When the Vote USM 2009: Student Government election campaign came to a close at noon on March 19, the student senate found that roughly 5% of the entire student body actually voted, a slight increase over last year’s turnout.
“It is discouraging,” said Katherine Letourneau, current senate chair. “It shows that a lot of students are busy or just not concerned.”
In an effort to get more students to vote this year, a campus wide email urging undergrads to vote was sent out during election week and two coffee house events were also held where senate representatives promoted the student government in between performances, mixing entertainment with politics. A table was also set up in Luther Bonney with a computer where students could vote.
Even with additional measures to get students to vote, the lack of student involvement has many senators concerned.
“More students need to be involved,” said Senator Martin Emerson, “right now we’re thinking of ways to increase involvement with events where students can network and socialize.”
Student involvement isn’t the only issue facing the senate. This year the student senate passed the “Textbook Resolution,” which addresses the rising costs of textbooks required for classes.
Re-elected student senator Allie Parker wants the campus book stores to make it known to students that they can sell back old textbooks at any point during the year. She also wants to establish an online marketplace where students can buy and sell textbooks.
Despite low voter turnout, the student senate may have more influence than undergrads think. The roughly $500,000 dollars collected each year in student fees is managed by the senate. They decide how much money is to be distributed to each student group, the Gorham and Portland campus events boards, as well as the Free Press and WMPG.
As the representative voice of USM undergraduates, the Senate is responsible for cultivating involvement through student groups and organizations that work to unite the university. Without direct input from the students themselves, the senate must rely on past results to determine future improvements.
“Students want to see changes but don’t know how to go about it,” says Alex Sargent, a senator graduating this spring, “they need to know the student senate is their representation in the university system.”
Senator Matthew Tagett is working towards giving students due process when accused of committing offenses on campus. “Right now, if an underage student is accused of possession of alcohol on campus, they are automatically charged an administrative fee and forced to take a class on substance abuse whether they are guilty or not. I’d like to see steps taken where the student will have the right to defend their case,” he said.
The senate will vote for members of its Executive board on April 24. This election will determine who will be the chair, vice-chair, parliamentarian, secretary and treasurer of the 38th student senate.
“There’s a lot of passion,” Letourneau says, “I look forward to seeing how the 38th senate performs next year.”