EDITORIAL: Richeson, McGoff best leaders for SGA next year
It’s important to recognize new ideas and progress as voting begins for Student Government Association positions.
Killian Richeson and Shane McGoff are the presidential ticket best equipped to keep SGA stable while increasing its relevance and role on campus.
General elections will be held today through Friday (you can vote here), and it’s important for the next leaders to be a team which acknowledges Central Michigan University is not perfect.
The duo seems prepared to implement their ideas, including making SGA more sustainable and allowing it to play a bigger part in the lives of students both on-campus and off.
Furthermore, more than any other candidates, they acknowledged these are troubled times at CMU. Just because the Board of Trustees has largely ignored the university’s lack of transparency and other problematic issues does not mean other bodies should.
A good example of a more proactive organization is the Academic Senate, where senators asked tough, pointed questions of the administration throughout the year and have seen results. Richeson, a former student senator of the A-Senate, could use its efforts this year as a model of effective oversight.
SGA can be as important as it wants to make itself, and it seems that Richeson and McGoff have the tenacity and ideas to see through any changes and face future problems head on.
Regardless of what happens in the presidential race, one thing is clear — the SGA president and vice president cannot be a public relations organ for the university, despite how closely they might work with administrators.
That does not mean the pair needs to be constantly critical, but asking the tough questions when issues make themselves apparent is not an unreasonable expectation.
Students need leaders willing to question why trustees would choose to spend $1.5 million on a Real Food on Campus Mongolian grill station or $10 million on a “privately funded” CMU Events Center — all while it’s very likely the same trustees will raise tuition rates in July citing increased costs.
SGA has an opportunity to become relevant right now just by serving as a loud, clear voice of student frustration with the current state of CMU.
If elected, Richeson, or any other candidate, should not be afraid to sacrifice SGA’s current cozy relationship with administration to do their best for their constituents.
This student body deserves leaders willing to stand up for all students past, present and future.
