Full disclosure: Sara Yasin is a former Student Senator and former Student Centers President

Student Government has become the local equivalent of a terrible reality show. Unscripted or scripted horribly, with fake actors and a lot of drama, I have been questioning the direction of student leadership at this University. Like the clock around Flavor Flav’s neck or Tyra’s mesmerizing weave, I cannot help but be dumbfounded by Student Government year after year. As dewy-eyed members of SG, we promise to represent the voices of students. We want to be the voice that was never heard before.

Once the rosy colored glasses come off, members of Student Government find themselves wrapped in a world where people watch a little too much West Wing. Political intrigue should have no place when it comes to representing students. The problem is this; most students do not fully understand what the role of Student Government actually is.

The primary role of Student Government is to act as not only an advocacy group for the voice of students, but also to be able to question the actions of the administration. The time spent on plotting and internal concerns should be spent on attending council meetings, speaking to students and working with administrators to accomplish necessary changes.

First of all Student Government needs to realize that while it is their duty to question the actions of the administration, they cannot force the administration to do anything. The only way to be an influential body is to be able to cooperate between branches and within the branches themselves.

Despite being optimistic about a change in leadership, a fundamental problem stays; a lack of vision and a broken infrastructure. Student Government needs to rid itself of the toxins, which keep it from being an effective organization. At this point, it is nothing more than a student fee funded debate club.

At the end of the day, students are paying for a voice. Not for people to simply argue. If my fee money is going to a body, which is not actually representing me effectively, then there must be a radical change. We have a large campus with a wide range of voices, and it is hard enough to lobby for those different facets of our campus. How can that even begin to be accomplished if leaders are entangled in petty intrigues.

If Student Government continues on the same path, then I would call for it to be reduced to nothing more than a body which appropriates money, seeing as the money from the fee would be better spent appropriated to student organizations which actually have a sense of their direction and purpose.

The people who participate in Student Government are great people who are dedicated. Most people become involved because they want to advocate for students or become “involved” with the University. This talent and dedication is wasted if there is even debate to the purpose and power of SG in the first place.

If the voice of the student body has become nothing more than a ludicrous and disillusioned network, then it is time for a change.

It is time to change the channel.

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