EDITORIAL: Quality, not quantity
The Student Government Association passed an amendment Monday allowing student senators to represent any academic college regardless of whether they are members of these colleges.
Previously, students had to be enrolled in an academic college in order to represent it as a senator.
The reason for that rule is simple: students cannot properly represent the needs of a college if they do not belong to it.
Rather than sacrifice honest representation of the academic colleges, SGA should seek alternative solutions to filling specific senator positions.
Having full representation of the academic colleges in SGA is important. Having qualified representation is imperative.
A senator who has been enrolled in an academic college for a year or two is familiar with the professors and other students. That senator is involved with the college on a daily basis and understands its needs firsthand.
Under this reinstated system, a senator could represent a college he or she have never set foot in.
That's the wrong solution.
SGA has reinstituted this policy to ensure a "fully-functioning senate" according to Vice President Mairah Urueta. While general membership is not a problem, there is a tendency for too many students to try to represent one college while too few run to represent others.
The colleges that end up overrepresented and underrepresented vary each election. During the last election, the College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences had nine senators running to represent it. The College of Communication and Fine Arts had only three senators, though it had four seats to be filled, according to SGA President Charles Mahone.
Instead of the policy change, members of SGA could increase their recruiting efforts in specific colleges that appear to have low representation.
If too few students run for senator seats for a college, SGA should reach out personally to that college and recruit more senator candidates.
It is also up to the student body to educate itself about the work that SGA does and to get involved. We need to meet SGA halfway. If you aren't sure what a senator does, go to the group's election forum at 8 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 16 in Anspach Hall 162.
SGA has already been successful in promoting its organization with a website, OrgSync profile, Facebook page and Twitter account. Increased promotion of senator positions, and the experience provided, could help with the senator distribution problem.
To learn more or to get involved with SGA, visit the group's website at cmusga.wordpress.com. Election applications for positions within SGA are due on Feb. 27.
Your voice counts. Consider using it to represent the students in your college, or risk losing it altogether.
