It’s that time of year when student organizations begin searching for next year’s leadership. Andrew Madock, Student Government president, sent an e-mail to faculty and administrators last week seeking recommendations of qualified candidates and asking faculty to announce SGA openings in their classes.
Not only is he reaching out to faculty, but SG is reaching out to voters as well by sponsoring social events geared toward the coming election.
“So many roles of UT leadership are filled by so few people that reaching out to the deans and faculty and advertising the positions allows new students to realize that so many opportunities are available to them,” said Madock.
His goal was to make as many students as possible aware of SG Executive Board elections so that the many qualified candidates who often go unnoticed consider the position.
Madock is tapping into something genuinely positive about student government and campus leadership; it gives students the possibility to hold positions of leadership that outside of school may not be possible. Like the United States presidency, there are probably many qualified candidates who just do not have the desire to endure the grueling campaign process.
Even more significant and unnoticed in leadership is the immense ability it takes for an individual to shoulder both the duties of the job and the difficulties of being a public figure. Part of the success of this year’s SG is their open acceptance to being public figures while excelling in the everyday minutiae of meetings and paperwork.
Leadership success is not simply holding a position and having a title but answering tough questions from the constituency and the media. It involves listening to criticisms and difficult questions of peers. Responding to a situation with action is something many people could do, but only a few people ever do. Not until another party gained control of Congress has President Bush had to seriously reconsider his policies and adjust them. Initiating change instead of talking about it is what separates leaders from the rest of the pack.
This year SG, The Minaret and P.E.A.C.E., among others, were fortunate to have strong leaders with the intangibles and the motivation to lead student organizations.
UT is an academic institution, but it is what occurs outside the classroom in student life that builds a campus. In the next few weeks, SG elections will occur, and each vote is a building block to someone’s UT experience. That’s why Madock hopes bringing in as many candidates and as many voters as possible to choose the best candidate will build a better UT.