The Spectrum endorses Robert Pape for University Council
Next week, students can be contributing UB citizens from the comfort of their own rooms.
The University Council is a group of big wigs from all around Buffalo, but the students get a representative to voice their concerns on the Council to stand for their needs. Student representatives can't set the agenda, but they provide the student perspective on all of the board's propositions.
By Monday, every student will be automatically registered to vote on UBLearns for the upcoming election. The elections will be held from April 1-3. Since the University took the trouble to register all undergraduates, there's no reason not to vote. Let's see if we can exceed the 803 votes cast last year.
Thursday, The Spectrum held its endorsement meeting, and invited both Robert Pape and Reshona George to participate. Pape showed up, while George was nowhere to be found.
According to Jennifer Hitchcock, student activities associate for Student Life, George has been impossible to contact. Her platform is a week late, and she has not done any serious campaigning. But this does not make her ineligible. If she does not formally drop out, her name will still remain on the ballot.
Pape came into the office with a clearly outlined platform. He's been following the Council meetings for a couple of years, giving him an advantage over a less-experienced newbie.
University Council is a thankless, unpaid position, but Pape seems committed.
Pape has the skills to effectively communicate with the businessmen and academics on the board. He has made his mantra to keep communication lines between students and officials open, something he's done this year as SA's director of communications.
With the election rapidly approaching, students have little time to research both candidates (if any). For the University Council seat, The Spectrum endorses Robert Pape as the best candidate for the job.
Apathy rules the day
Students' inaction leads to small voter turnout in SA election
In this week's Student Association elections, no one predicted last year's turnout of 2400 votes would fade to 140 votes this year.
Granted, it was a cut and dry election, with the candidates running unopposed. Why should people vote when the candidates will win no matter what?
Incumbents in any race have an infinitely higher percentage of winning over non-incumbents - somewhere in the neighborhood of 80 percent.
Does the low turnout set the tone for SA next year? What do our leaders have to strive for now?
Grollitsh, Abraham and Martin may have won, but the real winner is apathy. They won not because they've been doing such an awesome job, but because no one bothered to hand in a petition.
Shame on you, students. Isn't earning $1000 a month as a stipend enough to make getting signatures on a petition worthwhile?
Students will have to live with their inaction until next year, when some of Progress will graduate. Hopefully by then, students will have turned apathy into action. Anyone can run for office, and we all have something to contribute.
"I didn't know about the elections" is not an excuse. If you're interested in running for office, don't let the position come to you. Go up there and seek it out.
Carpe Diem.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
