Dear Students,
In response to the SGA referendum on the VP of Equity and Diversity, I would like to say that I personally feel that diversity is a righteous goal, and it is something that SGA should strive for regardless of whether or not we create a position for it. However, the SGA should also be a true representative of the student opinion at this college, and that is why I must say that I am disappointed by the manner in which the SGA went about creating this position.
Instead of trying to find out what students really thought, the SGA pushed the date of the referendum up to increase its chances of passing. Whether or not one supported the position of VP of Equity and Diversity is not the point. The point is that SGA's leadership sacrificed accurately representing its constituency because it wanted this position to pass at any cost. Such behavior is anti-democratic and unethical.
But this is only one part of a greater problem in the SGA. The SGA needs reform, and it needs it now. Year after year, I have heard SGA candidates embellish the same hollow ideals to the student body: "campus unity", "reaching out", "better communication", "being the voice of the students", and the like. Unfortunately, these ambiguous promises are just that, and they rarely amount to anything once people take office.
There are so many problems on campus that the SGA can address in a real and tangible way. Instead of wasting time creating superfluous liaison positions and fighting like infants amongst itself, the SGA should be finally putting an end to this Carte Blanche issue. SGA should be reforming itself, so that it gets fresh new members and so that elections are competitive, fair, and truly democratic.
We should be asking ourselves, "Is it fair that engineering majors have to pay hundreds of dollars for senior projects that are a requirement for graduation? Is it right that students are being mistakenly ticketed, and no one is telling them they can get their tickets voided? How can we help make the college bureaucracy more efficient and responsive, so that when student organizations are planning events, they don't have to go on a wild goose chase to find the right department?"
That is why I am running for President of the SGA. For the first time, you have a real choice between reform or more of the status quo. I want to create an SGA culture that is open, tolerant, and proactive. I do not have the funds or popularity of my opponents, so I am relying on you, the silent majority, to help me make a difference.
Thank you for listening to me, and please vote for me for SGA President so that SGA can become an object respect instead of ridicule. Thanks so much!
Ravi Kaneriya
Current SGA Senator-At-Large
