Here we go again; upper-level undergrad students running around campus flyering, displaying catchy logo advertisements and ultimately seeking to build their résumés by becoming the next Student Body President. 

For decades, this general trend of outlandish claim-making and grandiose platforms of the imagination has done little to alter policy at N.C. State. Voting for a candidate only further inflates their ego and encourages them to consider a career as a full-time politician or elite CEO. 

In all reality, these figure heads are but a rubber stamp for the administration which serves the political function of claiming student body actually participated in the decisions of the university. This makes the ‘leader of the pack’ but a branded court jester to keep students focused on trivial spectacularism, rather than concerned about their quality of education.  

This observation of petty theatrics could be applied to the larger student government generally – however, it is worth mentioning that some of them control student appropriation funds, which certainly has a degree of decision-making power. Given this year’s rat race performance from the appropriations committee, a significant portion of student funding was cut from this year’s and next year’s budgets of certain student organizations across campus (despite fees increasing). Beyond that, most decision-making policies are formulated behind closed doors in the stratosphere above the students’ and faculty’s heads. 

When we come to terms with the fact that individual students have less than 1/100 percent policy power on campus (relative to the state legislature, large private donors, Board of Governors, and Board of Trustees), a social movement becomes a necessity. Preferably, something that restores the student interest to the center of the university and has a lasting effect by altering the financial and grander policy structure. 

It is worth mentioning three SBP outliers within our university’s recent history: Cathy Sterling, who led a colossal anti-war demonstration in a flower dress (1971); Darryl Willie with help from Andrew Payne (2001), who also coordinated a sizeable movement; and the Pirate Captain (2005). Payne, as a previous UNCASG president, has remained a devoted student advocate and served as a representative at last year’s Feb. 10 BOG tuition hike meeting. During the event, he was dragged from the building and arrested (on charges which were quickly dismissed). Shortly thereafter, UNCASG President Tom Ross and the board passed the 8.8 percent hike before sneaking out the back door when droves of chanting students gained access to the room. 

Granted, the Pirate simply exposed the mockery of student government by receiving 58 percent of the vote and Mr. Piavis was eventually forced to expose his identity — his running plank was certainly worth the honorable mention in the tuition fight. Both Sterling and Willie helped lead sizeable student demonstrations from the Bell Tower which engulfed the capitol in students with specific demands. However, their leadership cannot be seen as the driving force of something much larger than themselves, but rather as an example of what a SBP is supposed to be — a representative of student discontent.

In light of the new BOG five-year plan, Governor McCroy’s recent asinine commentary and expected cuts to the national education budget to be felt in next year’s tuition hikes, let’s view the upcoming grim electoral season for what it is: a puppet show of careerism in N.C. State’s 11th hour as a public land-grant university.  

Why not try something new and consider taking alternative forms of political action. Perhaps we could consider voting on something that actually mattered, such as a vote of no confidence to the Board of Governors, requesting Mr. Woodson’s pay raise and Mary Easley’s paycheck to help overcome cuts in financial aid, for more class sections with better faculty appointments, banning sweatshop apparel, amending the current PRR, becoming a fossil fuel free university, elect a new 2013 Board of Trustees, or even something as simple as making all University meetings open to student participation.