Responsibilities begin day one

WE SAY Btown must carefully prioritize campaign promises.

After the unofficial vote count declared the Btown ticket had won the IU Student Association elections, we cautiously noted that “it seems Btown has won an IUSA election that won’t have to be decided by the IUSA Supreme Court.”

Students will eventually forget the election debacles that took down the Kirkwood ticket in the 2008 IUSA elections. It seems this year’s election will help them forget faster.

Aside from some ethical qualms about campaigning inside Kilroy’s Bar N’ Grill, a tactic used by both Red-Hot and Btown, there were no complaints filed about the individual tickets. Btown did receive a fine for not compiling its financial statements properly, but this was largely a technicality.

The IUSA Supreme Court certified Btown’s victory. The administration took office yesterday.

Even though students are winding down their academic year, many in the Btown administration will spend this summer figuring budgets, drafting proposals and strengthening contacts. Given the importance of time for an organization that changes administration every year, we hope Btown will carefully prioritize its campaign promises.

Most importantly, it should scrap its initiative to install cameras monitoring high traffic areas in the HPER and SRSC. Making live video of students exercising on treadmills available online is unlikely to relieve gym congestion and reduces students’ privacy.

Btown would be wise to focus on propositions that actually benefit students. Transportation funds from the state are available for the IU Campus Bus Service, but the University has been hesitant to apply for them. The reason is that funds are limited and IU administrators have been worried about sapping funds from other municipalities.

But the IU Campus Bus Services is likely one of the most used in the state, and so far the money for it has come from student fees.

Red-Hot mentioned the need for state funds in its campaign. While IUSA can only have so much influence on securing these funds, they can play a vital role in rallying student opinion.

Btown is planning task forces for a bike rental program of questionable utility and gym cameras that might not be worth the cost.

They should keep in mind that transportation remains an area where IUSA can genuinely advance the interests of students.