A discussion of student leadership does not go far without mentioning Student Government, the University’s elected student leaders. Whether students can spout SG’s agendas or have to scratch their heads while trying to name the SG president, most agree SG officials are in a position to lead the campus.
“The sign of a strong university is the strength of students,” said Marcie Maxwell, SG chief of staff. “Student leaders guide the students — they represent other students.”
  SG leaders agree students see them as campus leaders, but some students do not see what SG is doing with its power.
“I don’t know anything about Student Government — I really do not take it seriously,” said Sheryl Clark, a psychology sophomore.
SG President Darrell Broussard said his administration has been doing more planning this semester than big action. Many of his campaign promises, such as creating a campus construction Web site and a traffic hotline, remain unfulfilled.
One of the executive branch’s top goals has been increasing the University’s awareness of Student Government. By wearing buttons, tabling in Free Speech Alley and speaking to students through the “Ask Me About SG Campaign,” SG leaders want to let students know what SG does. And, by speaking to many of the English 1001 classes, Broussard estimates thousands of students have heard about SG.
Yet, students maintain they are not informed enough about SG activities.
“I would like to see [SG] around campus more and not just on election day,” said Lorelei Nicholson, a biological sciences sophomore. “I want SG to have more interaction with students because I feel that they are not doing anything significant that directly affects my life on campus.”
SG leaders acknowledge getting the word out about SG activities is an ongoing battle.
“We’re not always as visible as we could be,” Maxwell said. “Maybe we’re not attaching our name to everything we do as well as we should.”
Broussard and Maxwell said the Auburn bus trip and the Sept. 11 ceremony are examples of SG-sponsored projects that benefit the students but that students may not associate with SG.
Some students said SG has made its presence known on campus this semester.
“So far, the new administration is doing a good job listening to the student concerns and getting other administrations to notice our needs,” said Thomondra Sams, a biological sciences junior.
While some students could name one or two things Student Government has been involved in on campus, most agree SG still is not as visible as it should be.
“I think they should play active roles on campus so we can see their faces more often — and hounding us on SG election week does not count as playing an active role on campus,” said Kawanda Richardson, a biological sciences sophomore.
However, Richardson acknowledges she has seen the effects of SG leadership on campus.
“I know that SG supplies exam supplies during dead week,” she said.
Some students believe Student Government should reach out more in residential halls and other areas where students gather instead of the Quad or Free Speech Alley.
Broussard said the spectrum of student expectations of SG is wide — some expect nothing but the best, but some expect nothing at all.
“I think sometimes they expect us to surprise them or prove them right for not expecting much,” Broussard said.
Jay Buller, Student Senate speaker, said some students expect things beyond what SG can do.
He said while the Student Senate, the legislative branch of SG, can approve resolutions to address issues important to students, such as student fees, it cannot always find solutions to big campus problems, such as parking.
“Though it’s not going to save the world and make LSU a tier-one school in the next few years, the Student Senate is still beneficial,” Buller said. “It’s supposed to spark debate and handle controversial issues.”
Buller said the Senate would be in a better position to lead if voter turnout was higher. He said the strength of the Senate’s voice to the administration is proportionate to voter turnout.
“I don’t think the Senate has reached its potential for affecting the lives of the students of LSU,” Buller said. “We can put ourselves in a better position to speak on the students’ behalf by changing the way we’re perceived.”
SG officials said not all big issues for students are feasible projects for them to tackle.
“I think we’re working to fulfill all the expectations we know of,” Maxwell said. “If they have an expectation and we don’t know about it, they should come tell us.”
Broussard welcomes the challenge of high expectations.
“I don’t think their expectations are too high,” Broussard said. “The typical student reaction is ‘we just want to see them work on valid projects.'”