Elections for executive and senatorial positions within ASUI started Monday. ASUI represents the interests of all Vandals, both here at the University of Idaho and the state capitol. Students often complain about policies and procedures at UI, but when presented with the opportunity to be an active participant in the politics of our student body, 90 percent of us don’t take that chance.
Only 10 percent of UI students voted in the last election, senatorial candidate Andrew Baldridge said during the ASUI candidates forum March 28. The forums are a means for students to communicate with candidates about their platforms and share concerns they have about issues such as the potential smoking ban on campus, but only about five students attended the candidate forums this year.
What message does it send to our student body leaders and state legislators that 90 percent of the students at our university are apathetic to the direction UI is headed? If we want our interests represented, we have to actively make those interests known.
Democracies can’t function without participation from its citizens. Those representing us within ASUI can’t properly do their jobs as student leaders without the rest of us voicing our opinions.
ASUI oversees a variety of issues from student fee increases to campus entertainment. The ASUI president, vice president and senators make decisions that impact the entire student body, and if the student body expresses a preference for a specific policy or idea, they will listen.
As of 5 p.m. Monday, only 844 students had voted. Those 844 are the ones deciding who will represent you and your interests.
It takes less than two minutes to log onto vote.uidaho.edu and make a decision. Polls close at 5 p.m. Wednesday, which leaves plenty of time for each of us to be an active participant in our campus community.
— KM