Only half of our 5,500 undergrads voted in this year’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG), around 1,600 as reported by USG Senator Parya Mahmoudi. The campaigns were a whirlwind of war paint and cute dogs, the candidates’ platforms somewhat lost in the hustle and bustle of sign hanging and tail-wagging. Congratulations to all of the victors, but especially to our new president and vice president; whatever it is you are now responsible for, I wish you both the best of luck. USG is an influential student organization that more students should be educated about and encouraged to be involved in.
A minority of our community participates in this process and decision that impacts life on campus for all students and therefore may not be a genuine reflection of our students’ desires. Does the fault lie with the candidates or student body?
Our campaigners had fliers, websites and tables outside of Sturm, yet their goals evaded me nevertheless. For a student body which seemingly has a limited degree of interest in student politics, this information needs to be more passively yet more readily available. Direct conversations with candidates can be intimidating and awkward. The debate, though a valuable and important event, is not appealing or convenient for the less-concerned students. For many it becomes a game of who you know, not for what they stand. Facebook pages now those make sense. They are an easily accessible source of information and could present the most effective information, but many people were unaware of these sites and, therefore, they could have been more emphasized through the campaigns and advertisements.
The sources were available, hence, the lack of student awareness or engagement would seem more a consequence of a deficit in student interest in undergraduate politics. There is an undeniable lack of knowledge or understanding surrounding the purpose or significance of USG. They fund and license our student organizations, help maintain our inclusive community and foster school spirit. Little of this could be gathered from their website, however, as their “About Us” page simply states, “The 2011-2012 Student Government is happy to welcome you to The University of Denver. We are looking forward to a great year.” A tad behind on the times, no?
The solution is to educate students on the impact of USG and establish a mutualistic relationship. Though the campaigns cannot begin until a determined date, perhaps we could have pre-campaign week outreach encouraging student awareness of USG affairs and enabling students to be more prepared for the coming commotion. They are here to help us, but this is only feasible if we are participating members of this community. It’s never good to be a political slacker, even on an undergraduate level. As Erik Meek said on the USG Elections Facebook page, “It takes 30 seconds and it’s your voice at DU!” It takes a minimal degree of effort and engagement to be involved in our student election that only comes once a year. Recognizably, it is also USG who is responsible for raising awareness about their interests and urging student engagement.
We have a whole year to prepare. Next spring let’s take a moment and be a part of DU’s history and participate in USG elections.
