If you have not yet seen any campaigning for the Student Government Association elections, you will surely start seeing things around campus this week. Unlike years past, there is only one ticket running which means for nearly every position the candidate will be unopposed. This Tuesday, there will be a one-sided debate open to students. Instead of students coming together to discuss what ideas and policy would be best for our university, we will only have one group present one idea of how the SGA should serve the student body for this upcoming academic year.
It is not that the members of OneSRU, the sole ticket, would not make good representatives, but rather that without a challenger, the students will not have an opportunity to hear opposing viewpoints or feel that they have a choice in who represents them. While we are sure that every member of the One SRU ticket wishes to serve our campus, we don’t believe that any of them would savor a victory by default.
It is still important, however, that the student body turn out for the debate and be involved in the SGA election. Apathy, even when it comes to student government, can be the prevailing enemy of progress. While there is no opposing ticket, it is important that members of the student body show up and ask the tough questions tomorrow and throughout the campaigning process.
The audience at sparsely attended SGA meetings is often only made up of people who are required to be there because they’ve requested money or support. Student involvement is important in all facets of student government and representation. In part, that’s why students should use their common hour on Tuesday to challenge these candidates in order to understand where they stand on issues that are important to student success.
In addition to the executive board, candidates will be running to fill building and commuter senator seats. If you are living on campus, The Rocket staff encourages you to seek out who is running to represent your building. In many cases, multiple candidates will be running without being part of a ticket and you should get to know who they are as well. These people will be representing you and making decisions on your behalf. To be indifferent in this matter is to not care about what happens at SRU and changes that directly impact everyone here.
The SRSGA allocates over 2 million dollars next year. For students to have a say in what student government does with your student activity fee, you have to vote starting on April 11.
The Rocket staff feels that it is of the utmost importance that students take an interest in what happens on campus and that only through involvement is how everyone’s voices can be heard.
