This week marks the opening of the elections for the executive offices of the Weber State University Student Association. These positions are important to the WSU community in several ways. Knowledge is power (thank you, “Schoolhouse Rock”), and it’s important to know what is happening before appropriately figuring out how to carry on.
The president is, as the title suggests, responsible for all WSUSA executive functions. They are responsible for all WSUSA activity, just as the president of the United States is responsible for all U.S. activity.
The legislative vice president is the equivalent of the speaker of the House or Senate majority leader in Congress. While WSU doesn’t have political parties, they are responsible for overseeing the legislature and its activity. This position is frequently overlooked, but is actually the second-most influential within WSUSA.
The rest of the VPs are responsible for their own respective duties, implicit within their office. Diversity promotes unity and equality. Service promotes service. Within this system lies a dizzying array of interests, allowing for the average student to become lost in a sea of campaigns.
The Signpost has been covering elections since we put out our first paper. Our seasoned editorial staff has seen their fair share of elections and terms of office, and offer the following issues to look for in this year’s elections. We don’t presume to tell you what needs to be done about these issues, but simply wish to call them to your attention. Asking candidates questions is a great way to see who should and should not get elected.
WSU has become infinitely more accessible in the past five years. Through increased activity at the Davis campus and the UTA cards, students have been able to reach WSU more easily than ever before. Talks of creating shuttles to different campuses are under way. Simply put, transportation is a major issue for commuter school WSU, and should not be glossed over.
Growing campuses across the state is also a major step for WSU. Nurturing a growing Davis campus and fertilizing the sapling West and Roy Centers are in President Charles Wight’s agenda, and certainly WSUSA’s as well. Knowing how these changes affect students makes not only an informed candidate, but a candidate and voter poised to help the student population.
This month will be filled with elections, from presidential to vice presidential and legislative. Hordes of staff will flood the Shepherd Union, convincing students to vote for their candidate. There will be cake, buttons, free shirts and nearly every other perk thinkable offered to passersby.
The Signpost maintains political neutrality. We would like to break that just this once. There is one option in these elections that is clearly the frontrunner. It’s the best thing for WSU, offering connection between students and leaders. We would like to publicly endorse the option to vote. Please do so. It’s the best way to ensure an accurate election. It’s a voter’s job to be informed, contemplative, analytical and deliberative, but above all, it’s their duty to vote.
