EDITORIAL: The start of the semester calls for student participation

Students can often get caught up in the whirlpool of information that gets thrown their way with the start of the spring semester—the looming graduation dates, the hustle to find open seats in those required courses and the mile-long lines for basic student services.

Yet, amidst all of it, The Beacon implores students to focus in on an often overlooked organization that impacts students’ daily affairs, the Student Government Association.

The student body should understand how crucial their awareness and involvement will be in the upcoming months.  Students, even those who will not be returning next year, should be aware of the impact that decisions made by the SGA will have upon the 2012-2013 academic year.

Throughout this semester, SGA will hold hearings and deliberations upon requests for funding of organizations and facilities across both campuses.  These decisions ultimately lead to how approximately $11,000,000 will be spent.

Some students might feel like this money has no connection to them, but they would be wrong.  These dollars come straight from our wallets, and it is our role as investors in the University to see how this money is spent.

It is imperative that students have an understanding of how our elected student representatives function and the sort of impact we, as a constituency, can have upon the allocation of students’ funds.

The Beacon strongly encourages students to attend their respective Student Government Councils’ meetings, both at Modesto Maidique Campus and Biscayne Bay Campus, to stay up to date with the direction in which these councils are heading.

All SGA meetings, including budget hearings and deliberations, are open to the public and can serve as a forum for all to address their concerns, or for students to just sit in as casual observers. Dates and times are available on sga.fiu.edu and sgabbc.fiu.edu, along with meeting agendas and minutes.

Student involvement and awareness is the only way that a collective University voice can be heard. The easiest way for students to get involved is by participation in SGA elections, which serve to set the pace for the upcoming academic year.

Seeing the importance of SGA elections, The Beacon, will commit its self to presenting students with thorough and consistent coverage on not only key election issues, but on all matters of public record pertaining to our student government in order to provide readers with the information necessary to make informed and accurate decisions to the best of their ability.

With the spring semester comes an opportunity for the student body to collectively impact the decisions that shape this University, and it is our job, as a community, to actively engage in the process.

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