Anyone can see the writing on the wall … and the sidewalks … and the fliers tacked up everywhere … and the candidates passing out handbills on The Oval. It’s Undergraduate Student Government election time again.
As campaigning winds down and voting begins, it has become a tradition for The Lantern to throw its editorial weight behind a presidential candidate team. To prepare for this, the editorial board met with each of the six teams on the ballot to ask questions about the candidates’ stance on OSU issues.
After listening to the candidates’ views and plans for action, The Lantern gives its endorsement to Chris Bolte and Matt Straka.
Neither Bolte nor Straka has been involved with USG before – but students who are fed up with the stagnant politics of USG may see this as a refreshing change. The team’s idealistic desire for change is a breath of fresh air at the very least – and may even get things done.
Bolte and Straka’s platform is based on lower costs for students – something everyone can get behind – but they are not unrealistic in their expectations of what USG can do about student fees. The two ways they plan to cut costs would easily be within a USG president’s power.
One plan is to scrap the proposed student activity fee. They say the money can be found through simply redistributing the USG budget. Students who oppose the fee will be grateful, and those who are in favor of it will still reap the benefits of a fee without having to pay for it.
Another plan is the pursuit of corporate sponsorship for university facilities.
Almost all the candidates have mentioned the need for a new student union, but Bolte-Straka is the only team to suggest finding a sponsor to pay for the renovations. Some are opposed to this plan because they say the Ohio Union should not be sullied by corporate hands. But most students would likely prefer a free Dave Thomas Memorial Union to a new Ohio Union paid for out of their pockets.
So for the students who plan to vote this week but can’t choose between the blue-chalk candidate and the pink-chalk candidate: you should choose Bolte-Straka. Their blend of down-to-earth realism and a fresh perspective makes them the top choice.
