The column unfairly conflates the record of recent SG executives, something that should have been pressed a bit more in the debate given candidates’ current positions or lack thereof, with that of SG as a whole. For example, show up Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. in the Capital Chambers, and you’ll see the Senate’s work on everything from the Period Project to sustainability projects to money for student conferences. College Councils (like my own Graduate Student Association) and the Judicial Branch can add more to that list.
In the decade up to the 2016 election Koch mentions, SG Spring Elections routinely had 1.5-2.0 candidates per position across all races (executive, Senate, and College Council), going north of 3.0 in 2009 and never dropping below 1.2. They have yet to clear 1.2 in the four years since—even with a revival in postgraduate candidacies—dropping below 1.0 twice and seeing the first two uncontested presidential contests since 1961. (This year: 0.92.) Either real-world events have depressed student interest, or recent ticket leaders (even Greek-backed ones) have utterly forgotten how to recruit down-ballot candidates, leading to a knock-on effect in the executive races. Less opposition, less vetting?
Speaking of tickets, there’s no rule saying that tickets, even in the spring, have to be whole-campus affairs centered on the executive candidates. Look at the success of Grad Gold and various Agriculture-centered tickets the last few years for proof. All you need to form a ticket is a bit of paperwork and two candidates.
I’m sure many student organizations have an interest in the outcome of SG elections. Outside of prohibitions on direct financial donations and involvement by SG-affiliated groups, the Election Code doesn’t restrict organization involvement in SG elections all that much. Perhaps more organizations—even less explicitly “political” ones—should take a page from Greek Row and the real world, going beyond mere endorsement to recruit candidates and set up the logistics for successful campaigns.
Maybe you think SG can do better. Maybe you think SG is better doing something else. In any event, the best way to make a car go where you want it to go is to drive it yourself. It may be too late to make up the numbers for this round, but there’s plenty of time to get some supporters together and lay some groundwork before the Fall Elections in October or the Spring Elections next year. Cory Koch is no hypocrite in writing his column—he threw his hat in the ring last year. Why not you?
Jordan Landry, a PhD candidate in Political Science from Kaplan, Louisiana, is a Student Senator for the Graduate School. He is one of the founders of the Grad Gold ticket.
