It’s kind of ironic that last year, a group of students ran for the Student Association Senate claiming they were “students for all students.”

But these “students for ‘all’ students,” in fact, represented only about 10 percent of the student population. They represent the greek population.

If you are a student on-campus, in the residence halls, chances are that your interests will be represented every Sunday night in the Holmes Student Center at the Student Association meetings. Sixteen students from the residence halls fill the on-campus senator seats to represent you.

If you are greek, you have had an excellent opportunity to have your views, choices and opinions supported in those meetings, since last fall, 24 greeks filled the 32 off-campus seats in the student senate.

But, if you have lived anywhere else in DeKalb, forget it!

Last year greeks ran for the off-campus seats in a coalition, i.e. “a temporary alliance of distinct parties, persons or states for joint action or to achieve a common purpose,” (according to Webster’s).

This, in other words means greeks ran with the one purpose of getting themselves elected as a near majority on the senate.

O.K., so let’s get this straight. The SA divides its senate seats into on-campus and off-campus districts so that all students will be represented on campus.

Now the catch is that we have a group of people who run on the idea that “if you vote for one, you can vote for all,” because they all stand for the same thing. Hmmm, I seem to miss the diverse representation in that thinking.

Wouldn’t that sort of defeat the purpose? I mean, running as a group that stands for the same thing?

At one point in time last year, greeks comprised about half of the senate.

The main problem here lies where controversy usually begins: $$$!

First, the Student Association Senate each year allocates more than $500,000 to SA-recognized campus organizations. And guess what? That money was yours.

Second, we have a senate half comprised of greeks voting on how much money to allocate to the Interfraternity Council and how much money to give to any other organization.

So if you have a group of like-minded students making decisions, do you think they’re going to represent a diverse group?

In journalism we have this thing, editors are sort of funny about it. It’s called “conflict of interest.”

A reporter cannot report on a topic that he or she has involvement with, nor can he or she write an editorial commentary on an idea he or she has reported on. This spells BIAS and, well, that sort of gets you into trouble.

So what happens in the SA when it’s time to allocate $$ (for lack of a better word) to your own organization. Don’t even try to say, “no problem, I’m not biased.” Hah!

This can present a problem, so now what do you do to get rid of the bias?

Some former senators have voiced their opinions about redistricting the senate and I think that’s just the kind of balance it needs.

As it stands, the two districts obviously do not represent all students equally.

However, the campus could be more equally represented if seats were divided into at least three districts, giving the greek row area “X” amount of seats, residence halls “X” amount of seats and other heavily student populated areas “X” amount of seats.

Of course, this plan can’t happen until the senate votes it into existence. And that can’t happen until students vote for a senate next week.

In that case I sort of doubt any redistricting will evolve, since once again coalitions are forming.

That is of course, unless you get out and vote for who you want to represent you. Get to know the candidates and make your decision. Just remember, it’s your money and you can decide how you want it spent.