I've got one reason why you should care about Student Government elections, and it's worth $13 million.
The activities and service fee you pay (about $8 for 12 credit hours if you enrolled fall 2008) makes up Student Government's $13 million budget, which is divided among Rec Sports, the Reitz Union and student organizations.
And guess who decides how to divvy it up?
That's right: The student representatives you vote (or don't vote) for.
By getting informed and voting, you're choosing the leaders who decide how to spend that money.
But with party supporters following you to your classes and tucking glossy fliers into your backpacks, figuring out who represents your interests can be difficult.
Well, we're going to help you out a little.
The Alligator, in partnership with College Republicans, will be conducting three executive debates Monday to Wednesday at 1 p.m. on Turlington Plaza.
You'll hear from candidates running for all three executive positions. And if you can't make it, head on over to alligator.org/sg2009, where we'll be live-streaming video of the debates.
It's time to get your questions answered.
We've even taken extra precautions to make sure these candidates are getting a fair shake.
Originally we invited College Republicans and College Democrats to organize and host it with us to keep us in check, but unfortunately, College Democrats respectfully declined.
It turns out their president is Mark McShera, who is running for Student Body president with the Orange and Blue Party.
We understood their decision but still proceeded with College Republicans.
Each debate should last about one hour, and members of College Republicans and the Alligator staff will moderate. Questions have been drafted and reviewed by current and former Alligator staffers to make sure we're hitting the issues that students care about.
To prepare, candidates have been provided with a list of topics. With three of the parties having confirmed their attendance, we're looking forward to a truly informative debate.
So if you're eating lunch nearby, bring your Chik-fil-A, Quiznos or Krishna and check it out. The candidates are there for you.
Don't forget it's your money at stake, and $13 million is not something to brush off or laugh about.
Elections are your time to participate and determine how your money will be spent.
For example, in a Wednesday article, the Alligator reported that the Student Senate gave $3,274 to the UF Paintball Team so they could attend the national paintball championships.
Whether you agree with that isn't really the question.
It's whether you're voting for candidates who represent your views, whatever they may be.
If you don't vote, then you can't complain.
Jessica DaSilva is a journalism and political science senior. She is the Alligator's ombudsman and a former editor-in-chief.
