OPINIONS Page 7 The Renegade Rip I www.therip.com Wednesday, March 17, 2010 Staff Editorial Students require SGA elections: important or pointless? Gregory D. Cook spending thar money in ways that will By Anthony B. EUrodt the students you represent that you Multimedia editor benefit you. Copy editor can't make good on yow· promises textbook reserves Listen to the candidates, ask ques­ because the administration says no? It takes about five mfoutes, you tions if you are tmsw·e and make edu­ 1b put it succinctly. student elec­ You are going to have to catch the With the cost of Bakersfield College tu­ stat1d in a short line. make a couple of cated decisions about casting yow­ tions ai·e a joke. They're just like ev­ fallout for it and the aclministrntion ition staying at a relatively low price. pw-­ multiple choice decisions on a piece vote. ery other political race in the world. knows it. chasing textbooks is often the greatest of paper, drop it into a box and go As a member of 111e student body. Promises are made, great platfo1ms I would find it exu·emely refresh­ burden on a student budget. The high cost about the rest of your day, with the you bear the responsibility of choos­ are announced, and we aU know the ing if a student got up in front of the of reading mate1ials can sometimes lead to ing your representatives. The demo­ promises student population here at Bakers­ a gap in time between when students start a ~:~;~e~a~: cratic system depends on the voice of are never field College and announced they class and when they are able to pw·chase the PRo taken part in the people being heard, and nowhere CON followed were running simply because they required books. I I that most sa­ is that voice louder tlian during an thr o u g h want to get the stipend that all SGA Luckily, for many struggling students. cred of democratic rituals: voting. electoral process. with action. officers get paid. That's right every­ professors can place the books on reserve in And yet mat1y students pass on I have one final request. If you still In all honesty, there's onl y so much one, SGA representatives don't work the school's library and many do just that. this chance to have an active role in choose not to vote, then please don't you can do as an SGA officer. You for free. The amount of the stipend is ''It is an advantage most certainly for stu­ choosing who will best represent their complain when the SGA does some­ can promise during yow- campaign up to $152 a week, or $608 a month. dents who can't afford a book or have to interests in the Bakersfield College thing you don't approve of. that you're going to bring pizza tO the You also get a slew of other perks wait tmtil their Pell Grant comes through," Student Government Association. On March 24 and 25 you will be cafeteria once a week, make adminis­ and benefits such as going to SGA said Bakersfield College Bookstore man­ So. why exactly would it be impor­ given the chance to speak with your trntion more accessible to the eve1y­ retreats and national conferences in ager Jennifer Caughron. tat1t who gets elected to the SGA? vote, if you can't be bothered with day student. and make parking easier Washington, D.C. paid for by om stu­ Unfortunately, because cwTent policy They are not reforming our health standing in line for a couple of min­ in the east parking lot. Students wilJ dent fees. leaves the decision and financial obligation care. making new tax laws and hope­ utes to do that, then forever hold your more than likely cheer you. elect you. I wish. just once, someone would of providing reserve textbooks up to the fully they do not have the power to peace. then yell and scream at the end of the get up and tell the students they have professor of each course. some students are declare war on other colleges. In fact, Perhaps my grandfather. a WWII year because your promises haven't no idea what they're going to be able unable to gain access to the required mate­ many srudents on campus have no veteran, summed it up best when I come tu fruition. to accomplish. r wish they would rial if the professor decides not to make it real idea what function the SGA actu­ twned 18 and was able to vote for the The fact of d1e matter is, if the ad­ say, "Hey, I'll do my best, but other available. ally perfo1ms, and at least a few of the first time. He told me "If you 're not ministration says no. it's no. No ar­ d1an that, rm not making any prom­ ''It ·s totally up to professors and many pur people reacting this are thinking "We going to vote, you ·re more of a dumb­ guing, no yelling, no crying, just no. ises." I would more than likely vote both their required and optional textbooks have a student government?"' So in all ass than the other dumb-asses you Then how do you explain that to your for someone who was that honest. At on rese1ve," said Marci Lingo, a Bakersfield honesty, what difference does it make just let choose for you.'' constituents? How do you explain to least I know they're going to actually College reference librarian. who we elect? tty to accomplish something. ''Many professors feel that it's of great The simple answer is what makes The elections are in 10 days and benefi t. Other professors want their students the world go round. it's the root of all eve1y position is open and available to own a book because they recognize if it is evil and some people say it can't buy to be filled. There are some officers difficult for them to read a book and have to happiness. That's right, money, and who are running again, and others come to the libraiy, they might be less likely the SGA controls a whole lot of it. thatai·e leaving simply because this is to do it,'' said Lingo. At the end of the fall 2009 semester. their last semester at BC. The result of such policy leaves students the Renegade Rip ran a story stating VOTE FOil ME Individually. I think the SGA in-need at a disadvantage in the ability to that the SGA was in conn-ol of over officers are good. well-meaning complete coursework. $750,000. Most of that money comes people. Overall. what have tJ1ey ac­ Lingo continued to say, "1l1ere are always from student registrntion fees, and complished? What have they done students who come up and their professor's the good people of your student gov­ for the students they represent? How }')()()k is not on reserve and the questfon we ernment, elected by the students that do we know the next installment of always ask is 'Has the professor said the take the time to vote. are in charge of officers is going to be any better? book is on rese,ve?' and they say no, but spending it. Will they acrually effect change on they know other students who come over They spend it on things Like home­ our campus, or will they succumb to and use them." coming, spring fling. refurbishing what I call the "dark side'' and just According to Caughron, there are many the student center and the new food be in it for the additional money and programs that provide auxiliaiy funding for panny They have also been known to prestige of being a student govern­ textbooks and work directly with d1e book­ give some of it to various clubs and ment representative? '·Look at me, store. There is however, no direct link to the campus organizations to help fund rm an SGA officer!'' God help us all. financial aid office and the bookstore. nor their acti vi t"ies. We 're going to have another semester does any such credit Line exist to extended Not voting is the equivalent of put­ of empty promises if we get that kind funding to students awaiting an aid pay­ ting that $750,000 in a cage with two of person in office. ment. howler monkeys, and then complain­ I guess you could look at it the oth­ Caughron cited such programs as the Ex­ ing when all they do is throw feces at er way though and do a write-in for tended Prog1-ams Opportunity and Services people as they walk by. I like mon­ Mickey Mouse, Goofy, or hey, how voucher worth $200 t11a1 provides a way for keys as much as the next guy, but about Al Gore? I heard he ·11 make a students to defer textbook costs. even I can think of bener uses for that great government official. "There are a lot of options. it's just wheth­ kind of money. My point is, if you do vote. make er you qualify. With the budget, of course. SGA elections are yow· chance to use of your right as a student and a lot of funded programs have been cut sig­ decide who will be responsible for make sure they 're doing their jobs. nificantly so the money is not really there anymore;' said Caughron. It is the opinion of The Renegade Rjp editorial board that if Bakersfield College is n-uly dedicated to the education of students than a new policy should be created and Laziness turns lovely landscapes into littered landfills funding provided for placing every required textbook on reserve in the library.