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Elections, ballot proposals affect students

Often it seems to the average campus dweller that student leaders are a clique of people who sit in their committees and talk about forming new committees. But these leaders also represent students to the administration. A regent, dean or the next president of the University may not have contact with many students other than these student leaders. When someone has to lobby the administration about an increase in tuition rates or changes to the curriculum, students must elect a representative to speak in their place. When that person goes to speak on behalf of student needs, the administration will have trouble taking seriously a student backed by a 10-percent vote of the student body.

Empowerment is a buzz word thrown around casually these days, but voting is one of the few chances students have to get their voice heard. It's time to take advantage of it.

Ballot proposals

In addition to deciding who will represent the students of the University, this week's election places four ballot proposals up for student approval. The first asks for an additional dollar to be added to student fees for the expressed purpose of making child care services available to students. Most of the money would be distributed by the Office of Financial Aid in the form of child care tuition vouchers, and be available to students with children. While the number of students with young children has not been clearly determined, there are more than 2,000 children living on North Campus; this institution has been too lax for too long in making sure that higher education at the University is a viable option for as many parents with young children as possible.

The other three proposals involve MSA task forces and commissions. The first two proposals would give the North Campus and the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Task Forces commission status. Making the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Task Force into an official commission gives overdue support from the student assembly to one of the most consistently underrepresented groups on campus. It is time that students spoke out with their votes and did something about it. The North Campus Task Force has proved over the past year that its work is not only important to a lot of students who use the forgotten part of campus, but that they can accomplish their goals. They deserve recognition.

On the other hand, the Peace and Justice commission, while well-intentioned in the 1960s as a lobbing group against war, has not fulfilled any service for students in quite some time. The ballot proposal, which is just a formality, would eliminate the useless commision. It's just a formality; students need to approve the referendum to fully step into the proper decade.