As elections come to an end, Students for Change are clearing their name after allegations the Students Empowerment Party have ruled against them. President Japneet Singh is making it clear that all accusations are false.
“The biggest allegation they have is that we aren’t transparent,” Singh said.
“However, no one from their team has asked any questions regarding anything we’ve done this past year. As for their claim that we “hide” our budgets, it’s just false. All our records are public. We have repeatedly told them of this fact, however, like any new party, they need some form of propaganda to gain support.”
Students on campus will ultimately be the ones to decide which political party will win. As every vote counts, the student general elections take place online with e-ballots, providing students with the opportunity to vote while at work, home or school. Students will also have access to computers on campus whether it’s in the library or the computer labs.
“I think it’s extremely important that every student here at QC participates in this year’s elections,” said sophomore Whitney Peralta. “I believe that every vote counts and we need to speak up on things that we don’t like. If we don’t express our concerns, how do we expect to see change. I also feel that our student government parties need to become more pro-active on campus, so that students can be informed on how to go about expressing their concerns and seeing the results they want.”
Many have yet to even be in- formed about the student government on campus, not knowing which party is in office, or the changes Student Association has implemented. That can make election week extra challenging, as student’s aren’t informed to vote. Many students are contemplating whether they should even vote in this year’s election, being extremely hesitant because they have yet to understand how both political parties can actively respond to their needs.
“When I first started at Queens College, I didn’t even know stu- dent government existed,” Kristina Santisteban, a senior sociology major said.
“My second semester I started hearing more and more about SFC. Still then I was never really interested in voting, because I wasn’t really informed on how voting would benefit me. Before voting or making any decisions regarding the student government, I would like to know more about both parties and how they plan to better our campus.”
Being that election week is coming to a close, both SFC and SEP students are going around campus trying to convince students to participate in the election. Walking around with tablets, flyers, and palm cards in hand for students to read about what’s going on and convince them to submit their votes.
Chanthall Peralta, a junior sociology major, believes that SEP, needs to be active on campus. “I’ve heard about SFC, and I’ve even spoken to a few of the members. They’re always asking me about what changes I would like to see on campus. I believe they take our feedback into consideration and try to make those changes. Everything takes time, but that’s why we need to vote so that our voices are heard. However, SEP, I feel doesn’t make much of an effort to learn about how they can help us.”
Many students refuse to vote due to the experiences they face throughout the week.
An anonymous QC junior stated, “I understand it is difficult to get students to vote, however with one party having tablets out and another with strips of paper, it get’s a little overwhelming.”
Regardless, as election week ends, QC students are encouraged to vote and get involved both on campus and in Student Association, so their voices, thoughts, and concerns are properly addressed.
