Expediency? That was the reason given for shortening the campaigning time of candidates for Undergraduate Student Government.

What about quality?

With all of the turmoil that has mired USG this school year, the last thing students need is to have less time to hear the platforms of the various USG hopefuls.

An informed decision is one that is made when a person can hear all of the views presented, deliberate, and choose the candidate that best represents his/her position.

By cutting a week off campaigning time, making an informed decision becomes harder. Students have to balance their normal schedule, which includes classes, work, and other activities. It is difficult to find time to meet the candidates and hear what they have to say.

To get around that problem, those running for office often meet with different students groups. This is a major way of campaigning and that has been severely hindered due to this decision to cut the time candidates could present their platform publicly.

Many organizations meet on the same day, and at conflicting times for candidates. With over two weeks, it was much easier for candidates to find times to meet with individuals clubs, which is important for them to get to know their possible constituency and tell people what they intend to do if elected.

Also, this USG decision hurts organizations with a smaller number of members.

The candidates know that their time is limited, and they have to be efficient in the way they spend their time campaigning. Larger organizations will be targeted, while other clubs will be slighted.

Are these students of smaller groups less important? They are just victims of expediency.

But, as we have seen with the 2000 presidential election, every vote counts.

There are seven presidential tickets this year. The voters deserve to hear the ideas of all parties, and the candidates should have the right to present their views in full.

Talking with student groups allows the group members to raise their own personal concerns to the future leaders of USG. Small groups have valid opinions, but their voices aren't likely to be heard this year.

During the USG meeting that produced more "efficient" elections, the amount of money that candidates will be able to spend also decreased.

On the surface, this result will make election fairer. But, with less time to campaign, and less money to spend, the candidates that have connections to larger clubs have more of an advantage. Flier violations have been abolished as well. Candidates are allowed to post fliers on top of the publications of others. This is blatant cutthroat politics, and this has no place in the upcoming elections.

Student government is supposed to be the voice of the people. Elections are supposed to be the ultimate declaration of the choice of the people.

They are not an imposition on the students, as one senator said. The shortened campaign serves as a way to actually censor some of the student body.

This is the complete antithesis of the purpose of USG.