Apathy or lack of awareness?

Jemma Wolfe / Managing Editor 

In the midst of the MSU presidential election flurry, it’s easy to forget that other elections are happening on campus.

You can’t miss the campaign posters, ignore the candidates addressing crowded lecture halls or overlook the email telling you to vote.

What you probably didn’t see was the small, quarter-page advertisement in last week’s Silhouette announcing student vacancies on the Senate and the Board of Governors.

I was in my second year when, almost on a whim, I collected ten signatures and nominated myself to run for the Humanities Undergraduate Representative seat on the University Senate.

I was quietly thrilled when no one else applied, and I won my seat by acclamation.

Now, two years later, this fact no longer elates me. It disappoints me.

Throughout my entire two-year term, there was not one small period of time when all the student seats were full. Vacancies were constant in both undergraduate and graduate student positions.

Is it student apathy? Ignorance? Lack of advertising on the University Secretariat’s part? Whatever the reason, it’s sad to see such important avenues for student representation in greater University governance remaining unoccupied or won by acclamation.

There are currently eight calls for nominations on the table. Undergraduate Student Representatives on the Senate are needed from Commerce, Health Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences. Graduate Student Representatives are needed from Engineering, Science and Social Sciences.

One Undergraduate Student Representative (from any faculty) is needed for the Board of Governors.

Too much fuss is given to the SRA and the MSU when it comes to student politics.

The Senate and the Board of Governors have the ultimate decision-making power when it comes to academics and University finances. All proposals from the SRA that address these arenas must be approved by these larger and more powerful governing bodies.

They set your tuition. They mandate your curriculum.

They hire – and fire – your professors. They confer your degree.

And they deserve greater awareness and involvement from students.