Editorial: Students should cast an informed vote in upcoming ASUP election

By The Beacon | March 9, 2017 4:15pm
asup-logo

ASUP elections are right around the corner and now is the perfect time to make good on the promise you made to yourself (and your Facebook friends) to be more politically involved after the presidential election. Voting for UP’s future student leaders is the perfect way to exercise your right and make your voice heard in small scale government.

On March 23, you’ll have the opportunity to vote for a new ASUP Executive Board, which includes President, Vice President, Director of Communications, Director of Finance, CPB Director, Senators and Speaker of the Senate. If you were unable to attend the Presidential Debate Speech Night or Meet the Candidates Night, you can learn more about the candidates here.

Here on The Bluff, ASUP plays an essential role of student leadership. According to its website, “ASUP exists to provide an organization that represents the needs and interests of students, to develop extracurricular activities, and to foster the recognition of students’ rights and responsibilities.”

ASUP members are responsible for operating ADvantage, ASUP Films, Pilot Express, Pilot Audio Lighting and Espresso UP. Additionally, ASUP organizes committees composed of senators and non senators that are “directed to serve different aspects of the UP community including Infrastructure, Campus Affairs, Security, and Maintenance, Service and Leadership, and Diversity.” It is comprised of the aforementioned Executive Board, Campus Programming Board (CPB), and the Student Senate.

This campus election season, The Beacon calls all students to learn about candidates platforms and make an informed decision when casting their votes.

A platform is a set of principal goals that a candidate puts forth during a campaign as a way to garner the support of voters, and as a way of signifying support and dedication of these specific initiatives. Ultimately, voters should choose candidates based on their platforms, and which candidates goals align best with their own political philosophy.

Candidate platforms are as important in this election as they are in any. In an election like this, candidates should lay out clear, purposeful platforms that are rooted in goals that ASUP is capable of achieving.

Students should support campus government by voting, and support community by choosing a candidate whose platform will lead to prosperity for all on The Bluff.

B