Four more years

The Student Government Association has our blessing to continue… kind of

After much calm deliberation and vicious brawling, The Red & Black’s editoral board has come to the conclusion that no matter what is written in this space and no matter how well-argued it is, the outcome of this Student Government Association election will inevitably be the same. SGA will not be abolished.

Why? We know our readers, and we know with sad certainty that it’s a safe bet you aren’t going to vote on OASIS – not to keep SGA or to abolish it. Most students just don’t care.

The tiny minority of people within or immediately tied to SGA – more so than the other minority of students bitching and begging for abolishment of the organization – are sure to rock, or maybe just rustle, the vote and ensure the continued existence of SGA.

This highlights the fact that existing within students’ general apathy for anything that requires deep thought and more than a few mouse clicks and keystrokes is a very specific, benign disregard for our SGA – the supposed voice elected for, by and from the student body.

Many good points, for and against SGA, have been brought up on this page in the past week. Like most arguments, neither polar extreme is entirely right. SGA has its perks, but it also has its fair share of problems to overcome.

Is SGA lacking in power? Absolutely. SGA does not control student activity fees as it once did. As pointed out by Harold Mulherin – the man responsible for abolishing SGA in 1979 – without money, power and a University administration willing to listen, SGA is not much more than a self-serving, self-perpetuating debate society. As Josh Weiss so aptly put it, only has the power to say “please” and “thank you” to the administration.

As a so-called voice and forum for student opinions, we at The Red & Black have no problem tooting our own horn as an infinitely better source and provider, seeing as this daily page is dedicated to student opinions.

Most students have opinions on student issues, but not all of us have time to run for offices or attend endless meetings. How about student body referendums via OASIS or even Facebook, if possible?

Students are in a crappy relationship with their SGA. It’s like having a significant other – costing you thousands of dollars a year – who doesn’t seem to listen to or understand you and whose power and influence is near non-existent. But, every now and then, they do something really big and nice, like saving Fall Break.

With the vote to abolish, students have the chance to dump SGA and say, “We need to take a break. It’s not that I hate you or you’re abusive. I just don’t love you or think it’s worth keeping you in my life.”

The only catch is there’s no clear alternative. It seems as if SGA is the last man/woman on Earth and we’re stuck thinking, “Gee, it’s you or…myself?”

Indeed, individual students trying to take on the administration or Board of Regents would be rather fruitless and masturbatory.

We need a much stronger relationship with SGA – a relationship where SGA appreciates and defends our needs, actively pursues an honest dialogue with students, legitimizes itself to us through better public relations and, most of all, control over student activity fees.

That, or we need to take a break. Alas, even if we needed to, students’ apathy likely will keep this relationship on life-support. Kind of sad.