A plea to participate in Student Elections
Reading Time: 3 minutesOn Feb. 6, applications to run in this year’s UVUSA elections will be due. They will be due precisely at noon in the UVUSA Office, which is in SC 105. The applications are to be returned to John McClure, the Elections Committee Chair.
Questions? Please call 801-863-8652.
We’re telling you this because it’s our job. And because of the faint effort being made by other parties to inform the students.
The UVU Review wants to make sure that every student here at Utah Valley University has the opportunity to participate in these elections, be it as a candidate or as a voter.
You need to know these elections are happening be- cause, believe it or not, stu- dent government does have some sway at this school. They are responsible to appropriate students fees. Twelve million dollars, to be exact. They decide what gets done with that money. They plan our events. They work closely with our Academic Deans, the UVU Board of Trustees and President Holland himself.
We need to tell you this because, frankly, we dropped the ball last year. Last year we didn’t know packets were due until a singular, uncontested group began their cam- paign. So, it’s partially our fault that last year one party ran in an uncontested race and won by default.
But, at the same time, it’s ultimately not our job to advertise upcoming student elections. That’s UVUSA’s job.
We need to tell you this because it might be the only place you’ll see this information. Yes, there are a few scattered posters around campus., but their coloring is not anything that readily attracts the eye – pale green letters on a white background. They have also been found in odd locations, like a cluster by the ground floor elevator in the Sparks Automotive Building. Or above the urinals in some of the men’s restrooms. The info is in the middle of the page. So read fast or pee slow.
You’re not going to find them unless you’re consciously hunting them down.
We have a giant banner in the Sorensen Center about the video game “Skyrim”. It spans the width and length of an entire wall across from the bookstore. But for some reason, we don’t see too many posters urging students to run for student office. Why don’t we see a giant sign across from the bookstore advertising these elections? Why didn’t they put one up there last fall, when it wouldn’t have to be a last minute mad dash for an ambitious yet uninformed matriculate?
We have a giant electronic billboard overlooking our little stretch of I-15. We’re a commuter school. Yeah, UVUSA only has 12 million to work with, but surely they could afford to design a quick ad and slap it up there for all to see. Would it even cost them anything, or is the electronic billboard a resource readily at their disposal?
Look on UVU’s website. Front page. Check the rotat- ing news banner. See anything about elections? Because as of press time, we did not. The deadline for applications to run isn’t even on the calendar.
Even if a student found out today that running for office was an option, they’d have a week to get the signatures and letters of support and resources necessary to run. Compare that to the chances of an incumbent candidate, who has known about elec- tions for possibly a year in advance. That candidate has had ample time to prepare. Who do you think has a better shot at victory?
A default victory is only considered a victory by dic- tators and other generally unscrupulous people. A default victory is either something not worth winning or something fishy is going on. And democracies that don’t enjoy a lot of participation eventually become dictatorships before our very eyes.
Be cool to your school, kids. Participate in student elections. Campaign. Vote. Win. Make like Eagle Scouts and leave this school better than you found it.
Go you Wolverines.
UVUSA 2012 ELECTIONS
Packets available in SC-105.
Packets due Feb. 6 at noon.
Packets include elections time-line, positions available, campaign rules, qualifications and officer applications.
Elections begin March 5.