Message from the students' Union Advisor

Getting tough to the peevish cat and a regret

In 2001 I was the staff advisor to the students' union. In true lone wolf style, things were settled in silence and without much fanfare. The students' activities went smoothly to the outside world. Inside there were some turmoil which were managed.

One holiday the student editor came home close to the college. He had a paper in his hand and said he was resigning from the post. He was tendering the resignation and I said we could meet in the office officially. The issue according to him was that the money for the magazine was lacking. It was the promise of the Chairman that 5000 rupees was kept apart and the rest could be organised through sponsors.

I said I will confirm that the 5000 is kept apart and we will find the rest too. He was insisting on his resignation. I tried to persuade him not to but he was not to budge. Then I asked him whether he wanted the college magazine to see light. He paused and said 'yes'. Then I said if he wanted it I was with him, but in case he was to resign, I too will turn against him and join the rest of the union members. He smiled and slid away like a peevish cat.

The next day I called a meeting of the union members and ensured that the magazine came out. The message from me as students union advisor which appeared in the magazine is below.

During the college union day the priests were taking the then VC, Cyriac Thomas around after the function. During the function my name was raised many times by the student's union chairman in thankfulness.As they introduced me in my cabin, the VC congratulated me too. I said the courteous thanks too. I reminisced later that the thanks should have gone to the priests Fr. Kariyil, the Principal and Fr. Jose Alex, the Manager. It remains as a regret that I was not mentally alert to say so......

Message from the students union advisor

If we were to describe the emerging age it would unsettle many. Especially thise who were in the old mould who imagined that they had enough time to get it all done.

The past few years have proved beyond retract that we are on to a world that will be unforgiving to the complacent. Nowhere is this truer than in the field of management and social sciences. When was it last, one heard of a cushy assignment with enough security to take one through life? Even as such comforts were vanishing, there were still people who thought that there was enough time and they would somewhat be spared.

This is an age of frenzy. This is the age of harsh penalties and rich dividents. To the tough and the "two steps ahead of the competition" kind of person the coming age will be rewarding; the rest are falling by the wayside.

At the same time we are reminded of those success stories whose strengthes were their serious limitations too. In an ever changing landscape, the competence that is valued today may be one's weakest spot tomorrow. What worked here now may not work here later and what worked there need not be the right approach here. That is why the age is an age of frenzy.

The demands that this scenario places on the individual is tremendous. Who is he to turn to? That flamboyant executive who was one's role model is on the chopping list today. The principles that worked yesterday are no longer valid. The ledger that yielded to your fingers have given way to a new software package. The rules that guided you till yesterday are rewritten. The elders to whom we looked up to are also frenzied and are no more guideposts.

Perhaps the only comfort is that one is prepared by this alma mater to think in these terms so that least of all one is not caught by surprise. The cues from the present team, I mean one and all inside and outside the students' executive body, is an indication that they are prepared to take on the challenges of the coming age. What else can the educational institution look forward with pride?

I wish all students the nerve and the battle readiness.

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SHELLY JOSE

Staff Advisor to Students' Union