I’m taking a few moments to write this letter which I should be using to study for a Logic exam. In any event, I would like to say that I am a senator here at UMass and I seen this organization at it’s lowest and now I feel that we as senators are really turning things around. J. Stone Laraway, someone who I regard as a friend has constantly voiced his negative opinion of the senate while he was a senator and continues to do so. I have talked to Mr. Laraway and I told him that he has come off very abrasive, and I have given him advice as to how to aproach people (ie. read some Tsun Zsu). Mr. Laraway has not taken any of my advice as far as trying to tone down his abrasiveness, and the result is that he has left the senate for reasons pertaining to his class schedule, but it was clear at the time that the senate may have voted him out. Mr. Laraway’s removal wound’nt have been what I would have wanted. I was one of the few senators who stood up for Mr. Laraway since I truly feel that his intentions within the senate were to make things better, but that he can sometimes come across as being abrasive. I would like to say at this time it’s getting harder and harder to defend Mr. Laraway’s intentions since there have been confrontational incidents in the senate office since he has left the senate. These incidents between Mr. Laraway and certain current senators make for an air of tension that can be described as hostile and suffocating. I can say that I am a new senator and I am still learning the ropes. When Mr. Laraway left the senate the tension and the extra-long senate meetings dissappeared. There are senators who disagree, and there are senators who are unhappy with the way certain things within the senate are sometimes handled, but we as a senate are working together to make things right. The mean spiritedness that I saw when I became a senator has all but disappeared. Yes, President Panciotti can sometimes be disagreeable to some, but he is the President and he precides over the senate the way he wants to and how he sees fit. We as senators are able to work well at the time with him and I really don’t see too many people jumping to take his job. Trustee Dawood may have some legal issues pending that I feel are none of my business at the time, and neither do alot of senators; why, because I personally trust that if it was something that the senate needed to deal with the President (Mr. Panciotti) would bring it to our attention to be dealt with. We have several new senators who will be filling our ranks, the student senate is really turning things around for the better, we are working together as a team. I truly wish that Mr. Laraway could be a part of this team with his background in intergrity, policy knowledge, and his drive. I find that I am an easy going person who is in no way a yes-man; to the contrary, I am someone who understands that there are all types of personalities and I choose to work with people in a positive fashion to accomplish goals as a team. I feel that as long as he commits himself to stoic righteous indignation and spit-fire political rhetoric then he will have a hard time dealing with the senate and others in general. The old adage “You can catch more flys with honey than with vinegar” still holds true.

These statements are of my own opinion and do not reflect the opinions, policy, or any other stance of the student senate or any other UMB entity.

Will Roach Student Senator, C.C.A.College of Arts and SciencesCriminal Justice/Philosophy/Honors