[ Golden Gater Online - March 4, 1997 ]
Candidates for student government positions face a daunting task when campaigning begins Thursday -- motivating students to vote and giving them a reason to care.
At stake is control over Associated Studentsí annual $2.9 million budget and a voice in some decisions made by the administration.
Interviews with students Monday show how difficult getting the vote out may be.
ìHonestly, I donít care,î said Lisa Cavaliere, 22, a sociology senior, and more importantly ìdo they (student officials) really care about what path my life is taking? I think once they are in the process, they donít always do what benefits people.î
Cavaliere admits part of why she doesnít participate is personal. ìUnless it affects me, I donít care.î
Michelle Gurra, 26, a liberal studies junior, said she would vote and participate if AS did a better job of letting her know what goes on. ìI didnít receive any literature. I donít know what services they provide or what,î she said.
Gurra said if she had to guess, most students donít participate because SF State is a commuter school. Last year, 7 percent of about 27,000 students on campus voted.
ìI donít avoid it for any particular reason. I work. I go to school,î she said.
Gurra and Cavaliere said they did not vote last year and do not plan to vote this year.
Last year Aaron Lindsey voted -- grudgingly.
ìEvery year we have students running and theyíre not representing students; theyíre representing their organizations,î said Lindsey, 25, a speech and communications senior, who participates in three organizations funded with AS dollars. ìThey fund certain groups. Organizations that do have funding donít want to give it up.î
Lindsey said division between organizations jockeying for money and positions of power has made student government at SF State inefficient and unfriendly.
His friend, Darrell Standring, a political science major, agrees.
ìThey need to do more to promote inter-student participation,î Standring said. ìItís like the black group doesnít work with the Spanish group; the gay group doesnít work with the straight group. There needs to be some kind of group meeting.î
ìWe need to get rid of personal agendas,î Lindsey said. ìThere are students not being recognized by Associated Students Incorporated.î
[ Golden Gater - March 4, 1997 ]