So you may have heard something about SGA Elections, Campus Voice, or Catalyst around campus recently. If you're like the majority of Ball State students, you're probably either confused or indifferent.
I'm going to explain just how this whole thing works and why it matters.
First, every student has a vote. It's just like a real election, except you can vote from the comfort of your room. The only requirements are that you're a current student and you have access to the voting website.
Second, the slate you'll vote for is made up of your colleagues. The officers that we elect are undergraduate students, just like us. By the way, they get paid for being elected and working on our behalf. Yep, the President receives full tuition and each of the other members gets more than half tuition. This isn't just a fancy title for politico elites.
Third, let's talk about what these students do for us. The inherent nature of attending a large, state university is that the average student doesn't have direct access to the administration. For some of us, that's no big deal. For others, it's a slap in the face that we can't petition those that run our school.
SGA exists to be our connection to the administration. They take the mass, chaotic rumbling of the student body's voice and present it to the administration in an organized, pertinent manner.
Remember the new recreation center that just opened? Students begged for better facilities, and because they had a strong SGA Executive Slate at the helm, their voices were heard.
How about the recent Fruesday discussion? The administration is listening to our concerns because the current Executive Slate made it a priority.
By the way, did you know each Executive Slate manages around $120,000 per year? If you're in an organization that might need some co-sponsorship funds or if you would like to see certain initiatives funded, you better make sure you have the right students in charge.
So please, exercise your right to vote. It might not be a top priority today, but someday you'll be glad you did.
Vote at bsu.edu/webapps/votebsu.
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