2008 Woodie Awards
SGA should give us something to talk about
Issue date: 4/6/06 Section: Editorial
- Page 1 of 1
If student government elections were held and nobody cared, did they really happen?
That's the question that should be on the minds of Emersonians after last week's Student Government Association (SGA) elections. Most likely, however, it wasn't.
Roughly 350 total votes were cast for the office of executive president, the only contested position.
Most positions had only one candidate or were filled by write-in applicants.
In a school so focused on communication and political activism, this level of participation is pathetically low. Clearly, the SGA and this year's candidates failed to focus on the issues that would inspire interest among the student body.
Consider the organization's recent print credit campagain.
Great efforts were made by SGA members to make students aware of their tireless attempt to lower the price of printing.
They accomplished it, but the change, from 10 cents a page to seven, seemed inconsequential given all the attention to the issue, including from this paper.
It can't be said that most students disapprove of our student government or its members. If they did, one would imagine a great deal of input on election day.
Rather, students are completely indifferent, which, as anyone interested in politics will tell you, is far worse.
However, not all the blame can be placed on that organization. Although the SGA could be doing more to incite interest, that is ultimately no excuse for students voting in such staggeringly low numbers.
Criticism of everything from the SGA's budget to the way it handles funding requests from student organizations is a favorite past time of Emerson's undergraduates, and it is simply unfair for them to do so if they are not also acting to change things.
As the old adage says, "If you don't vote, don't complain."
Voting in student government elections is not difficult.
It takes mere minutes out of the day of a busy college student, especially considering there were virtually no real choices on the ballot.
Next year, let's see legitimate competition between serious candidates, and, more importantly, passion from of our peers.
The SGA should spend next semester working toward increasing student involvement in government.
In the meantime, we'll enjoy the nominally cheaper cost of printing.
That's the question that should be on the minds of Emersonians after last week's Student Government Association (SGA) elections. Most likely, however, it wasn't.
Roughly 350 total votes were cast for the office of executive president, the only contested position.
Most positions had only one candidate or were filled by write-in applicants.
In a school so focused on communication and political activism, this level of participation is pathetically low. Clearly, the SGA and this year's candidates failed to focus on the issues that would inspire interest among the student body.
Consider the organization's recent print credit campagain.
Great efforts were made by SGA members to make students aware of their tireless attempt to lower the price of printing.
They accomplished it, but the change, from 10 cents a page to seven, seemed inconsequential given all the attention to the issue, including from this paper.
It can't be said that most students disapprove of our student government or its members. If they did, one would imagine a great deal of input on election day.
Rather, students are completely indifferent, which, as anyone interested in politics will tell you, is far worse.
However, not all the blame can be placed on that organization. Although the SGA could be doing more to incite interest, that is ultimately no excuse for students voting in such staggeringly low numbers.
Criticism of everything from the SGA's budget to the way it handles funding requests from student organizations is a favorite past time of Emerson's undergraduates, and it is simply unfair for them to do so if they are not also acting to change things.
As the old adage says, "If you don't vote, don't complain."
Voting in student government elections is not difficult.
It takes mere minutes out of the day of a busy college student, especially considering there were virtually no real choices on the ballot.
Next year, let's see legitimate competition between serious candidates, and, more importantly, passion from of our peers.
The SGA should spend next semester working toward increasing student involvement in government.
In the meantime, we'll enjoy the nominally cheaper cost of printing.
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