During the last student election I searched in vain for party platforms. Knowing that none seem to exist online or in paper form, I stopped to question several candidates in the Student Union on Tuesday. I immediately recognized the small flyers handed out by the Elevation Party, as they are littered all over campus. Instead of hanging signs or mobilizing support through websites or Facebook, it seems that the members of this party thought it better to scatter small sheets of paper throughout lecture halls and campus hallways. While I was dismayed that the flyers contained little information regarding what the party stands for, I was most annoyed by the lack of respect shown to the environment and the campus community. Everywhere you look, floors are covered by Elevation flyers.
While the Reform Our Campus Party placed its objectives on its flyers, informing voters of its platform, the bottom of the advertisement displays the misspellings "dedicateion" and "intengrity." While one member of the ROC party told me that they were placed there for the purpose of humor, another explained that the misspellings were an honest mistake due to typing the flyers at 3 a.m. What kind of "intengrity" is that? Obviously one of the candidates has no problem lying to potential voters.
Finally, upon speaking to several candidates, not one could provide me with a comprehensive plan for lobbying against tuition hikes and ensuring better bus service to and from South Campus. It was at this moment that I realized why voter turnout is always so low. Besides feeling indifferent to the process, many potential voters are probably turned off by several office-hungry candidates who are unwilling to provide coherent platforms with which to educate their constituency.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
