The Student Government Association is currently holding elections for next year’s representatives.
This year, two main parties are competing for positions — the T.O.G.A Party and the Distance Party.
The Rocket would like to endorse the Distance Party.
While both parties are rather similar in platforms, just as most parties ever running for office are, there are some key differences between the two groups.
Other than the typical promises of improved parking that will never be seen through, the Distance Party is also running on a better sustainability practices.
Sustainability is a key issue for college campuses around the country, yet it seems to go unnoticed by many.
SRU has been trying to be a greener campus each and every year, but it certainly has room for improvement.
The campus, like most businesses and people in the country, still needs to greatly improve its sustainability. If the Distance Party is promising to help us do this, then that is a major win for the entire campus.
The major promise the T.O.G.A Party is offering that is different from the Distance Party is a reformatting in scheduling, including offering a plan that would list when classes would be offered next. While it sounds like a very good idea, the feasibility of predicting classes several semesters into the future by a wide range of academic departments is debatable at best.
Sustainabilty remains a much more important issue.
The Distance Party also is campaigning on a “safer, more accessible campus” and improved relationships between students and faculty.
While improved relationships seems kind of vague in detail, the safer campus promise is another hot topic that is quite easy to get behind.
Safety is an issue that college students shouldn’t have to worry about while on campus, but has always been an issue.
Striving to continue innovating ways in which to make sure students remain safe while at SRU is a promise we haven’t really heard emphasized in the recent past, but certainly calls for great attention.
In terms of the candidates themselves, both Benjamin Motyl and Buddy Clements presented themselves well at the debates, both maintaining a positive attitude and charisma while speaking about the issues their party represents. Motyl might have been a little more well spoken, but both candidates seemed to know what they were talking about.
Importantly, neither of the parties are preaching completely unrealistic platforms, like making SRU a “wet” campus. Often it seems SGA parties attempt to draw in students with hefty promises that have no chance of coming about. The Distance Party keeps it simple, yet still maintains a platform that would better the SRU community.
