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Just enough for a jury
Although the attendance didn’t show it, there was a speaker in Memorial Union Wednesday afternoon. In fact, the event happened to boast a vice presidential candidate election. No, Dick Cheney wasn’t in the COE Lounge, and no, John Edwards didn’t come back for seconds. That, however, should not matter.
Vice presidential candidate Pat LaMarche of the Green party was greeted as if she were the local subway cashier and not as if she has any part in what is happening on Nov. 2. It doesn’t matter if you were planning on actually voting for LaMarche and presidential candidate David Cobb, there should have been some interest from the community and the student body. What matters is that we are all giving each candidate their fair amount of attention as to educate ourselves.
There is no excuse for an attendance of less than what reports have said were 12 people. The Maine Campus feels that every opportunity to listen to a politic figure speak on campus should be taken advantage of. LaMarche’s voice needs to be heard, and we should have been listening.
Nice sweats, Cortlynn
As of Tuesday night, several traditions that gripped the University of Maine General Student Senate were axed. Make no doubt about it, the world in which UMaine students exist in has irrevocably been changed forever.
As reported in today’s issue of The Maine Campus, GSS has instituted a new dress code for senators. What exactly was so professional about being seen on campus in slacks and a dress shirt or blouse still remains to be seen.
The tradition of prefacing the address of a member of the senate with his or her title and last name also was pitched onto the cutting room floor.
Sadly the idea that senators were pouncing around their meetings addressing each other as “President Hepler” or “Vice President Bartlett” is concerning. If anything, this rule change hopefully denotes a change in how the senate looks at themselves and especially how approachable students feel like senators are.
The rule changes signify a stride in the right direction. Taking yourself too seriously can lead to serious health problems, and no one wants to see a senator kick it during a meeting due to taking themselves too seriously.
