Many students were upset with the current student body president this year – some even called for his removal. But they only have themselves to blame.

A lowly 990 students voted in the Student Government presidential election last year. Sure, there was only one presidential candidate, but things are different this year. There are four presidential tickets on the ballot.

With the election quickly approaching, I’ve compiled the top three reasons why you should give a damn about SG and voting.

1. SG has $9.6 million of your dollars to spend.

SG’s budget comes from activity and service fees that you pay as a student.

Each candidate wants to implement different things on campus using that money, whether it be free Spotify and Hulu or new dining options. The best part is, they can actually do it.

In the past, SG has created and funded several initiatives for students such as discounted Lyft rides, parking ticket forgiveness, and discounts at certain dining and retail outlets.

Take a look at each candidate’s plans to spend their multi-million-dollar budget and make sure they’re using it the way you want them to. After all, it’s your money.

2. The student body president has a say in major university decisions.

The student body president not only approves or denies initiatives, but they also sit on one of, if not the, most important boards at the university: the Board of Trustees.

The Board of Trustees, which you can read about here, makes essentially all the big decisions that affect the university. The 13 members of the board can decide everything from what warrants an elevator repair to what kind of funding a research project gets.

The student body president acts as a student voice on the board to make sure the decisions are aligning with what students want. Make sure to elect someone that you’re confident will stand up for what’s best for you.

3. SG members are meant to represent you.

According to the most recent FAU Diversity Report, 19.8% of enrolled students were Black, 26.5% were Hispanic, and 4.5% were Asian, making the university one of the most diverse in the state.

SG as an entity is meant to represent the student body to not only university officials, but to state officials. Every year, SG representatives travel to Tallahassee to lobby for funding for university projects, such as additional medical resources on campus and advancing artificial intelligence research.

As you flip through these pages, keep in mind how you want SG leaders to represent you this year.

Someone in this issue will become your next student body president. Make sure you have a say in who it is by voting on Feb. 22 through Owl Central.

Kendall Little is the Editor-in-Chief for the University Press. For more information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet her @klittlewrites.