The Facts: After two weeks of campaigning, Student Government elections officially opened last night at midnight and will close tonight at 11:59 p.m. According to the N.C. State Student Government website, last year roughly 5,876 ballots were cast, only 18.4 percent of the student body at N.C. State.
Our Opinion: These positions that these candidates are filling are pivotal to getting our voices heard by the University’s staff, administration and even the N.C. State Board of Trustees. If we want our voices to be heard and taken into account in matters beyond our control, we must educate ourselves on the candidates who will do just that.
This time last year, out of the 33,000 students this campus sees every day, a mere 5,876 actually went online and casted a completed ballot. Since then, students have complained about budget cuts, poor planning of forums, being late to Centennial campus, lack of event knowledge and so much more. If we want to see solutions to the growing to-do list of Student Government, we must not only vote, but vote with accuracy.
The offices up for election include the Student Body President, Student Senate President and Union Activities Board President. These positions, among others, are the leaders of this University for the next academic year. Their roles impact the future direction and vision of the University, which directly correlates to student life on and off campus.
The role of Student Body President, as stated in the Student Government Statutes, is to ensure the acts of Student Senate are carried out, to communicate and coordinate between the various committees and departments of Student Government and above all make sure the student voices are represented. The most important power that lies with the Student Body President position is their voting membership on the N.C. State Board of Trustees. This power is the only voice students have on the Board, and it is highly important the one sitting in the seat can express the views and concerns of the student body. This seat has the potential to incite major change across campus—when put in the right hands.
The Student Senate President and Union Activities Board President are also important to student life. Senate President acts as the Vice-President of the student body and must be able to fill in for the President in functions she/he may not be able to attend. They must equally know the concerns of the students. The UAB President runs the Union Activities Board, along with all the events associated with them. This position is the keystone to numerous student functions around campus.
Due to the nature of such important positions and the demanding time commitment, the Student Body President gets paid $4,250 and the Senate President $4,000 for their terms. This accounts for roughly $343.75 per month for a full-time position. If we expect these elected officials to earn this money and make a difference on our campus, they should be the best and brightest fit for the student body.
The research for these candidates is everywhere: websites, Facebook pages, yesterday’s Technician voter’s guide and the Student Government website. To gain the most knowledge and receive the most accurate idea for the platform the candidates stand on, we must investigate the facts.
The fact that only 18.4 percent of the student body voted in the 2010 spring elections is the prime example of student apathy. However, this apathy does not fall short when the so-called elected officials make decisions the students do not agree with. To prevent decisions that cause student uprisings, the solution is simple: find out who the candidates are and most importantly—vote after getting informed. This is one of the few times we have the power to control our future, let’s not waste it.
