Need for Senate ‘openness’

Editor’s Note: The Times-Delphic does not endorse any candidate for any position on Student Senate or any other governing body. 

It’s the best time of the year again — Student Senate Election time. And by best, of course, we mean slightly annoying and just a little bit of a waste of time.

With the executive council elections starting today, you’ve got to ask yourself “Whom should I vote for?” Well, once again, it’s almost a simple answer. For the past two years, democracy has taken a backseat in the elections. The chance for open discourse has been lost thanks to unopposed races. Gone are the days of multiple candidates looking to battle it out for votes. Gone are the days of narrowly beating out an opponent. Now, it’s just logging into BlueView and clicking a box. Where is the fun in that?

Luckily, there is a litter glimmer of hope. There is a write-in candidate. Yet, for the few of you that attended the debate last week, you will know that the candidate in question was not present or allowed to speak at it. That was only a little bit disappointing. That was a gross injustice to what is supposed to be the openness of student government on campus. Where is the flow of open information and ideas? Let alone the ever-popular election-time buzzword, transparency?

The student body should be disappointed. The candidates presented to us are ones we are familiar with. They already sit around the table. They’ve given us plenty of opportunities to know them. Now we don’t get to hear this new voice that wants to speak up and be heard. It’s an unfortunate outcome based upon bylaws and the bystander effect. While the write-in candidate may not be an “official” candidate, he still should have been given a chance to speak.

As the voting period begins today, we as students need to take a hard look at what we want for the university and ourselves. We have some veterans on the ballot. We have some newcomers, but that should not make us blind as to what we really need on campus. Our leadership needs to reflect us as a whole. This is when we urge you to vote. Vote for whomever you think would best represent us as a campus. Vote for someone on the ballot. Vote for someone not on the ballot. Vote for the write-in candidate. It doesn’t matter who you vote for, just vote.

When you log into BlueView, also remember that the person you are voting for needs to be held accountable for what he or she does while around the table.  This election is not about the name recognition or the experience. It’s about who you believe to be the best leader for us.

Or, you know, you can always vote for Drake Squirrel.