The Issue: The UGBC primary voting begins today What we think: Get out and vote
Voting begins today for the primary round of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College elections, in which the field of four teams will be narrowed down to two. Not only are the president and vice president the only two paid student leaders on campus (bringing in a collective $12,000 a year), but they wield unparalleled influence with administrators. In addition, the president and vice president periodically address the trustees of BC, an extremely important privilege and opportunity, given that the trustees hold the ultimate authority over BC with respect to electing the president of the University and approving all major University changes.
On Tuesday evening, the Election Committee sponsored an extremely informative and well-organized debate that revealed the diversity of the candidates platforms and stances. Unfortunately, only a small contingent of students attended. The majority of the audience was filled with members of campaigns and various student newspapers.
Last year, only 31 percent of the student body participated in the final election for the UGBC president and vice president. This low level of turnout is unacceptable, and only adds further fuel to our reputation as an apathetic student body.
Students face a number of issues, varying in degree and importance, on a daily basis. Whether we are deciding what to do on a Friday night or becoming involved with activist movements, it is incredibly important to select leaders who not only have a clear and well-articulated vision for BC, but who can also communicate effectively with students and administrators regarding decisions both big and small.
With a budget of $455,000, access to the administration, and an incredible amount of student resources, the UGBC has the potential to be a truly representative government that does not simply push money around to various groups - though some believe that doing so constitutes concrete progress - but a group that can organize and advance student causes.
It's our student activities fee. They're our programs. It's our student government. As a student body, let's show that we truly care about the organization that has the potential to provide so much for us.
The 2007 ballot presents a field of four very impressive teams. While many of the pairs share similar sentiments and goals, their individual platforms vary greatly in the strategies they plan to implement in order to improve student life. Take a critical look at their platforms before deciding for whom to vote.
If you missed Tuesday's debate, try to catch the final debate at 7 p.m. on Sunday in Devlin 008. If you would like to make an informed voting decision today and tomorrow, check out The Heights' UGBC Candidate Guide, found on B5 in today's paper. A breakdown of each team's platform and background is provided. And by all means, please take the two minutes to log onto Agora and vote. It truly couldn't get any easier.
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