As last semester gave rise to the hullabaloo of United States presidential elections, this past week was marked by the election of officers for the 2001-2002 Student Government Association. And if we learned nothing from last semester, this SGA election - which proved very close in many instances - is the perfect demonstration that every vote counts.
Problem is only about 45% of those living on campus voted.
To clarify, approximately 85% of students attending Washington College live on campus, according to the college Web site. The college has a population of about 1,175. This means that almost 1,000 students live on campus. Out of that thousand, only about 445 voted.
What does this really say about students and their concerns for issues on campus?
We must realize that the SGA is one of the many tools we have to make our voices heard at WC.
It is obvious that many students are upset about the current issue of Dr. Mark Hubley's firing. But by neglecting to vote for the executive student officers who could represent us on these kinds of issues, we are not showing the administration, or the college in general, that we really care about the issues before us. And, by doing this, we give them less reason to take heed of our concerns.
It is true that many students have attended open forums this past week concerning the Hubley issue in order to make their voices heard. It is also true that many have written letters to the Elm expressing their thoughts on the matter. Both of these actions are commendable.
But that still does not make it right for students to pass up a perfect opportunity that is right at their fingertips, an opportunity to elect the perfect person to speak for them.
Maybe elections are not as exciting as attending forums in which students can rant about their current problems with this campus. And maybe these elections also do not present the same satisfaction as having a published opinion. But in the long run, these elections determine how future issues will be handled, because each candidate will handle things differently.
And if it is true that WC students care about the issues and controversies that arise on campus, not just now but in the months to come, then we must act in a manner that shows this. We must make sure that the right people get into office by making sure that everyone takes the time to vote.
A genuine concern for issues on campus can only stem from a genuine concern for the college's welfare as a whole. It should not just be Dr. Hubley's situation that we are angry about. It should be the possibility of all of the perfectly wonderful professors we so admire losing their jobs as well.
SGA elections are a time for us to consider the issues that may come up along the way and take the opportunity to find the right person to represent us and our concerns.
If we cannot think beyond the current moment, then we cannot truly say that we care about the future and welfare of Washington College and its students and professors.
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