Opinion: Consider the money this election season.

With the coming Utah State University student body elections, students will be allowed to decide the student leadership of the coming school year.  

This can be an excellent opportunity for the student body at USU to learn more about the leadership of the university, but oftentimes the stress of the spring semester can shift the focus of students away from engagement in the elections. Important components of the student body leadership are oftentimes not addressed to the extent they should be, such as compensation for elected officers. 

All elected positions have some sort of financial incentive attached to them, usually in the form of a scholarship paid out each semester. Some positions even have monthly stipends in addition to scholarship payments.  

So why discuss these benefits during elections? 

Students might be living under the impression that elected positions are entirely volunteer work. By that reasoning, a stressed-out student might think there isn’t a cost to ignoring elections. This is not the case. Representatives are provided compensation for their time and effort to represent the students. They are a resource every student should have access to, and they should take their responsibility seriously. 

Every elected position has a varied list of expectations they are obligated to fulfill. These duties include attending required meetings, advocating for the student body, organizing councils and overseeing the training of their respective committees. These positions are a serious commitment for these candidates and can have a fairly large impact. 

Elections shouldn’t just be symbolic. Student leadership roles are important in a university setting to bridge the gap between the university and the student body. If candidates are not willing to make progress in improving the culture of USU, they should not be receiving the financial benefits associated with their chosen office. 

Student body representatives are not just volunteers. They are meant to be an advocate for the student body that they represent. Take some time to review the candidates for this election or look into running as a candidate. Make sure that the best representatives are being elected, because they have the responsibility to advocate for USU students and are paid to fulfill that responsibility. 

University resources should go towards a candidate that will take their position seriously and be a true advocate for the students at Utah State University. It would be a tragedy if representatives were to take the financial benefit of holding office while ignoring the needs of the student body. Be engaged in the election process because student representation matters for the betterment of student life. 

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Bryant Saunders is a computer science major and member of Utah States Speech and Debate. He has an enthusiasm for discussing philosophy and politics.
— A02307089@usu.edu