EDITORIAL: Students should vote for those who represent them
March 28, 2013
THE ISSUE: The Student Government Association election is upon us again this year, and the majority of the student body does not participate in electing the students who represent them.
OUR STANCE: Voting for student representatives at the college level is important for students just like voting for political representatives is important for people in the United States. It’s a good habit to get in.
We have elections all the time in this country. We’ve got races for state and national congress, governor, president, mayor, city commissioner and a host of others, depending on where you live.
At WKU, we have a race for our own government.
On April 2 and 3, you can cast your vote for SGA president, executive vice president, administrative vice president and all senatorial positions. Unlike other elections, you don’t have to go anywhere. You don’t have to use gas to drive to a polling station. All you have to do is log on to TopNet and click some names.
Despite this lack of inconvenience, SGA elections notoriously draw a small number of participants.
Perhaps one reason students do not vote in SGA elections is because they discount what the governmental body does for WKU. Purple line, anyone? As the SGA website says, the Safe Ride service is in place to “prevent driving under the influence,” something a large part of this campus could and should take advantage of.
SGA functions as the student’s voice to the university administration. This semester alone, SGA voted for returning a food court to South Campus, and the senate voted against the value added grading system.
SGA also voted to oppose Provost Gordon Emslie’s bi-term proposal. According to the bill posted on SGA’s website, the student representatives chose to oppose the bi-term idea because it would “make pursuing an education at WKU more difficult for students.”
In matters that affect students, SGA is there, trying to act in the students’ best interests as a representative body should. Something that is this important for WKU students should get the attention from the students it needs in order to operate.
To learn more about the candidates and how they want to represent you, you can see them debate this Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Ransdell Hall Auditorium. From there, you can decide for yourself who you want to elect on April 2 and 3. It matters to you and your fellow students to click some names.
This editorial represents the majority opinion of the Herald’s 11-member editoral board.
