College students are often known as the laziest and most pacified groups in the country. Why? It's because college students have one of the lowest percentages of voters. Either students don't care about what happens to them, or they don't think that their votes matter.
Wake up.
Today is the last day to register to vote for the upcoming fall general primary. Registering to vote will give you every option to choose how you are going to be affected at Ball State University.
Mayor Dan Canan, who is serving his third and final term as mayor of Muncie, is responsible for many of the ties that are built between the community and Ball State. The students and university are just as responsible.
Students, you are going to be here for several years. You are going to see changes that happen due to a mayoral shift. Stop pretending your vote means nothing when you have every opportunity to change the way the campus and community are run. Fortunately, Muncie is a large enough town that its political system works well and is respected. It is also small enough that it is not corrupted and it is easily accessible. Any person - big, small, citizen of Indiana or college student from Ohio -¡- is able to approach the mayor of Muncie with his or her concerns. No person or voice is too small in Muncie, but they are too few.
Pacifism is a deadly disease that kills cities if the citizens don't keep an eye out for it. Once the citizens stop getting involved, there is really no point to a city. If the students and citizens don't educate themselves about the mayoral candidates then they have wronged this city and university. Here's a quick look at the two top candidates for mayor and a few of the things they stand for:
Jim Mansfield - Democrat: Information pulled from his Web site states that Mansfield, a lifelong Muncie resident, is the executive director of the Muncie Visitors Bureau. His platform stands with three main objectives. He plans to improve the infrastructure of Muncie by keeping streets in good condition and fixing drainage issues in several neighborhoods. He plans to create and keep good jobs in the community by making sure that Ball State, Ball Memorial Hospital and Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana continue to thrive. He also plans to use the police, fire and ambulatory resources more efficiently and safely so the city becomes safer.
Sharon McShurley -¡- Republican: This Ball State and Indiana University graduate has lived in Muncie for the last 20 years. She has experience working at Ball State University. Her platform also pushes three objectives. She plans to promote economic development through "stemming the tide of young professionals leaving Muncie in search of better jobs." She also plans to reduce property taxes and keep a strong, equally balanced budget that does not overspend citizens' dollars. She also plans to improve the quality of life by aiding in the advancement of the cultural resources in Muncie. This includes enhancement of parks, streets and cultural buildings, such as the Minnetrista Cultural Center and Muncie Civic Theatre.
Now you have at least a little information to get you started. Get up now and go register so you can have a little control over what is going on in your life. Without passion this community could be going nowhere. Wake up and help already.
Write to Ray at rchart@bsu.edu
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