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It’s that time of year again. Campaign posters are as plentiful as the soon-to-be-broken campaign promises. Yes, today is the first day of the Student Government Association elections. But you’re forgiven for not caring.
Every year, The Louisville Cardinal meticulously interviews every candidate for the top four positions in student government. We pick the most qualified candidates based on their positions, the feasibility of their plans, and their experience. In seemingly every race, the voters ignore our careful analysis and vote for different candidates, for different reasons.
This year we’re not endorsing anyone. We’re not sure any of the candidates will offer the radical departure from the SGA status quo that is needed—and it’s clear that most students agree. Over 86 percent of U of L didn’t even vote in last year’s elections. That 86 percent certainly doesn’t feel that SGA has the impact on their life that SGA would believe.
It’s not that SGA is all bad or that they don’t do good things for students. There is no question the current top four are dedicated to the student body and try their best to represent students’ interests. The problem is mostly that SGA’s perception of students’ interests and students’ perceptions of students’ interests don’t always align.
The mandatory meal plan is a perfect example of this disconnect. Anyone on campus knows that the vast majority of students opposed, and still oppose, the meal plan. But SGA went along with it, suspecting that the long-term benefits of new dining facilities outweighed the short-term costs of at least $175 per student, per semester. But students obviously didn’t agree and will be paying the price for years to come.
Grandiose plans of new athletic facilities and more student services are nice, but they come at a price—a price most students aren’t willing to pay. Hopefully this year’s SGA candidates will recognize that and begin to earnestly represent the students’ will. Until then, SGA will continue to be a figurehead, and one that 86 percent of students don’t care about.
