Unfilled seats

The Current | March 15, 1999

Unfilled seats are SGA's real problem

The real problem of the Student Government Association is not Jim Avery. It is the lack of representatives that represent the whole student body.

The SGA is not just made up of the three executive officers. It is also made up of the representatives from student organizations as well as supposedly, representatives from the various schools and colleges, of which there is only one: me. As Graduate School representative, I am the only student that represents students, not just students in a particular organization. The other seats representing the other schools and colleges were not filled in last April's election.

The organizations make sure that their representatives are at the meetings in order that they do not lose their funds from the Student Activities Budget Committee. But do these representatives really care about the student body as a whole? Would they be there if their funds were not being held hostage, pending their attendance at SGA meetings? Even with the mandatory attendance requirement (which treats organizations like they are in high school, not college) SGA Comptroller Ben Ash is planning to expel 28 student organizations for not attending SGA meetings.

These organizational representatives represent only a small number of the UM-St. Louis student body. Most of the students are not in campus organizations and have no representation in SGA.

The reputation of the SGA has fallen in recent years. Something has to be done. One possibility is to have students run to become representatives from the various schools and colleges in the upcoming SGA election in April. If the seats for the various schools and colleges were filled, we'd have approximately 25 more seats on the SGA working for the students. Having dedicated representatives who represent students, not just the minority of students who are in student organizations will create an environment for the SGA to work for a better UM-St. Louis for all students.

However, if UM-St. Louis students are truly apathetic, then I propose a second solution. Maybe, SGA should be abolished. Then student organizations could get their funds without attending SGA meetings. There would be more funds available for these organizations since there would be no SGA budget. Then these organizations could go about their activities without worrying about the rest of the students who help pay for these clubs with their student activities dollars.

-Steven M. Wolfe
Graduate School Representative