2008 Woodie Awards
Letters to the editor
Opinion | 4/28/08
Know the details before making judgements
about the SGA
It is the new hip thing and everybody's doing it: busting on the Student Government Association. As a current SGA senator I realize any attempts I make in this letter to defend the actions of the SGA, that were so ignorantly attacked last week, will most likely be fruitless. I do ask, however, only for what many frustrated students are asking for in return: fairness. We are college students (well, at least we are supposed to be), and, if nothing else, we should leave college with the knowledge and power to critically analyze a given situation. I ask that we do that now. While on the surface the SGA Senate's decision to deny the election commission's request to extend the petition deadline for last week's SGA election seems undemocratic, I ask that we examine the details of the situation before making irrational parallels between the SGA and Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. Before making their decision, the SGA asked the election commission how many petitions had actually been turned in after the original deadline. To our surprise, there had only been one. Now let's do some quick math: 17 senator petitions were turned in and accepted before the deadline for which there were 18 open spots. If the SGA had voted to accept the one late petition, there would have been 18 candidates running for 18 spots. Now, call me crazy, but I believe that would be far less democratic than accepting the 17 petitions for the first round of SGA elections and allowing the late candidate to run in a contested second election. Instead of allowing 18 uncontested seats, the SGA opted to make the best out of a bad situation and decided that having one contested seat in a second election was the more democratic path. Second elections are far from uncommon; they have occurred at least the past two years and were highly competitive in both cases. Additionally, the SGA was anticipating the passing of a new SGA constitution by the students, which called for an increase in elected senators, justices for a new judicial branch, and a chief of staff, thus making a second election almost guaranteed. I understand and empathize with the student body's frustration over the seemingly endless SGA drama of the past few weeks, but I ask that harsh words and judgments be not issued until all the details of a situation are known. I too encourage students to attend SGA meetings, for it is essential that we as an SGA hear your concerns. We are democratically elected and try to the best of our ability to ensure democracy and fairness with every decision that we make. Although we may take a lot of flak for what some may call the "undemocratic" and "unfair" decision we made two weeks ago, I stand by my decision and the decision of my colleagues and challenge the student body to examine all the details, ask questions, dig beneath the seemingly obvious and decide for yourself.
about the SGA
It is the new hip thing and everybody's doing it: busting on the Student Government Association. As a current SGA senator I realize any attempts I make in this letter to defend the actions of the SGA, that were so ignorantly attacked last week, will most likely be fruitless. I do ask, however, only for what many frustrated students are asking for in return: fairness. We are college students (well, at least we are supposed to be), and, if nothing else, we should leave college with the knowledge and power to critically analyze a given situation. I ask that we do that now. While on the surface the SGA Senate's decision to deny the election commission's request to extend the petition deadline for last week's SGA election seems undemocratic, I ask that we examine the details of the situation before making irrational parallels between the SGA and Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. Before making their decision, the SGA asked the election commission how many petitions had actually been turned in after the original deadline. To our surprise, there had only been one. Now let's do some quick math: 17 senator petitions were turned in and accepted before the deadline for which there were 18 open spots. If the SGA had voted to accept the one late petition, there would have been 18 candidates running for 18 spots. Now, call me crazy, but I believe that would be far less democratic than accepting the 17 petitions for the first round of SGA elections and allowing the late candidate to run in a contested second election. Instead of allowing 18 uncontested seats, the SGA opted to make the best out of a bad situation and decided that having one contested seat in a second election was the more democratic path. Second elections are far from uncommon; they have occurred at least the past two years and were highly competitive in both cases. Additionally, the SGA was anticipating the passing of a new SGA constitution by the students, which called for an increase in elected senators, justices for a new judicial branch, and a chief of staff, thus making a second election almost guaranteed. I understand and empathize with the student body's frustration over the seemingly endless SGA drama of the past few weeks, but I ask that harsh words and judgments be not issued until all the details of a situation are known. I too encourage students to attend SGA meetings, for it is essential that we as an SGA hear your concerns. We are democratically elected and try to the best of our ability to ensure democracy and fairness with every decision that we make. Although we may take a lot of flak for what some may call the "undemocratic" and "unfair" decision we made two weeks ago, I stand by my decision and the decision of my colleagues and challenge the student body to examine all the details, ask questions, dig beneath the seemingly obvious and decide for yourself.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 3
greg
posted 4/28/08 @ 1:54 PM EST
Although I recognize that the QSU is comprised of individuals who all made their own personal SGA candidate endorsements and had every right to voice their concerns and questions to a candidate, I wish that the QSU would look at their internal structure and how some of their individual members behave and recognize how that can reflect badly on them. (Continued…)
Bill Logan
posted 4/29/08 @ 1:33 AM EST
I think it is important to realize that difference between QSU members and members of QSU. QSU members encompass all of those who connect themselves in any way shape or form with QSU. (Continued…)
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