Voting crucial to student voice’s strength

EDITORS

Illustration by Alex Miles•Special to the Johnsonian Students, don’t think of voting as a mundane task this week; think of it as a challenge. 

You may think voting for CSL president and vice president is insignificant or at best, optional. 

If you let that stop you from voting, then you are permitting the student opinion at Winthrop to be viewed as an insignificant opinion or one to be accepted only as an option.

Student government at Winthrop has lacked democracy for 10 years.  The university pulled the plug on campus-wide elections when there weren’t enough people running for office and voter turnout was low. 

But simply having elections won’t ensure the mass student voice is heard and respected.  It’s possible elections will be held, and students will still not gain any real political ground. 

It’s great we finally have an election, but elections won’t simply flip a switch on this campus.

Changing the way we perceive and relate to student government, however, can make a huge difference. 

Don’t allow the opinion to prevail that students are politically apathetic and that there’s not enough interest in student government to warrant an election. 

If those in power at this university think we don’t care enough to vote, they will assume we won’t care enough to stand up against issues we want changed. 

Of course it’s important we vote for the best candidates, but what’s more important is that we show interest by voting. 

The future CSL president will have to be a strong leader, but the strength of one is nothing without a mass of people backing him or her up.  

Sure, student government can achieve meaningful agendas without an election, but an election can help the entire student population take ownership of its representative government. 

Presidential endorsement 

The Johnsonian editorial board had the opportunity to meet one on one with each of the presidential candidates and the lone vice-presidential candidate for CSL. 

For president, we endorse Tim Kroboth, a junior political science and economics major.  

Kroboth’s leadership style is characterized by a willingness to serve the current and future needs of students.  He has previous experience on CSL, but noted there are areas the council needs to improve on.  

Specifically, Kroboth is open to the idea of expanding campus-wide elections to other CSL positions besides just president and vice president. 

Although he brings concrete ideas to the table, Kroboth is sincere in his effort to actively listen to the student body.  He has found the right balance between working within programs already established at Winthrop, such as the Global Learning Initiative, and taking on the concerns of students as they arise.  

Kroboth has participated in the National Student Exchange at the University of Kentucky and has studied abroad in Cairo, Egypt.

Vice presidential endorsement 

For vice president, we endorse Kaitlin Sapp, a sophomore integrated marketing communication major. 

As vice president,Sapp would be primarily responsible for overseeing student allocations funding—money crucial to operating Winthrop clubs and organizations. 

She wants to move that grant process online, making it easier for student groups to apply for the funding they need for organization costs.

Sapp currently serves on CSL and has sufficient understanding of student government’s function.

  Through her experience, she has noticed that many student groups miss out on funding opportunities because they do not show up at mandatory training sessions. 

Sapp wants to diversify the dates and times those training sessions are offered, hopefully making it easier for clubs and organizations to receive the operational funds they need. 

But you don’t have to take our word on who the best candidate is. Make your own decison.

Read every candidate’s application online at winthrop.edu/csl and see our coverage, including video interviews, at mytjnow.com/csl-election-2011.

You have two days to vote: March 31 and April 1. More information is available on CSL’s Winthrop website.