Recipe for campaigning on campus at St. Olaf:

Ingredients:

~3 words to form campaign slogan ­ some sort of rhyme scheme or alliteration preferable

~1 headshot ­ the cheesier the better

~1 large white sheet of paper

Take picture, use copy machine to blow up to 2.5 times actual size of your head. Plaster on large white sheet of paper, placing three words in bold underneath. Hang on balcony of Caf for a week before the election. Results guaranteed to please apathetic campus.

With St. Olaf's own Election Day 2001 coming Mar. 5, the typical promotional posters have littered the hallways of our campus. But really, how does this year differ from other years? The railings of Stav Dining Hall are draped with larger than life pictures of candidates, with three word campaign slogans in big bold lettering underneath. What do these posters hope to accomplish? Because we can visualize the candidates ­ enhanced by their goofy grins ­ does that make them a better candidate for the position?

No.

This is not a popularity contest. It's not about who has the best posters.

How much do you really know about the people running for President and Vice President? Do you know the powers that go with the position or what they hope to accomplish? What about the Student Activities Committee? How many people even know what BORSC or DCC stands for?

There is an incredible lack of understanding about SGA in its entirety. Everybody in the St. Olaf community is invited to the meetings each week, yet visitors rarely grace the cushy chairs of the boardroom. Most students don't even know what these meetings are about. What is the point of having all these elected officials sit around, talk for a few hours, and then form committees to talk even more?

The behind-the-scenes nature of Senate makes being a member a thankless job. Although only a few controversial issues have risen this year, such as the sweatshop debate and the Roast dialogue, SGA represents the student voice. These senators defend all of us before the administration and protect our rights as individuals. They are heavily involved in the CAP fee allocation process and ensure integrity within the community.

Next Monday, we will elect the leaders of our student body for the 2001-02 school year, and these individuals will have a monstrous task ahead of them. Once the glory of election night has worn off, they have hours upon hours to schedule, plan and organize for next year. They will represent us in all their actions ­ both in the public eye and behind office doors.

When you grab your candy and ballot as you walk away from the polls this Monday ­ if you aren't laden with guilt for not properly informing yourself about the candidates ­ remember it's not about who has the best posters. It's about character.