Garbage cans across campus overflow with crumpled red-and-blue posters and handbills. Another SGA campaign season comes to a close.
Monday’s Banner-facilitated elections witnessed a close race for student government hopefuls. Unlike the past few years, however, when one party supplied most or all executive board members, this year’s student body picked a few candidates from each pot. As such, next year’s diverse line up-three red candidates and two blue-must work together to juggle, judge and implement issues from both platforms.
The 2005-06 SGA, a single-party sweep, pushed through virtually all of its outlined objectives. The most prominent of these include plans for a wireless campus, expansion of the Upperclass Scholarships and posting of the Ride Board in the commuter lounge. In next year’s mixed-ticket setting, though, morphing ideas into legislation and legislation into policy requires a different approach.
Some tension may arise, for example, concerning Student Organization Cabinets. President-Elect Evan Krauss implemented SOCs at SLU to link community service organizations with similar aims and aspirations. SOC meetings provide a convenient forum for fledgling service organizations to discuss goals and problems. Their continued existence is necessary, as they help new organizations get off the ground and grow.
Platforms also differed on the implementation of new programs of study at SLU. The upcoming Academic Vice President wants to expand the number of programs of study SLU offers. He would do well to first consider the cost of improving the programs SLU already supports.
SGA must also significantly strengthen ties with multicultural organizations if BSA and ISF presidents are to be cut from the executive board. Krauss needs to use his proven knack for leadership to build cohesion among his colleagues new and old. With a mixed-platform government in the future, these skills will soon become invaluable.
More astounding than differences of opinion, though, are plans the parties share. Both groups emphasize the need to expand student advising. Both want to strengthen SGA-to-student body communications. Both want to increase the permanency and scope of Upperclass Scholarships. With these mutual themes, SLU’s future SGA leaders have stable common ground on which to stand.
But the executive board should do more than just stand around on that common ground. The board must act according to what is truly in the best interest of students. As SGA determines next year’s course of action, its members cannot be afraid to adopt ideas not endorsed on their original, respective platforms. Political victory doesn’t necessarily indicate infallibility. Political loss does not negate the value of a potential candidate’s perspective. The SGA of the future must unite across political schism to genuinely serve students.
The new SGA executive board is full of potential and proposals. Although once-vivid campaign posters are now wadded landfill fodder, the aims and dreams they signified are anything but.
Congratulations to the students who ran for office, and best of luck for an excellent, cooperative and productive future.
Thanks, too, to SLU TV and KSLU, Phil Lyons, Cari Johns and Matt Burhman. And to the maintenance staff, the post-election season is now in your hands.