USAC’s actions, not outreach will fix apathy

There is a story of a French politician who once said,
“There go my people, I must find out where they are going so
I can lead them.” Unfortunately, this idea of leadership
seems to be reflected in the attitude of some candidates seeking
student government offices in next week’s election.

A general trend has emerged over the past couple of years,
whereby Undergraduate Students Association Council members, both
prospective and incumbent, have highly prioritized increasing and
diversifying the methods by which the student government
communicates with and makes itself more visible to the student
body.

A wide variety of ideas pursuant to these goals have been tried
or mentioned as future possibilities. They include improving
USAC’s Web site, surveying the student body, forming focus
groups, holding office hours on Bruin Walk, holding information
fairs, e-mailing meeting minutes to people who want them, and
asking campus radio to cover student government.

While these ideas are not bad, they are narrow in scope, and
will do little to mobilize a campus intent on not caring about its
student government. Furthermore, some can be extremely time
consuming.

Candidates for office this year need to ask themselves why
it’s so important that students know their name ““ and
whether achieving USAC visibility should come from consciously
attempting to impose the council on the campus through token
outreach programs and small adjustments, or by students noticing a
higher degree of beneficial programming, advocacy and organization
and making the link themselves.

The campus should be familiar with some USAC offices, such as
the general representatives or commissions who offer students and
groups funding. But public relations should be secondary to more
important items on their agenda ““ especially since the very
little time and few resources USAC offices allow limit the amount
of work councilmembers can do before their term expires.

Office in local government is not for people who want popularity
or attention. A lot of work done by the city such as fixing roads
and providing utilities is noticed, but most people would be
hard-pressed to name the local city councilmembers or city-wide
officers responsible for making it happen. USAC is similar ““
it’s largely a thankless job, but someone has to do it. And
doing an excellent job anonymously is more noble than doing a
mediocre job very publically. Actions should make the council
known, not just outreach.

The time to fix student apathy is during elections, by
introducing ideas that make students excited about what student
government can do for them. Hardly anything is more boring or apt
to deter attention than making it a key campaign goal to
“make USAC visible.” Students are interested in seeing
entertaining or educational programs, not a group of people bogged
down in the semantics of Robert’s Rules of Order at dinner
time.

There is a plethora of issues from which candidates can choose
to focus on: enrollment boosts, enrollment caps, rising on-campus
housings costs, increasing student fees, tutoring services, campus
safety, a diversity requirement, an unexciting college town,
improving the student union, and increasing school spirit.

True leaders take issues that affect the general populace upon
themselves and do everything possible to try and resolve them
““ even if unsuccessful, even if unnoticed.