This Wednesday, Sept. 3, the Student Government Association met for the first time. Its members have an ambitious platform and, though nothing of substance happened this week (absences due to Greek recruitment events prevented the group from reaching the quorum required for voting), the future looks promising for this year’s Senate and its ambitious agenda.

Yet, we extend a word of caution to the 2008-09 SGA: Every year, executive boards come into the senate chambers with plenty of dreams and plans.

But talk is cheap. History measures achievement, not in to-do lists, but in the proportion of those dreams that are converted into reality.

SGA members are elected to represent the student voice in campus politics. It’s that simple.

Sometimes, this comes with a measure of real authority over student policy, like in matters of student funding-SGA is in charge of distributing hundreds of thousands of dollars in student’ funds every year. They also control which student organizations have official University charters.

At other times, through President Sam Howard, SGA simply serves an advisory role for the President’s Coordinating Council, the advisory cabinet to SLU’s ultimate decision maker, University President Lawrence Biondi, S.J.

SLU’s power structure is set, and students aren’t at top. But we’re not at the bottom of the heap, either; students are in the middle, and our voices must be heard clearly for our concerns to gain sway in SLU’s political hierarchy.

So, SGA senators, this is your objective: Listen to students. Reach out to us and represent our opinion as accurately as possible. Continue with regular town hall meetings with administrators, so that students have a direct connection to the top. Hold several more meet-and-greet sessions between SGA senators and their constituents-at least one per month, and not just at the beginning of the year. Encourage senators to e-mail their constituents with updates on pertinent policies and upcoming decisions.

Students can also do their part. SGA meetings are held in the Busch Student Center (Suite 256) on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. and are open to everyone. If you have a complaint or suggestion, show up and voice it. Don’t just delete those SGA mailers-open them up, scan through and pick out what you need to know. Make an effort to figure out who your senators are and establish a relationship with them. Reach out for the hand that SGA extends.

SGA, you are our democracy. You are our voice. Explore our concerns, focus your efforts and act out our wishes, and you will leave a legacy worth remembering.