Tuesday, November 13, 2001

Speak Up
Show students care by voting

A common complaint around campus is that TCU students are apathetic. They don’t get involved, don’t take a stand on issues and just don’t care.

It is easy to see why students are accused of apathy. When the Student Government Association provided students an opportunity to give feedback to the organization on Constituency Day in October with an online survey, only 410 residential students and 171 commuter students responded.

In other words, when given the opportunity to give their opinions and voice their concerns, students didn’t.

However, we know that students care if only because of the complaints that never quite die down.

When students drive around campus for 20 minutes searching for a parking place, they care.

When students have $300 remaining on their meal card at the end of the semester and know they can’t spend it, they care.

When students walk over to the Main to get dinner at 8:15 p.m. only to find it closed at 8 p.m., they care.

If you went to the Goo Goo Dolls Homecoming concert two years ago and want more concerts like it, they care.

When students get a $75 parking ticket, they care.

Students care, but they might not know how to change anything. They probably don’t have a solution to the parking problem and students probably don’t know how to extend the hours at The Main.

However, there is something students can do. They can elect SGA leaders who will represent their concerns. If students don’t have time to go to SGA meetings or fix a problem by themselves, they can still be involved through the House of Student Representatives.

Here is a chance to show TCU administrators that students are not apathetic.

Students, show that you care about the university and your classmates. Today is SGA election day. Your voice can be heard if you take just a few minutes and vote online.

It’s not hard, it won’t take long and you’ll be making a statement. Maybe it doesn’t matter who gets elected, and maybe nothing will really change in the next year, but by voting you prove that you care. Do your part to make a difference at your university.