Pagan Student Group Could Dissolve
Monday October 6, 2008
In a situation that I think may be a portrait of a problem in the Pagan community in general, the Pagan Student Association at Ohio State University is facing the chance of being dissolved. However, it's not because anyone's trying to oppress them, or because they're being discriminated against... it's because no one wants to be in charge anymore.
Ohio State's PSA was formed back in 1997 as a way to offer a support resource to students of earth-based and goddess-focused religions. This year, they're finding that membership numbers are dwindling, and no one wants to fill the leadership positions. For a student organization to be maintained on campus, they must have at least three officer positions filled by students who plan to be enrolled for the entire school year.
Group members say that even if they're no longer an official group on campus, they'll still maintain a web presence via Yahoo Groups and Facebook, but the fact is that they've been a vital part of the central Ohio Pagan community for a long time. It will be a shame to lose them -- but if no one wants to step up and take charge, there's nothing anyone can do, and the Ohio State PSA will disappear completely.
Ohio State's PSA was formed back in 1997 as a way to offer a support resource to students of earth-based and goddess-focused religions. This year, they're finding that membership numbers are dwindling, and no one wants to fill the leadership positions. For a student organization to be maintained on campus, they must have at least three officer positions filled by students who plan to be enrolled for the entire school year.
Group members say that even if they're no longer an official group on campus, they'll still maintain a web presence via Yahoo Groups and Facebook, but the fact is that they've been a vital part of the central Ohio Pagan community for a long time. It will be a shame to lose them -- but if no one wants to step up and take charge, there's nothing anyone can do, and the Ohio State PSA will disappear completely.
Comments
It is our responsibility as Pagans to build the future in which we want us and our children to live. I think since we had the luxury of excellent Pagan leaders to lay the groundwork for us today, we have become spoiled. People figure “oh, someone else will run things and take responsibility, let someone else do it, I don’t want to”. If we want Paganism to prosper and continue to grow, we all need to do something to benefit the community at large.
Jesh. People, there is a word that we all need to become familiar with - VolunTold. It is the art of not to subtle delegation.
Embrace it as if it was your own baby.
MJ