Undergraduate Student Government President (USG) Ian Rosenberger and Vice President Takkeem Morgan won their posts last semester largely in part to four popular, student-aimed platform goals. However, one of these -- the restoration of University Health Services (UHS) class excuse forms, which garnered significant attention and admiration from constituents last spring -- will not happen this year.

UHS Director Margaret Spear said bringing back excuses is not feasible and this perplexes Rosenberger, who told the USG Senate last week that he was frustrated by lack of progress. This is perhaps more surprising than the resistance itself. Didn't Team Step-It-Up realize the vast undertaking that changing an established university policy, implemented just two years ago, entails? After months of discussion, the change in procedure was supported by University Faculty Senate and Academic Assembly -- consequently, a branch of USG.

Whether excuse forms should be re-implemented is not the point. The bigger picture shows that, once again, our USG executives campaigned and won based upon promises that were not researched, nor explored. Had Rosenberger thoroughly investigated this issue, rather than just the surface-level problem, he might have either chosen a more feasible platform, or realized the work needed to reverse a major policy.

But, so is the nature of politics and the history of USG executives. Every election season, a promising team emerges with lofty plans that get students clapping and even voting. But then come fall, it becomes apparent that only one or two of four goals might get accomplished, partly because not all platform goals are feasible.

This isn't to say that Rosenberger and Morgan haven't achieved anything while in office. The team did get downtown lighting in place and have probably been committed to the idea of changing UHS procedure. The problem here is, they should have seen what a tremendous undertaking the excuse issue is and not be surprised by the resistance.

What we can learn from this is, in a few weeks when candidates come forward with platforms, don't be a cynic. Just be aware of what they're pitching -- because the execution is just as important as the promises themselves.