STAFF EDITORIAL: ASUN needs to follow through with campaign promises

Every year, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln sees a new group of eager students running to lead the student body in the election for the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska.

This year's election has proved to be no exception. With CONNECT, CONCRETE and the Party of Hope and Change, we've certainly had an interesting election season.

While the platforms of each party vary widely, all candidates should strive for the same goals for when they take office.

In past years, candidates have made promises of everything they want to accomplish once in office – promises they end up not being able to keep. We want our new student leaders to actually get something accomplished, not just promise to get something accomplished.

With Initiative 424 just beginning to take effect, we expect ASUN to step up and keep finding ways to make our campus as diverse as possible.

Senators should first look to diversifying their own members. They should not only find members from different ethnic backgrounds, but also just from different groups around campus. ASUN is generally dominated by greeks, and while the campus is a better place because of the greeks, we'd like to see non-greeks as well.

One of the responsibilities that goes along with being president of ASUN is acting as member of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. While this is a non-voting position, the student regent is there to represent the students. If they just sit there and not say anything, then they're not doing their job.

An example of a good student regent was Matt Schaefer, who stood up to then Regent David Hergert and asked him to step down. Let's hope we're lucky enough to have a new student regent with that much confidence and passion.

ASUN is there to represent the students. Yet we've never received an e-mail, or been talked to in class about issues affecting us. Sure, senators may talk with their friends about issues ASUN is discussing, but that is only a small fraction of the student body.

We suggest that ASUN distribute an organized survey to a sampling of classes in different departments, asking students their opinions on different topics.

We look forward to voting today on a new bunch of student leaders. And we look forward to seeing what they'll do with their year in power.

opinion@dailynebraskan.com