While Indians overseas in the United Kingdom fight for their right to vote and the right to participate in that democracy, American college students have taken for granted this right and what women and African Americans before us have fought for.
It has come to the point that the student government of Bakersfield College has felt it necessary to provide what they call “student incentives” to encourage students to take three minutes to sit down to participate in one of our basic rights: voting.
It is a distressing idea that our student representatives find it necessary to give adults “incentives” such as gift cards and iPods in this educational setting. Citizens of this country do not receive gifts for voting on any official state or country ballot.
In fact, it is unjustifiable and immoral not only for candidates to receive “incentives” but for the general public to get anything out of an election besides choice of an elected official.
When these kinds of payolas are offered to a college student body, it should be understood that votes that may have been influenced could be discredited by the voters who decide to vote to win iPods.
It is understandable that students on this campus are busy as they juggle family, education and careers, but students should be able to read and familiarize themselves with functions that affect their educational experience.
It seems as though students are constantly ready to complain about student activities and resources available, but when they get the chance to actually take part in making a difference, they are apathetic. At a time when young voters are increasingly more useful in the American presidential race, a majority of BC students are still stuck in a very ignorant spot on student government representatives.
The student government exists because of the student representation fee paid upon registration each semester, which means nearly $16,000 a semester, goes to funding our representatives. It’s a miniature democracy within the campus where representation fees can be considered taxes, and SGA cards can be considered extra funding for our endorsements. The lack of interest in school government can be considered a direct reflection of our national government. Across the United States, people are crying for change in politics while students at BC cry for gift cards.
The student government should find another way to spend $2,000 worth of incentives; perhaps it could be done by spending money on educating BC students on clubs, activities, functions or politics.
It’s agreed that many people enjoyed Spring Fling, and it received a positive response; it was one of the best in years. Perhaps all the SGA has to do is provide live entertainment and give the student body free food. As Americans, that’s what we reflect to be true: Entertain me, and feed me, and we’ll shut up. Give me a reason to vote, and I will vote.
Observe the strides the BC student government has made in the 2007-2008 academic year, and it can be said that they’ve made an extensive effort to unite and inform the student body.
If students are still unclear on what the SGA is and what it does or could do for them, they are obviously truly uninterested in what the college could do for them. The idea for “incentives” is unfortunate and if that’s what it takes to get students to show support, then the light for politics in the future will just continue to get dimmer.