2008 Woodie Awards
Student senators need to remember who they serve
Issue date: 7/29/08 Section: Editorial
The point of an elected government is to have a singular individual appointed to represent the ideas and interests of a larger collective body. In recent months Alaskans have watched local politicians face charges of corruption and bribery. The individuals elected to serve the people forgot, and instead looked to serve themselves and not the interest of their constituents.
At UAA, student government seats are often run without competition, as there are usually more vacancies than people wishing to fill them. As newspaper staff reporting on what happens on campus we see the same small group of people involved in making policies that affect all students.
A student taking full time classes of 12 credits or more will pay $220 in student fees per semester, $12 of which is the student government fee. Student government uses the revenue from student fees to create scholarships and pass bills to give money to students. Some of these scholarships and grants have directly been awarded to students in student government.
Student senators have been elected as the voice of the students and they discredit themselves not only when they find creative ways to put money in their own pockets, but also when the objectors refuse to talk in the open about what has happened.
Karl Wing, the recently elected USUAA president, was interviewed by TNL staff and when asked "Is it ethical for a senator to take money?" responded "If there's a scholarship open, then it is available for all students. That gives all opportunities for anyone to apply for any scholarship funds."
The problem with allowing student government to award themselves as individuals is that there is little to entice them to advertise the money to the students. USUAA senators cannot pardon themselves by citing that the student body is apathetic and students in general do not want the money. It is not ethical for senators to create or get caught up in a self-serving system, those responsible for using student money for students should not be able to put that money in their own pockets.
USUAA senators and officers need to reevaluate why they decided to be involved with UAA politics and need to remember that their sole purpose for existing is to represent the best interests of the students. When it comes to being an elected official, it's not just about having a title - it's about having a voice for the people you serve.
At UAA, student government seats are often run without competition, as there are usually more vacancies than people wishing to fill them. As newspaper staff reporting on what happens on campus we see the same small group of people involved in making policies that affect all students.
A student taking full time classes of 12 credits or more will pay $220 in student fees per semester, $12 of which is the student government fee. Student government uses the revenue from student fees to create scholarships and pass bills to give money to students. Some of these scholarships and grants have directly been awarded to students in student government.
Student senators have been elected as the voice of the students and they discredit themselves not only when they find creative ways to put money in their own pockets, but also when the objectors refuse to talk in the open about what has happened.
Karl Wing, the recently elected USUAA president, was interviewed by TNL staff and when asked "Is it ethical for a senator to take money?" responded "If there's a scholarship open, then it is available for all students. That gives all opportunities for anyone to apply for any scholarship funds."
The problem with allowing student government to award themselves as individuals is that there is little to entice them to advertise the money to the students. USUAA senators cannot pardon themselves by citing that the student body is apathetic and students in general do not want the money. It is not ethical for senators to create or get caught up in a self-serving system, those responsible for using student money for students should not be able to put that money in their own pockets.
USUAA senators and officers need to reevaluate why they decided to be involved with UAA politics and need to remember that their sole purpose for existing is to represent the best interests of the students. When it comes to being an elected official, it's not just about having a title - it's about having a voice for the people you serve.
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