Most representatives wouldn't be proud of achieving less than 50 percent of their platform goals - but Team Us deserves to be.
Of the slate's 20 platform issues, seven were either impossible to achieve or the officers abandoned them before the end of their term in office. And five of the issues are currently stuck at various stages in the bureaucratic process. However, the six platform goals the executive officers did complete during the term made a difference for Ball State University.
From improving the university's online search engine to bringing an outdoor basketball court to campus, the slate made differences in students' lives. Also, improving the Student Government Association Web site and updating the association's bylaws helped bring more order and communication to SGA.
Perhaps more importantly, the slate helped improve communication between the Muncie community and the student population by cooperating with the University Area Landlord Association and the Mayor's Commission for Ball State Student Relations.
In addition, a black barber moved in to the Village and an ATM was installed in the Art and Journalism Building during Team Us' term - so those two platform promises were fulfilled, even if Team Us wasn't the primary player in bringing those resources to Ball State. In all, it's an impressive set of accomplishments.
Add to that the laptop loaner program, increased e-mail account space, lifetime e-mail accounts for alumni, trash cans installed east of campus and a trial period for 24-hour library access, and Team Us accomplished a lot for Ball State as a whole.
Even more impressive about these non-platform achievements is the mindset Team Us showed while in office: When a concern came up, the slate was willing to devote the time and effort to fixing the problem or improving the situation. The slate was not hung up on fulfilling impossible platform goals - such as the Yellow Bike Program or premium channels in residence halls. Instead, the officers let go of unnecessary goals once they proved to be unachievable and focused on what students and SGA senators were concerned about.
With the attitude of "fix what's broken and improve anything that can be improved," Team Us made life a little easier for the Ball State community this year - and that's the legacy the slate members are leaving behind.
Although they came into office uncontested and wearing jeans with their suit jackets, they proved it doesn't take stiff competition to encourage an executive slate to work hard and make a difference for Ball State.
This sleeper slate is leaving a high standard for future SGA executives, but it's also leaving a solid foundation of projects that are in progress - so SGA can be just as productive next year.
After a single year that ended in a long list of triumphs, the members of Team Us proved that the "us" was never just about them - their accomplishments were for all of "us" in the Ball State community.
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