Editorial
Vote No for Hype
Another University Student’s Council presidential election is upon us and with that comes the arduous task of choosing a representative to head one of the country’s largest student governments. While past years have brought a sense of excitement, the most we can summon for the 2010 election is a collective “meh.” Is this really the best group of candidates Western’s student body has to offer?
With six candidates to choose from, expectations should be high. But instead we’re faced with a group of ill-prepared individuals, who have put more effort into their videos and hype campaigns than their platform research.
Last year’s election saw Emily Rowe’s campaign rise to the top, alongside her viral campaign style. Her video stood out — because it was the only one.
This year candidates lack any such innovation. We’ve seen a spate of videos ripping off older and more successful advertising campaigns. Tithecott’s collection of “Mike vs. PC” is a particularly egregious slap in the face to students — making no attempt to provide a message beyond “Mike talks to students and that’s good.”
Or how about previous USC president Stephen Lecce and his mascot? Some campaigns couldn’t resist the urge of adding a mascot to their teams this year. Jeff Rutledge even rented the same costume Lecce used when he was running for the presidency.
The viral campaign styles make no effort to convey facts or information to students. It would be simple to illustrate a few platform points in a video, but instead candidates have chosen to film themselves dancing and singing, holding signs and repeating their slogans.
It comes down to one disappointing fact — USC presidential elections are a popularity contest and this year’s candidates know it. They are smart enough to see how gimmicky promotional tools are the key to success, not well-researched platforms.
Most students aren’t even aware of the capabilities of the USC president, let alone which platform points are feasible. This apathy speaks to the fact that outside of the USC and media bubble, most students don’t have the time or desire to research their vote.
But a real problem arises when there’s nothing of substance to back up the flash of campaign gimmicks — and it is here where any student looking for a legitimate president will find these candidates sorely lacking.
Despite student apathy, it’s the job of political leaders to excite voters and inform them, rather than play down to the lowest common denominator. If our student representatives are truly passionate about Western, they should be doing their best to make students a part of that process. Instead, candidates are taking the easy route to get a job that makes a great resumé bullet.
As a student (and soph) who has participated on faculty councils, rez councils, and USC committees, I can say that I have a fair understanding of how the USC runs. And – as a student who has been involved in two USC Presidential campaigns, I can say that I have a fair understanding how students vote. Let me just start by saying it isn’t normally by making a chart of who has the most feasible platform ideas and who’s advertising campaigns are the newest or most original.
Let’s not forget the other big issue involving every student on our campus: our academics. Year after year Campaign Season occurs during Midterms.. and I don’t know about you, but try as we all might, it’s hard to care about anything happening on campus as much as we are about our upcoming midterms. My point is that the average student is not interested in politics, or platform ideas, or original advertising campaigns. Students, if they decide to vote, are going to vote for whatever candidate has related to them the most. Maybe they love mascots, or appreciated a well-made YouTube video. Maybe a raft in the Thames is impressive. Perhaps large scale signs on UC hill is why they vote for their candidates. Maybe they really like pink and yellow, or perhaps they just want their friends to win. My point, as you can probably imagine, is that while it would be nice for elections at this school to be about serious and feasible campaigns and original and innovative advertising campaigns… most students just don’t care. I know most of my friends have made snap decisions either based on who I, a somewhat knowledgeable and involved student, am advocating, or based on that “super cool thing” they saw that they believe to be connect to one candidate or another.
I think the months of dedication and planning that goes into these elections shows us that each candidate, or at least those that have put in the time, can be taken seriously. It is no doubt in my mind that they will work hard for us because they have been doing it for months. A good student representative is one that knows its students, and USC Presidential Campaigns are all about each candidate demonstrating how well they know their students by developing ad campaigns and platform ideas. If you want to complain about how these elections usually go, why don’t you blame the average student for not taking elections more seriously?
In addition, I am proud of what Tom Stevenson, Stephen Lecce, and Emily Rowe have done in the past. Here you have 3 USC candidates who worked their buts off to get us students what we want. Maybe it’s been hard to notice looking down from an ivory tower of seemingly knowing it all, but if you take an interest in looking at their years in office, you see real change. A great example is that 20$ you got back from the bus strike.. you can thank Lecce for adding that clause into our contract with the LTC the next time you see him.
My position is that most of our current USC candidates have feasible, attainable platforms that show how well they know our student body. Moreover, they have a passion for this university, which is what every USC President should have. And if you think that passion ends at the platforms they put forth, I implore you to wait around and see all the other good that will come from their years in office that wasn’t mentioned in their platforms.
I am proud of Stevenson, Lecce and Rowe, and I am proud of all the candidates who take the time to run for these positions. They wake up every day and try to make a real contribution to this university, and most of them succeed. What do you do?