Editorial: Out with the old, in with ConnectKU
For president and vice president of Student Senate, ConnectKU is the propitious choice.
By Kelsey Hayes (Contact)
Thursday, April 3rd, 2008
After meeting with each of the three prospective coalitions, the Kansan editorial board has decided to endorse ConnectKU in its bid to lead the student body through the 2008-09 school year.
Each coalition presented thoughtful platforms and demonstrated an interest in improving the student body.
ConnectKU’s platforms embrace compromise, optimism and civic awareness.
Of course, not every platform will appeal to everyone, but every platform should appeal to someone. The proposals discussed struck a balance between feasibility and ambition. None of the ideas were so unrealistic as to be unattainable, but neither were they tired or recycled.
Although the board supports ConnectKU, it strongly encourages the coalition to set a policy against accepting gifts of any kind, including those from the Athletics Department, to avoid conflicts of interest. Platforms and organization are important, but ethics should play the most important role in Senate decision-making. All coalitions, including the eventual winner in the elections, should remember that their first responsibility is to students, not to special interests.
The coalition’s creation of WiKUpedia before the election is admirable in its drive for inclusiveness. As written in a Feb. 15 editorial, the board suggests the coalition turn the application over to a third party following the election to achieve maximum impartiality.
The coalition’s Gmail initiative went through both committee and full Senate with no negative speeches. It passed with more votes than the two-thirds necessary to override the veto. Eventually passing this initiative will give students much-needed e-mail storage space, chat capabilities and access to calendar applications, among other features.
In the board’s opinion, using alumni donations and volunteers to start ConnectKU’s Potter Lake clean-up project will revitalize a University landmark.
Students deserve a gathering place that has more than concrete like Wescoe Beach, and Potter Lake deserves the attention given to treasured University sites. The board hopes the Potter Lake project will be the beginning of a continuous dedication to environmental projects on campus.
Revamping the Shenk Recreation Complex by putting in turf will benefit not only student athletes but also students who participate in intramural sports and students in general.
More schools might be willing to travel to Shenk for tournaments and games if the facilities were in better condition, giving the University a better overall reputation among neighboring schools.
Increasing off-campus lighting is an admittedly tall order, but the coalition expressed a willingness to work with the Lawrence City Commission to get the proposal accomplished. Increasing the number of self-defense courses offered on campus is also a great way to increase campus safety.
ConnectKU’s idea for a Hate Crime Prevention Program was unique among platforms, and the coalition demonstrated a desire to unite the student body and embrace the University’s inherent multiculturalism.
The number of student groups potentially involved in a week of hate crime awareness, which ConnectKU said would include the Black Student Union, Queers and Allies and the International Student Association, could make such an event a cornerstone of the University calendar. The idea to take the issue of hate crime to local schools is evidence of dedication to the greater Lawrence community.
ConnectKU has expressed interest in forming a KU Dining Board through Student Senate. This board would work in conjunction with KU Dining Services to use student input in increasing the Better Bites program and increasing student options for healthy eating on campus.
These ideas cover a wide variety of ground and would benefit all students in some way.
ConnectKU has drawn members from other Senate parties, and has recruited members from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Its candidates’ pledge to make Senate more accessible to students and increase voter turnout are essential to stem the growing tide of student apathy toward its own governing body.
Its members have enough experience to be prepared for the work ahead of them, but they have ideas that are fresh enough to inspire change.
The Kansan editorial board supports the student body presidency of ConnectKU leader Austin Kelly, Lawrence senior, and the vice presidency of Jason Oruch, Plano, Texas, junior.
—Kelsey Hayes for the editorial board
Discussion
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surprise, surprise....
I guess it's even now, with the United Students endorsement from Student Athletes.
Actually United Students has an endorsement from Student Athletic Advisory Committee; not Student Athletes as a whole. I do believe that many Student Athletes continue to support ConnectKU in its mission to focus on the revitalization of shenk complex including Laxers, Ultimate Players, and the hundreds and hundreds of participants of intramurals. After all, Shenk Complex is open the most Student Athletes.
