Student Government Association executive slates Alliance and Velocity have some common goals — both want to utizlize social media and continue some of Catalyst's platform points — but one slate seems to have a stronger plan to better student life.
While Velocity's platform points seem vague on paper, the SGA slate has specific plans to back up what they want to do for Ball State.
Voting for this year's SGA election takes place today and Tuesday, so the Daily News editorial board invited candidates from Alliance and Velocity to share their platform points and answer questions.
Some of Velocity's goals include getting students to participate in the 2012 election, to help transfer students by reorganizing the Ball State website and to make sure students understand the SGA budget.
They offered in-depth explanations about how they chose their platform points and what research they did so they know their plans can be executed if they're elected.
Velocity treasurer candidate Sean Ratkus plans to divide co-sponsorship funds evenly between the two semesters so organizations seeking money will have it available to them — something that wasn't done with the last slate.
Alliance treasurer candidate J.P. Bechtel said his slate's platform points won't require them to spend much money and he'd be fine with having any amount left over at the end his term, but if SGA has money to better the Ball State community, why not utilize it? We're happy Alliance doesn't want to waste it on frivolous things, but that money is there for the students and the slate should come up a way it can benefit students.
Alliance had good ideas to reach out to students and organizations with plans to beautify the Multicultural Center and to reorganize activity fairs, and while we applaud them, some of their other ideas fall flat.
Their ideas for a Village beautification day and a dance workshop for Muncie's youth are certainly beneficial, but we fail to see any lasting effect they would have that will improve campus life.
Each candidate holds at least one leadership position in a student organization, so they probably could rise to the occasion, but it's troubling to us that presidential candidate Chris Wilkey doesn't have any SGA senate experience. He was briefly a part of judicial court, but he hasn't been around to learn the ins and outs of student government.
Wilkey said SGA could use an outsider's perspective and that he wasn't running "just to check another thing off my SGA checklist," implying the Velocity candidates just saw running for executive branch as the next step up. He said he more than makes up for it with his running mates, but each of Velocity's candidates are strong as individuals and have experience.
Presidential candidate Chad Griewank has been involved since his freshman year and having that experience will make it easier for them to connect with senators and run an effective and efficient student government.
Being too familiar with SGA may seem like a downside to Wilkey, but we don't see moving up in student government as a flaw — we see it as being committed and paying their dues.
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