Election:

Tuesday from midnight until 11:59 p.m. at vote.ncsu.edu

Endorsements:

Ches McDowell – student body president

Stephen Kouba – Student Senate president

Student Government and the daily student newspaper share a special relationship at N.C. State. They are two of the oldest organizations on the campus — both at or about 90 years old — and since the opening of Witherspoon Student Center in 1990 have occupied offices directly adjacent to each other.

The close proximity of the offices and prominence of much of Student Government’s work on the campus — it’s often newsworthy — means the members of the organizations have a lot of interaction in both the professional and personal realm. It’s a relationship that allows for incredible insight and intimate knowledge few other students or faculty members have access to.

Technician doesn’t make recommendations lightly, but does so because it has valuable knowledge students deserve to know.

The pool is extremely competitive this year; the Student Senate president and student body president positions have a great list of candidates, and going to the polls today will be extremely difficult for students as they try to decipher which candidate will serve them best.

In any case, students must vote to ensure they are represented by their chief student representatives. But Technician would like to offer its evaluation of the two major positions based on the candidates’ unique qualities and endorse the students it sees as best fit for the positions:

For Student Senate president, Technician endorses Stephen Kouba. The other two candidates for the position, Sarah Center and Michael Robinson, have given great service to the students this past year, but lack the dominating personality the position requires.

Kouba is loud — not in a bad way. He has the capacity to guide the Student Senate with the strong voice it requires. For students who have seen a Wednesday night Senate meeting, they know the group acts like a Kindergarten class — it requires order. Center hopes to get into teaching and Robinson has the experience of a graduate student, but Kouba has the personality; he’d be a good fit for the position.

For student body president, Technician will advise students not to follow James Dieffenderfer’s motto and think before they vote. Hence, after thinking, Technician endorses Ches McDowell for next year’s student body president.

The field was incredible this year and this decision was wrenching. But in the end, McDowell’s leadership experience, personal merits — he pays for his own education — and lack of Talley affiliation won out. Kelly Hook and Matt Woodward have been incredibly devoted student leaders and they should continue their marvelous service to the University, but an outsider’s perspective — McDowell has never been in Student Government — will hopefully breathe new life into Student Government.

Likewise, Scott Goldsmith has incredible leadership potential, but another year of maturation in the Senate and a run next year would bring the greatest benefit to the campus.

Regardless of whether you heed the paper’s advice or not, remember to vote today; it’s time well spent for the future of the University.