Don’t promise something you can’t deliver

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Selena Favela

Paige Hungate, student body president, presents her officer report during the SGA meeting.

It’s been three months since Student Government Association stopped live streaming their Wednesday meetings and not a single one of them have made it on Youtube with captions like the Association promised.

It should go without saying that part of being a representative organization for students, is being open with their constituents. There is no excuse for not doing so and it’s now more important than ever for SGA to be transparent with new additions to Innovation Campus and increasing student fees having to be approved by them.

With the elections coming up in the next few months, constituents would like to know what their representatives have been saying in meetings. It’s time SGA stops hiding and is more open with the student body.

The issue of transparency was made apparent this month when senators worked on legislation over break behind closed doors, failed to tell their constituents, and confusing non-members into thinking that SGA passed a bill separating banquets for outgoing and incoming administrations, among other decisions.

Putting minutes and bills on OrgSync and the student government website isn’t good enough to inform the student population. Like we saw last year, things can happen fast during meetings. Constituents have a right to know what their elected representatives say in regards to legislation that concerns their experience at WSU.

Before promising to upload meetings on Youtube with captions, SGA should’ve done their research and explore more viable options. The enforced standards SGA is basing their decision on takes effect for the 2018-19 school year, but they settled on a rushed decision that has left us with the opposite of what they promised.

In the name of accessibility, SGA pulled a sufficient stream and ensured a promise they simply can’t deliver on.

As we approach election season, decisions are likely to be rushed and contentious debates are likely to take place. Students shouldn’t have to wait to hear what their representatives have to say.