Every student government (SG) election seems to be characterized by a comically small number of participants and an apathetic student body that sits by to watch the spectacle. The fact that half the parties running this year are joke parties reflects on the perception of SG on this campus. But regardless of the Moose Party’s annual antics, this year we have two “serious” parties: Full Slate Ahead and A New Day.

Members of Full Slate Ahead, unfortunately, offer more of the same cabal that has been involved in SG under Robert Hubbard for the past two years. Hubbard’s reign has been characterized by a general mediocrity, coupled with continuing problems in RSO funding due to mismanagement. Phil Caruso, Full Slate Ahead’s presidential candidate, has served as the vice president during the current academic year. Caruso has assumedly been complicit, if not active, in his role as Hubbard’s vice president. Full Slate Ahead has done nothing to show us that they will offer anything other than the status quo of their predecessors.

The Maroon wants transparency and new ideas. We want a slate that will do more than install a plasma screen display of the Bartlett Quad in the Reynolds Club. We believe that SG, as a campus institution, could benefit from the different approach that A New Day promises. While the slate’s members have only achieved minor quality of life improvements, like changes to the bus schedule and lighting on campus, this is more than Full Slate Ahead can claim. Further, A New Day offers interesting new suggestions, like office hours and the “Big Ideas” fund. Such ideas promote direct student accessibility to SG.

A New Day is finally something different. It’s a chance to break SG away from slates that have spawned apathy and shameless patronage. Any healthy governmental system needs periodic change and new perspectives; it’s about time we see that with SG.