EDITORIAL: Cavataio, English the best choice for SGA leaders
Because students are particularly apathetic to changes on campus, it is important to elect leaders who will bring the Student Government Association to the forefront, and those leaders are Shelby Township senior Vincent Cavataio and Jackson junior Bryant English.
The Cavataio/English ticket has what it takes to help make the SGA relevant to the student body again.
Like the opposing candidates, Grand Blanc junior Robert Brooks and Brighton sophomore Colleen McNeely, who are running for president and vice president respectively, Cavataio and English want to create a unicameral legislature for the SGA that would be comprised of students who actually want to be involved.
The change would mean a representative from every registered student organization on campus would not be required to attend the SGA meetings to receive funding from the Student Budget Allocation Committee. But unlike Brooks and McNeely, the Cavataio ticket wants to make the change from a bicameral legislature gradually instead of enacting immediate change.
Cavataio told members of the Editorial Board he would wait until the fall semester to tackle the issue of the legislature by forming a committee that would find the best way to implement the change for spring in 2012. This would ensure that not only the transition is as seamless as possible, but also that the most dedicated students are involved.
Cavataio and English seem to be more concerned with understanding what the student body wants as a whole.
Two of the primary legs of the Brooks/McNeely campaign are a bicycle-sharing program and increasing the amount of work-study jobs. While both of those are solid ideas, the bike-share concept has been shelved for more than a year because of the difficulty of implementing such a program.
As for increasing work-study programs at CMU, few would argue that it is a bad idea, but it is not an issue SGA has any control over. McNeely herself pointed out that the final decision rests with university administrators during the March 31 Live Chat streamed on www.cm-life.com.
Cavataio and English also said they would like to increase academic input from students regarding courses offered in certain programs and increase diversity awareness on campus by adding employee training for gender identity.
SGA has had several large accomplishments over the past year, primarily the formation of a pro bono legal clinic and the passing of legislation in support of gender-neutral housing, which Cavataio co-authored with McNeely.
It is clear if any candidate has the experience to lead the SGA the way it needs to be led and do what it takes to make it a stronger force for change, it is him.
