Do you have a problem with life on campus? Hungry during class because of the new ban on food and drink? Frustrated with the new tailgating regulations?

But who will listen? Who will bring your concerns to President Graham Spanier and his buddies at Old Main?

Unfortunately, fellow student, it seems that we are left without a voice. Our student government's traditional role -- acting as our formal ambassador to the administration -- is now in a state of limbo.

Two years ago, former Undergraduate Student Government (USG) President Galen Foulke formed a committee of students, professors and administrators to revamp the current government's constitution. Student apathy toward the government and bickering between the senators led Foulke to propose an entirely new form of representation -- a student advocacy group called the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA).

The current batch of senators disagreed with the proposal. They said the creation process was veiled in secrecy and the administration had too much of a hand in what should be an independent, student-led organization.

This led to more fighting, less progress and a student-body referendum between the new and old government. The average student, who had little information about the dueling bodies and even less motivation to learn, ignored the process.

About 10 percent of all University Park undergraduates -- 4,266 students -- voted in the referendum last semester and about 60 percent of them chose UPUA. Last April, Spanier approved the new body and demoted the 44-year-old USG from the official student voice to a student club.

However, at the moment, UPUA, the new advocacy and student voice, does not exist. There are no officers, no meetings and no leaders. Elections are scheduled to be held Oct. 11, but first the newly formed elections committee and constitution committee need to write elections guidelines, recruit candidates and publicize the changes -- in 37 days.

At least in the past we had a government, though it was one fraught with infighting and other problems. Now, if you're hungry in class or unhappy with the ever-rising student activity fee, the burden falls on you to mount a protest.

To the future leaders of Penn State's undergraduate student body: take note. It's at this time when we are left silenced that we start to see what real student representation could be.