EDITORIAL: An agenda proposal to SGA

Last November’s elections shifted the political climate of the nation and instilled a sense of action and change in many people. Today Villanova is experiencing its own version of political revitalization in the form of the Student Government Association’s elections. The potential impact of the newly-elected officials should not be underestimated. Those who will be voted into office will have the power to represent the student body and incorporate the changes the student body seeks. This being true, there are several important issues the newly-elected officials – who ever they may be – should look into.

First and foremost is the lottery system. Villanova basketball serves as a rallying point for the student body, and the manner in which students are admitted into games is always a hot topic. It goes without saying that this past season’s lottery system was a failure: there were no deterrents to trading or selling tickets and no rewards for students who faithfully attended every game. The idea of admission by a WildCard swipe to those who win the lottery will prevent ticket swapping. It is necessary to have a system that, at a negligible cost to students, rewards frequent attendees and penalizes students who fail to take advantage of admission when they are given it.

Another important issue concerns the inexcusable lack of parking facilities on campus. It is bad enough that students must wait until junior year to receive parking privileges, but it is far worse that many students who have the privilege of parking legally often have trouble finding open spots. SGA must consider the illegal parking by students without permits in conjunction with inconsistent enforcement of parking regulations and a general lack of parking spaces.

A third issue SGA should tackle is student concerns with Dining Services. Many locations on campus do not operate at the posted hours, nor so they serve the foods as advertised. Aside from some students’ discontent over the removal of trans fats from University foods and stores, many students are disappointed in the lack of dining options after 9 p.m. Dining Services has won several awards in the past, including a 2004 Ivy Award. However, these awards focus more on Dining Services’ management style, business plan and ability to meet the demand of large-scale events – not for the quality or variety of food. Dining Services, often times in conjunction with SGA, has done a fine job of addressing needs as they have come up. Following this precedent, SGA and Dining Services should interact for the dietary benefits of the student body.

By this time tomorrow, the winners of the SGA elections should be announced, and the newly-elected SGA officers will eagerly await their first tasks. We submit this for their consideration.