It’s student government season at the middle school I teach at. The students bicker back and forth with each other and make promises they can’t keep, it’s cute because they are in 8th grade and are still naive enough to think they will make a difference.
However, after the past week of people harassing me on campus and trying to buy my vote for UCF Student Government Association with pizza and drinks, I’ve realized nothing changes.
Seriously, student governments everywhere are ineffectual, worthless organizations filled with holier-than-thou, small-minded, self-important douches. Stop acting like you’re anything more than glorified event planners and shut the fuck up.
I mentioned this to one of the UCF candidates in my class and he absolutely lost his collective shit. He began lecturing me on how important SGA is, the difference they make in the lives of students, etc.
It blows my mind how important these people think they are. As if SGA is this bastion of respectability and icon of professionalism, what will we do without them? Who will govern us? Who will lead?!?
SGA changes every year and no one notices, why? Because the people in it are interchangeable.
Student Governments are a popularity contest, and that’s fine if people would just take it at face value. Aside from President and Vice President, most of the positions are almost always UNCONTESTED anyways, so who cares?
Someone please show me an example of a student government making a difference at a school? I have NEVER heard of student government going to bat for a student who needs their help, let alone me a student government taking a stand against the school administration. It just doesn’t happens.
If you really want to go make a difference why don’t you go TAKE ACTION. Find something you are passionate about and without relying on dogma or conventional wisdom, figure out what the real issues are and think of ways to solve them. Then start implementing them. It’s that simple.
October 25th, 2009 at 11:45 pm
As a former Student Body President, I hate to say this but your article is pretty accurate. Presidents tend to think that their office is oval, and the campus newspaper thinks they are the Washington Post. They take themselves too seriously and forget that the average student does not give a damn.
I will say that especially in the State of Florida, the Student Body President has a good chunk of power. And for this reason, the election of that position is important. I was a voting member of the Board of Trustees, signed off on a $8 million budget, and anything I said would go in the newspapers (not just school papers). Think of the power involved just in these three things.
My accomplishments? Well, I have some that I am very proud of, and I can say with absolute certainty that these things would not happen if I were not in office. On the flip side, I have made some bad decisions as well … one of which still affects my University negatively to this day.
There is ONE example where a Student Body President took a stand against the Administration: http://www.usforacle.com/2.6025/chhadva-s-burst-of-truth-a-refreshing-change-1.627059
But overall, your analysis is pretty accurate and most Student Governments are not very effective (but neither are the State and Federal Governments). And it is a popularity contest (but so is the Florida Governor and US President).