is more going on behind-the-scenes of the Student Government Association’s general reduction of power, but compound this bit of miscommunication with the lack of communication between The Stute and its advisers in past years, and I know I’m sane in saying that faculty, staff, and administration need to communicate with us—the newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology since 1904—more.
While relations between our advisers and Student Life have improved since the new executive board became active, the dynamic of The Stute and the rest of Stevens staff is somewhat nonexistent. To be fair, the blame for this lack of communication could easily be placed on The Stute, just as much, if not more, than it could be on any Stevens employee. I’m not angry about any of this, and I am not looking to shun any of our staff members.
However, let this editorial serve as the first salvo fired to drum up communication between Stevens and The Stute. If there is an important event that is newsworthy and you aren’t sure if we’re covering it, ask us. If a mistake was made that needs to be rectified, inform us. If there is anything we can do as this university’s newspaper to serve the students and faculty alike, please talk to us. Email us at eboard@thestute.com, schedule a face-to-face meeting with the executive board, or even call me directly at 201.783.5346.
This is a new Stute, or Nü Stute as we’ve joked internally. We want to improve, we want to get things done, and we want to continue to write Stevens history.
