It has been typical to use this column space to discuss the shortcomings of the Student Government Association at Murray State, but this is a two-sided affair that we as students are severely neglecting to consider.
While it is so easy for most of us to blame the SGA for our voices not being heard, it didn’t occur to a single one of us that we have the opportunity to change what we see unfit.
Some will groan about SGA?president Jeremiah Johnson and how he isn’t doing his job in the interest of the student body, but when I asked some fellow classmates about why they voted for him, they said he was a strong campaigner.
His signs were all over campus and people recognized his name on the ballot. Because they were familiar with him, they chose him.
This scared me – not because of my personal beliefs, but because someone would vote for such an arbitrary reason. To be fair, at least they voted. Of the entire student population, a very meager percentage actually take the time to log into MyGate and click on a name; something that takes roughly three-five minutes of the day.
The majority of students at Murray State don’t take advantage of their right to participate in campus affairs, and they certainly don’t take the opportunity to influence the outcome by voting, attending SGA meetings and being more aware of their surroundings.
This severe sense of apathy from students is exactly why we are and will be unhappy with decisions made for next year’s budget. As a unit, we have no stance because we simply don’t care.
It’s easy to feel like such a small voice in a sea of politics and money, but this really does not have to be the case. We are the structural support of this school. We pay thousands of dollars each semester to attend classes here, which gives us influence that we never believe we have.
It is a powerful position to be in, yet few of us are taking advantage of it.
Millions of Americans believe it is their civic duty to vote in presidential and local elections, driving them to make a decision whether they care or not. It should be our civic duty as students to wake up and see the results of our apathy. How can our student government and Board of Regents make decisions based on what students care about if we don’t say anything to begin with?
That one guy who has such strong opinions on Barack Obama is obnoxious. He’s all over your Facebook feed, saying how this country is going down the gutter. Did he vote? Chances are slim. The same situation runs parallel to political happenings on campus. If you want to have a strong opinion against decisions, be sure you tried to influence them first. I’m not urging you to barge in a meeting with torches and demand change. No, it’s simpler than that.
Just by voting and taking opportunities to voice your opinion, you are giving a better foundation for decisions to be made. This is our school. We should influence officials to make it a place we would want to learn. It’s time to stop playing the blame game.
Column by Carly Besser, Opinion Editor
