As another Student Senate session comes to a close, we just have to ask, to paraphrase Janet Jackson: What have you done for us lately?
The answer seems to be, not much.
In fact, the only thing we've seen Student Government do this semester was get credit cards accepted at eateries across campus - oh, wait. That was mostly thanks to student body President Ryan Moseley.
We're not saying Senate hasn't been doing its job. We're sure it's going through all the motions, passing all the resolutions and practicing its circumlocutions. But where is the innovation? Where are the "tangible" benefits the Gator Party promised last semester, when Gator won all but one seat in the Senate?
This doesn't give us much hope for the Gator senators who might win seats in this semester's election.
For half of the Senate members (and probably less, assuming incumbents retain some seats), this week is the end of their terms. Next week the torches will be passed to fresh-faced student senators, who will be announced after the election's votes are tallied.
We can only hope the next class accomplishes more.
It is the Student Senate's job - not just Ryan Moseley's - to come up with ideas that will better the student body and then work to make those ideas a reality. While the Senate should work to accomplish as many of the platform goals as is feasible - and it has worked toward several already - it cannot judge its success just on that.
So for the senators-to-be: You're signing up for this job, presumably, because you want to make UF a better place. Because you want to gain experience. Because you want to say, "When I was in college, I made a difference."
Prove it.
