???A little over a month ago, President Barack Obama was inaugurated into the White House largely thanks to the efforts of voters between the ages of 18 to 25. That same demographic is maintaining the same sense of activism on a local scale, with over five potential Student Association presidential candidates organizing to run at the end of this month.
???Only a year ago, the 2008 SA elections were barren, with only the incumbent president, vice president and treasurer running, and only 155 undergrad votes recorded, significantly less than 1 percent of the student body.
???SA has since struggled with supporting the numerous student clubs financially, despite raising the Mandatory Student Activity Fee (a $15 increase per student per semester) in the fall of 2008.
???Still-existing clubs have had problems with SA funding, while ex-members of now-defunct clubs attempted to band together and address the SA's financial concerns, to no avail.
???It seems, this time around, the students are looking to answer these problems themselves. Problems such as the International Fiesta judges not knowing anything about dance, or a lack of transportation funding on claims of high gas prices, even though gas is about $2.50 lower than it was in August, and several SA members continue to have their monthly iPhone bills paid for, which run about $100 per month for each executive member.
???The most important action a disgruntled group can take against those that govern it is voicing their dissent. The candidates of these student parties exemplify the apparent activism on campus fresh off an election year.
???Hopefully one of these groups has a plan to repair a student body strangled by this year's presentation. Especially considering that SA isn't losing any money nowadays, but rather gaining it thanks to the fee increase.
???However, the most important thing those reading should take away from this is not the SA bashing (And there's a lot of it, however deserved it may be), but rather the importance of action and intervention from those who are affected, which, in this case, are those reading this editorial - the students.
???No matter who wins the SA election, the true victory will be the ability for every undergraduate student to choose from multiple candidates, rather than simply voting for the only choice or not voting at all.
???Hopefully, hard times will continue to breed active attempts to find solutions, both locally and nationally. With elections coming up fast, those reading should get familiar with the potential candidates and their platforms so as to do their part in governing this university the best way possible.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
