The Issue: UGBC primaries are today and tomorrow What We Think: Close field demands that students vote
Today and Friday, Boston College students will vote in the primary election for next year's Undergraduate Government of BC president and vice president. Easier than sending in an absentee ballot or going to their local polling places, students are asked to simply log onto Agora and vote in the primary election. It is imperative that students exercise their right to vote. The Heights encourages students to read candidates' platforms in order to make an informed, thoughtful decision.
The college student population is notoriously apathetic, and BC students are literally a click away from disproving this stereotype.
This year's UGBC cabinet has provided great programming for students. Events like the Will Ferrell Semi-Pro Comedy Tour show, the Homecoming Dance, the fall concert featuring Hellogoodbye, Nights on the Heights events, and grocery shuttles took planning and initiative from all levels of UGBC administration to coordinate. Strong leaders will be needed to maintain this momentum.
Taking cues from the 2008 presidential election, students should make the effort to bring issue-consciousness to BC politics, making sure to distinguish among the candidates based on their platforms, not on whose T-shirts were seen in McElroy or whose banner waves in the Quad.
Candidates running for next year's UGBC president and vice president positions are Rhick Bose, A&S '09, and Anand Savani, A&S '09; Katherine Buck, A&S '09, and Frank Nasso, CSOM '09; Chris Denice, CSOM '09, and Alejandro Montenegro, A&S '09; Phil Dumontet, CSOM '09, and Mike Sokolowski, CSOM '09; Michael Foley, CSOM '09, and Michael Fox, CSOM '09; and Paul Lilek, A&S '09, and Matt Marshall, CSOM '09.
Next year's UGBC president and vice president will be confronted with issues like student-neighbor relations, the implementation of BC's Master Plan, and communication among the UGBC, ALC, and GLC. It is imperative that students vote to ensure that the UGBC will be represented by leaders who are able to face these issues while still improving BC student life through stellar programming.
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