As political engagement and voter turnout reach an all-time low, university officials have declared the dissolution of Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) in favor of the rebranded The Institutional Trustees of Stanford University (TITSU), effective immediately.
TITSU will be larger and more well-rounded in its approach to community issues, and by creating a profound cleavage between the old organization and the new, officials hope to distance themselves from the ASSU and the uncomfortable scrutiny it has received lately. “People can just stop discussing the ASSU now,” said former ASSU senator Marleen Prandt. “I hope everyone will bring their attention to TITSU. TITSU is right here, and the ASSU is gone.”
“To be honest, the ASSU wasn’t what it used to be,” said senator John Gray ’16, a member of the coalition that pushed to transition from the ASSU to TITSU. “The ASSU was beyond reform. It wasn’t enough to just trim the fat- with TITSU, we really have a chance to enhance things here at Stanford.” Gray admits that there are many at Stanford who prefer the ASSU, but insists he is confident that the shift is for the better, stating, “I have always been more of a TITSU man myself.” TITSU’s detractors are not without merit- many claim that the TITSU policies will be heavy, pendulous, and unwieldy, obstructing quick decision-making. But TITSU supporters counter that, with the proper support, TITSU’s size will not be a hinderance.
“I’m just glad we serve a student body that’s so receptive to change,” added second-term senator Rebecca Peterson ‘15. “But whether the ASSU or TITSU is better, soon we need to focus on the face of the student government.”
