It's never a bad idea to re-evaluate progress in the making in order to ensure that people produce the best quality work they are capable of. We do it all the time at college, re-reading papers when we're only halfway through, changing game strategies during half-time, and revisiting goals with our professors or during breaks from school. So, while it's still early in our second semester I thought I would give re-evaluation a chance by looking at some of the good and perhaps improvable aspects of the SGA executive board to date.
Last spring several current and newly elected members of the executive board ran together as a ticket headed by Sam Adatto, the current SGA President. Collectively, the Adatto ticket made a laundry list of promises to the student body - all of which can be found on their Facebook group "Adatto '08: Making Our Voices Louder". The list contained 7 promises: 1) 100% voter turn-out for the 2008 presidential election; 2) Late-night hot dog stand; 3) Inclusive government; 4) J-Board reform; 5) Tailgate parties with beer; 6) A functioning Goucher television station; 7) Smart environmental programs.
Just looking at the Adatto campaign list, several items have obviously not been addressed. In November, students enrolled in the Campaigns and Elections class were the only group to be seen on campus registering their peers to vote. While I applaud the class' efforts, I sincerely doubt that any work to register students resulted in 100% turn out as promised by this executive board. I also must point out that the voter registration drive was not an initiative made by the SGA, but an academic one. Three more items are easily identifiable as abandoned causes: the tailgate parties with beer, the late night hot dog stand, and a functioning Goucher television station. Turning to channel 11 last semester most often resulted in small internet videos. On the subject of the tailgate parties, of course they happened and to that effect I am happy with those who had a hand in making tailgating possible. However, no beer? Not that I personally care, but I do believe that some people on this board beat their opponents specifically because of their promise to provide alcohol to twenty-one year old students. It is a shame that the board failed on delivering an item that was a staple of their candidacy.
Of the items that are left one very big promise stands out - Judicial board reform. Where did that initiative go? The only issue I heard involving J-board and SGA last semester was that President Adatto dragged his feet on selecting new members due to a heavy personal schedule. While I can sympathize, I think it's unacceptable to bail on a central campaign promise, let alone delay a constitutional obligation. When a person runs for office he is asking people to choose them to do a job, and that includes working on some of the things they might not particularly like.
Don't get me wrong, Sam is a personal friend and we go back to our time together on the SGA executive board in 2006-2007. I think he's doing his job of tackling different interests and trying to get them to work together, but some pushing from the editorial section is healthy for any elected official.
As for the few members who weren't a part of the Adatto ticket, they seem to have all resigned. Perhaps this is a sign of strained relations, interests, and/or agenda setting on the board. All three recent resignations were done for personal reasons, which is sometimes code talk for major disagreement or disgraceful action. I don't doubt that personal issues were involved in each of the resignations, but it is concerning that all three non-Adatto ticket members would let the board be formed entirely from one platform. As the semester carries forward, it's necessary that these vacancies be filled by alternative and perhaps even dissenting voices in an effort to assure that everyone's voice is truly "made louder."
Be the first to comment on this article!