Former Student Government President Colorado Robertson left the SG Senate chambers for the final time as acting president last Wednesday, his hands above his head displaying a ‘V’ for victory. The senators rose to applaud their outgoing president.With the tenure of Robertson and former SG Vice President Shannon Bates at an end, Robertson said he was proud of his colleagues’ work and his personal accomplishments in SG.”We’ve established some relationships and foundations like we set out to do and changed SG, and I think it will pay off for everyone,” Robertson said.Despite a general lack of enthusiasm among students when it comes to SG, the usual dissenters could identify steps Robertson’s   administration took forward.”In my four years here, each candidate has only done one or two things,” said Brian Whalen, finance senior. “It’s good compared to the past.”Most involved with SG called Robertson-Bates a proactive administration leaving a large space to fill.Robertson and Bates’ Foundation ticket took the election by only 13 votes after a heated campaign season marked by personal attacks. Robertson and Bates took power, then focused themselves on accomplishing the goals set during the campaign and solving a myriad of problems that arose during their administration. 
PUSH CARDThe Foundation push card outlined 28 separate points. They accomplished about half of these. Some issues promised during the campaign never succeeded, including public feedings of Mike the Tiger and an on-campus farmer’s market. The Big River Economic and Agricultural Development Alliance decided to relocate to Perkins Rowe instead of campus because of complications approving insurance policies for the University. Robertson actively petitioned the state government to offer tax exemptions for student textbooks during his early months. But Robertson said he had to devote his attention elsewhere as conditions changed.”You only have so much political capital,” Robertson said. “And halfway through our administration, we had to focus that on budget cuts.”Despite these failures, Robertson and Bates succeeded in pushing through important campaign promises like extended library and campus transit hours, allowing debit and credit cards in the Tiger Lair and a bus complaint hotline within six months of entering office.They were also successful in achieving some of their small goals, such as free hot chocolate and snow cones during finals, additional late-night security in Middleton Library and, eventually, free rain ponchos.The University refused to accept a rollover ‘W’ policy, but the Robertson-Bates administration was able to change the policy with time and cooperation from the SG Senate. The new policy allows three W’s freshman and sophomore year with two for junior and senior year and one for students with more than 120 hours.TRANSPARENCY AND STUDENT INVOLVEMENTRobertson and Bates ran a campaign on transparency and openness, promising to bring students and the rest of SG into the decision-making process. They enacted a number of policies and programs designed to promote these ideals throughout their year in office.One of those programs was Straight Talk with SG, one of Robertson’s longest-running pet projects which brought SG executive and legislative officials out of their offices and into direct contact with their constituents. “Problems were discussed,” Bates said. “But there were also new ideas we wouldn’t have been aware of without the program.”Though Straight Talk sessions were organized to reach out to students, they rarely drew large crowds from the student body, which is historically apathetic to SG, no matter the administration.Michael Heumann, arts and design sophomore, said he never pays much attention to SG campaigns or programs, which he said are usually only beneficial for students living on campus.”I really haven’t seen very many changes from administration to administration,” Heumann said.During the campaign season, Bates promoted policies aimed at enlisting the aid of student organizations. Once in office, she reached out to these organizations as one of her primary goals.Bates enlisted Sen. Amanda Gammon, College of Arts and Sciences and chair of the Government Relations Committee, to help her reach student organizations. Together they developed Orgs2Geaux. Bates, Gammon and other senators worked together to visit and speak with nearly 50 different organizations about their concerns. FOUNDATION AND LEGACYPerhaps the most visible sign of change that emerged from the Robertson-Bates administration was the development of the Dodson West Garden and the related Class Gift Program.Within a few months of its proposal, the empty lot behind Dodson Auditorium was transformed into a green student sanctuary and a permanent reminder of the contributions of the graduating class of 2009.Robertson learned how to work efficiently in the legislative branch during his time as SG Senate speaker, which carried over to his presidency.”A lot of presidents don’t understand that it isn’t just what they say goes,” said former Speaker Ben Clark. “Colorado was more willing to compromise.”Clark said he disagreed with Robertson on some occasions, but he felt Robertson’s administration was generally easier to work with than previous presidents.”When Colorado worked with the Senate, we all usually had the same ideas, even if we had different ways of working towards them,” said Sen. Brett Jackson, E.J. Orso College of Business.This working relationship carried over to Robertson’s dealings with the administration, even on tough issues like budget cuts.”Colorado and Shannon were very effective representatives of the students, very easy and constant to work with, even when we disagreed,” said Chancellor Michael Martin.SG President and Vice President Stuart Watkins and Martina Scheuermann have spent the past few weeks working with Robertson and Bates during the transitional period. “Colorado has done great things for the student body,” Watkins said. “Martina and I are lucky to have had Colorado and Shannon throughout the transitional process.”—-Contact Adam Duvernay at [email protected]