Please know we take your position — and the mission of SGA — seriously. You are the mouthpiece through which student concern is communicated to CMU administration and other campus leaders.

You have been given one of the most important student jobs on campus.

We understand prioritizing each issue or concern can be a difficult task. We have faith that you will stand up for our views on the topics that affect the most amount of students.

You are succeeding Chuck Mahone, who was a good SGA President.

For example, an increase in the campus programing fund, an extension to library hours and formal address to the student body are proof that student representation has a purpose on this campus.

There are some things we’d like to see more of from SGA.

To start, more people should be participating in the process of student government. One way this can be sparked is by the facilitation of more regularly scheduled and specifically issue-based forums.

CMU is a politically-active campus. SGA and its leaders should invite that energy into its conversations and stand along side these issue-oriented groups.

It is unrealistic to think a significant amount of “average” students will attend SGA meetings if they do not need to.

On social media platforms each week, we see that CMU students disprove the notion that millennials are apathetic when it comes to their college experience.

SGA should work to improve this experience — and do so through passing tangible and realistic legislation.

One of the most fragile relationships the student body has is with the City of Mount Pleasant. Recently, tension between city commissioners and students living off campus has been high.

You know this firsthand — serving as the city-student liaison for the past year. Earlier this semester, we asked newly elected Mayor Kathy Ling to be more engaged with students and listen closely to our concerns.

She agreed to do so in a written response.

We appreciate the work you’ve done advocating for students in student-city liaison role. It is extremely important that you find an effective replacement who can continue to build relationships with city officials.

On campus, representation to CMU’s administration is your chief responsibly. We are counting on you to perform in that arena.

While maintaining professional rapport with university officials is an important part of your job, maintaining your independence from the school’s agenda — one that we feel often discounts student opinion — is an essential one.

You are responsible for protecting university-sponsored student services and acting as a catalyst for substantial and relevant legislation that can breed actual change.

Do not wait for students to come to you with a concern or problem. Seek our opinions and then, more importantly, act and speak with them in mind.

We invite you to write guest columns in our newspaper on a monthly basis. We would love to be a part of SGA’s student engagement process.

Some people claim the concept of SGA is an antiquated one. We disagree.

Now it is your turn, Mr. Elliott, to keep our student body’s voice coherent and innovative.

One that remains loud and clear for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Central Michigan Life