Full disclosure: While I am a member of this year's Elections Board - the body directly responsible for conducting the elections - I write only on my behalf.
Admittedly, Monday's meeting was the first Nomination Convention I've been able to attend. The past three years I've been locked in the Daily News offices preparing to cover the convention. While we pondered the possibility of a no-show convention, we knew it wouldn't happen.
Turn the calendar to Monday night. The one year I'm actually involved in the elections process and not a single candidate is to be found.
When no one wants to lead the student body, it's indicative of much more than apathy. The lack of a leader says we're a campus of followers.
This can't be the case. I've sat in too many meetings with various student leaders from departments across the campus - there are students with drive, motivation and care.
Yet none of them appears to be interested in running the student body - yet, anyway.
With all the complaining and moaning we hear in discussions every day, one would expect at least one person, one dedicated soul in almost 20,000 to have the initiative to say, "I can change this."
But no one has this year.
In any political experience, we tout change and experience as one in the same. We want "change," but we value a person's background and know-how. We want a different viewpoint, but we feel comfortable knowing someone's track record says "I get stuff done."
Any logical person knows the more rooted in routine you get, the harder it is to break. SGA's executive slates turn over annually, and most students aren't even here for a good three months of a slate's term. Routine exists, but it's so easily broken it's barely worth calling routine. I've watched it happen for the last four years.
Inexperience can mean change - for better or worse. This isn't the United States Federal Government; this is Ball State. We're a medium-sized Midwestern campus with an easy-going (aka "apathetic") student body. The SGA president is not covered by secret service personnel, carrying around nuclear launch codes or sitting in a situation room.
In case you're wondering, President Jo Ann Gora isn't, either ... but she does have a pretty sweet ride and crib.
The moral here: Don't be afraid of screwing up. No one can fault you for trying as long as your heart and mind are behind what you do.
No, we don't want a "half-baked" slate taking the election by storm. But now is the time to act for our qualified friends and peers sitting on the edge, waiting for that catalyst to make them say, "I'll do it."
Beyond students, this no-show election should also raise a red flag to Ball State administrators and members of the other university governing bodies. We, as a student body, clearly doubt the ability and purpose of SGA. This should not be a reflection of the current SGA administration, nor any preceding slate. Were we doubting an individual's ability to achieve a common goal, we'd have multiple slates running in the first round of the election. We didn't, though.
This signifies distrust not in the leader(s) of SGA, but in the effectiveness of the system which mandates SGA's presence. Too many students perceive the work of SGA to be nil or trivial, and that's because SGA's progress is too often stunted by administrative and legislative red tape. Administrators, faculty and university senators be forewarned: This apathetic train wreck will be yours to clean up in the long run.
Governmental procedure willing, when a slate or slates announce candidacy, I encourage this student population to make the slates work for the title. No one should be able to just walk into an office that represents student opinion, even if it is the second call for candidates.
But first we need at least one slate willing to change the apathy.
Write to Dave at heydave@bewilderedsociety.com
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