I’d like to thank the Maroon and its incredibly talented cartoonist for reminding Student Government (S.G.) of the promises we have made (“Demockracy In Action,” 11/6/07). In any democratic system, it’s important that leaders are constantly evaluated and questioned about the promises on which they were elected. If I have learned anything in the last seven weeks, it’s that it is far too easy to have one’s view clouded by the day-to-day and forget about the ideals and goals on which one was elected.

Reviewing these goals, we certainly have not accomplished them all. We have not found an easy solution to RSO web use, nor have we implemented the proposed S.G. forum. But we have made gains and I don’t believe the Maroon gives us enough credit for this quarter’s first year election, in which over one-third of the first-year class voted. Nor do they give us credit for the newly hired and trained secretaries, who have been diligently recording our every word and posting them online.

While I appreciate the criticism of S.G. by the Maroon, sometimes your coverage has me wondering, “where is the love?” Thus far, beyond election coverage, you’ve focused on a “scandal” which seemed to be confined to a single, former, member of S.G. In that article, you boldly declared this year’s beginning “politically tumultuous,” but failed to ask anyone on S.G. whether this was true. Had you asked and listened, I believe you’d have found a group of people committed to working together and making a difference.

So please, Maroon, nail S.G. and nail us hard when we screw up. Push us to not let you down. Push us to live up to our ideals. But do not report only the bad and then ask why nothing good is happening. As a devoted reader and a citizen of this University I expect more from your coverage. Do not let me down.

Scott Duncombe

Class of 2008

S.G. President