I would also like to point out the difference between United Students' idea to push for Off-Campus lighting (at least from what I have learned from several of their candidates). The difference is that ConnectKU seeks to work with the city where as United Students seek to use existing funds (I assume the funds from Campus Safety Fee).
Personally, I do not believe it is the students responsibility to pay for Off-Campus lighting. They are residents of Lawrence and pay taxes to the city, therefore the city is who we must ask to pay for better lighting. The Campus Safety Fee is not the "Off-Campus" Safety Fee and should be used to fund programs like Jaywalk and self defense courses.
Good job, Ed board.
The board has chosen substance over style. I commend it.
"I guess it's even now, with the United Students endorsement from Student Athletes."
Somehow I think the Kansan holds more weight. I'd assume the editorial board is just a little bit more educated on the subject matter than just "athletes."
Hmm, I wonder how much Hillary thought that KC Star endorsement helped her in Missouri AND Kansas...
I don't think anyone is delusional enough to think that a Kansan endorsement means a substantial number of extra votes. It's just good to get recognition from an impartial group of students making an educated, rational decision about which coalition is best for ALL STUDENTS.
I don't think anyone other than athletes cares which coalition the student athletes like. Especially because most students are on the "paying" end of the women's and non-revenue sports fee instead of the "receiving" end.
DF was endorsed by the Kansan 8 times out of the decade+ that they ran. Didn't seem to help them win much of anything.
The Kansan has shown a pretty obvious bias all year. Nobody should assume that the editorial board has any more "education on the subject matter" than anybody else.
They are voting for their friends, just like the rest of the student body.
Orly?
Yes, they have shown an obvious bias for good ideas and ethical people. How dare they!?!
Also, Pachamac, nice pants and shirt in senate last night. You are so pathetic. I'm embarrassed for you.
"It's just good to get recognition from an impartial group of students making an educated, rational decision"
Come on Jack, the Kansan has been sucking off Connect all spring, they are in no way impartial. As Pachamac stated, "They are voting for their friends, just like the rest of the student body."
Jarrod, I honestly think you are mistaken about who Pachacamac is and whether or not they were even present at Student Senate last night. Just thought I'd clear that up.
Imagine a university whose lone secret society is so secretive its members wear a disguise in the school's yearbook - and stand perched high on a hill while the photographer shoots from the valley below. "It was just eerie; they wore white hoods," said University of Kansas graduate student Partha Mazumdar, who has researched the destruction of his school's secret society, Pachacamac.
http://www.pub.umich.edu/daily/1998/dec/12-11-98/news/news14.html
The group, formed in the early 1900s as an all-male and all-white elitist organization, remained that way through the civil rights battles of the 1960s - only to be shut down completely in 1992.
"I think of the (Ku Klux) Klan when I see their picture," Mazumdar said, adding that the group went "above and beyond" the stereotype of fraternity members that characterized its formation.
"It was the big shooters from the big houses ... and people would find out who the seniors were at graduation," Mazumdar said.
Forty years later, one member joined with the sole purpose of destroying the "elitist" group and succeeded by gaining power in the student government while being a member of the organization and exposing some of its secrets to the students and administrators. But Mazumdar said elitist organizations may still exist.
"Are there other secret societies? Maybe," Mazumdar said. "They're secret, so I don't know. But I doubt there are any with any power."
--
Hannah and Ray were wearing coordinated clothes, just like they did at the election day party last year. I feel sorry for them.
"The Society of Pachacamac, a secretive men’s honor society, usually dominated elections for the Men's Student Council. Typically, Pachacamac would combine with the fraternities to stifle opposition parties and candidates, even subjecting some “to violent counterattack.” According to the University Daily Kansan, “cutting telephone wires and filling automobile tanks with water” were not uncommon tactics, nor was vandalism of fraternity houses whose members refused to back the Pachacamacs. Perhaps in consequence, “during the 1930s the students became increasingly cynical about student government,” KU historian Clifford Griffin noted dryly." -http://www.kuhistory.com/proto/story.asp?id=139
Scary people want to be associated with that.
