The current Student Assembly is not living up to its potential. A third of students who responded to The Dartmouth's most recent poll said that the Assembly does not represent their concerns. Another third said that they were unsure. And issues regarding the Assembly's image have been a persistent problem that has plagued the organization.
If the Assembly is to gain real legitimacy and if student perceptions of the SA are to be changed, then concrete structural changes must be made. Those currently working for the Assembly have demonstrated time and time again that they do not know how to make these changes.
Dartmouth deserves a Student Assembly that can legitimately speak for students and take effective action on issues students care about. Molly Stutzman, Amit Anand and Mike Newton are all highly involved in the Student Assembly. Although we respect all three of them for their hard work and dedication, none of them have put forth serious plans to reform the Assembly in the past and they have not pledged to do so in the future. Now, however, is a time for radical change.
Michael Sevi and Aly Rahim are the only candidates who have promised to create a Student Assembly that speaks for students. They plan to bring the outside perspective necessary for the Assembly to move beyond pointless debate and resolutions. Most importantly, they have recognized that it will take major internal changes for the Assembly to change outside opinions.
The seven-point reform proposal by Sevi and Rahim plans to completely overhaul the Assembly. It addresses the fact that many students feel the SA has little accountability by increasing representation. Sevi and Rahim hope to widen the Assembly's focus and increase its diversity by working with campus leaders from a variety of organizations.
Sevi and Rahim want to revolutionize the current perceptions of the SA as a social organization run by insiders. This is a change that must be made.
It is time to step back and make a fresh start. It is time to revitalize the Student Assembly. It is time for Dartmouth students to have the Assembly they deserve -- one that is heard by the administration and that represents the entire campus.
A Sevi-Rahim victory will deliver a long-awaited mandate -- a demand from students that the Assembly must represent them and be accountable to them. These two candidates have promised such reforms and we must give them a chance to implement them.
When you cast your vote today or tomorrow take a moment to consider whether the Student Assembly speaks for you. If the answer is no, consider this: Michael Sevi and Aly Rahim are the only ones that have put forth a substantial and expansive plan that offers real changes for the coming year.
