The English Department's Undergraduate Senate

[april_lirit]

So I'm going to form a representative body for undergraduate students which is going to (hopefully) open dialogue the faculty's undergraduate committee, in order that undergraduates can have a say in the decisions being made on their behalf

Comments

[notalent]

LOL you did it for your own self interests, which is both. Most likely you thought " they need to listen to ME" and only afterwords thought "hey this will make me look good"

[april_lirit]

Eh, at the time I wasn't really thinking that the department should listen to my opinions, as I hadn't really formed any strong opinions on the subject at the time. However, I did think it was a little pompous and unreasonable to impose their pedagogical philosophy on undergraduates. So, for once, I was marginally more concerned about the department being a bunch of douchebags than pushing my own agenda.

However, the second part is completely selfish.

[lefaym]

The thing is, will your selfish actions have positive or negative consequences? By the sound of things, even if your motives are selfish, your actions will have positive results for others; therefore, I do not think that you are doing anything morally reprehensible. If your selfish actions caused harm to other students, then it would be a different matter, but as things stand, others stand to benefit regardless.

[sicaria0]

I suppose one way to tell will be by the result. It's a fairly big undertaking, to try and get other students to care, to organize meetings, etc. So if you do succeed and put in a tremendous amount of effort, I would assume you actually care (or have convinced yourself that you care). Because that effort, while it could make you look good, would probably be better directed at other activities which are more likely to succeed.

Either way, I wouldn't be surprised and that's fine. As someone else pointed out, it'll still benefit other people; only you'll really care why.