Also, while I agree that the Kansan endorsement doesn't mean much to the overall election, I think this might be more of a case of "one coalition has a website" and "one coalition has a flier online". Who actually wants student input, and who is just part of a popularity contest? Just look online, and it's easy to figure it out. Austin and Jason have made the coalition of the future... now let's see about getting 20% of the student body to vote.
"Come on Jack, the Kansan has been sucking off Connect all spring, they are in no way impartial"
Yes. So has the LJ World. So has 6 News. So have the tv stations in Topeka. They all must have friends in Connect. It's a conspiracy.
And I think this is hard for you guys in United Students (come on, no one else really cares about this stuff) and you have a problem with accepting this because you have convinced yourselves that y'all are actually effective student leaders. What original idea have you guys had....ever? 6% of the student body voted for Hannah Love last year. There is no US dynasty like you tell yourselves. You guys have no real power -- and lost what little power you had by failing to stand up to any administrators (athletics, the chancellor). It's time to accept reality.
Jarrod, I think your behaviour on this board is out of line, and your personal attacks only make you less credible in the eyes of the student body. Please, refrain from your personal attacks on people.
This endorsement only makes this election even more exciting. I think that in recent days we have seen that all 3 coalitions are capable of coming up with some fantastic ideas. My personal affiliations aside, the Kansan is right. ConnectKU has the experience and ideas to make KU that much better for all students. Students of Liberty may have a great windmill idea, and US came out with a neat idea for conserving energy on campus, but the rest of their ideas are old, too ambitious, or not ambitious enough. United Students may have capable leaders, but they will more than likely bring you more of the same. ConnectKU has truly found the middle ground.
With that in mind, I would encourage all members of coalitons, including my own, to please refrain from personal attacks. Last night your actions were successful at upholding the veto. I know we have a tendency to get very heated, but this election should be about our ideas and our qualifications, not about our personal charachter. As long as we continue to stoop to that level, we will continue to lose elections.
I just want to say that I think the Gmail idea is awesome. I have an account through my graduate school, and I absolutely love it.
Also, weren't we going to do the lighting thing last year? What happened? (Honest question)
One more thing...as a former senator and someone who has friends on both sides of the ticket, please stop the mudslinging. It only makes everyone look petty and cheapens your worth in the eyes of the student body. Well, the members of the student body who pay attention anyway.
I like that you like the Gmail idea, unfortunately, Student Senate failed to overturn Hannah's veto and it won't be endorsed until at least next year. Despite 39 student senators supporting the resolution encouraging IT to investigate it, Hannah Love's veto was upheld.
I think everyone is forgetting about Students of Liberty. By that I don't mean the voters are forgetting about them (check out the poll above), just the candidates from other coalitions playing their childish games, insulting each other under anonymous screen names.
The Kansan specifically mentioned that Connect should have a policy regarding gifts from special interests (i.e. The Athletic Department). They failed to mention, however, that this is one of our main platform issues.
United Students should stop complaining about the bias in the Kansan. If your platform could stand on its own two feet, you wouldn't be attacking the media or making personal attacks.
By the way, the title of this article is incorrect. Both United Students and Connect are effectively incumbents. Students of Liberty is the only change that people can vote for.
ConnectKU is not an incumbent, Adam. It includes several experienced Senators, but has never been in power in Senate.
"...several experienced senators..."
And just how many members of your coalition ran with Delta Force last year? If the current administration is so bad, why haven't you rallied up the forces in senate to make the real changes you tout so much on campus?
There are actually a surprising amount of DFers running with Connect. The problem, however, is that DF has seen so many defeats that they have lost hope. They want to concentrate on other ways to get their ideas across because they are so disillusioned with senate and the incredible bias that comes with it.
*counts* Nine ConnectKU candidates ran with Delta Force last year. Others have been affiliated in the past, but that's the official count. And plenty of people have tried to "rally the forces", but only so much can be done when the other coalition holds as many seats as you, AND controls almost every position on the Executive Staff.
Pachacamac "They are voting for their friends, just like the rest of the student body."
How unsatisfying and disheartening to realize that elections are just a popularity contest. Why are there coalitions then? Why do I keep getting spammed?
Reading these comments months later really bring smiles to my face. Good times all around. :D
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