The elections are not over yet

I just do not see what all the fuss is about. In fact, I cannot figure out why everyone is declaring that we have a new president. According to my records, candidates have until Wednesday before they need to declare their candidacy, and elections do not occur until Dec. 5. \n To avoid delay in reporting the results, there will be only three voting stations, and I have been promised the ballots will be as clear as day. I am, of course, talking about the Union Board elections which are quickly approaching. \nThis is your opportunity to decide which 16 students you want to plan educational and entertaining events for the campus for the next year. Better yet, this is your opportunity to run for the Board and take a real leadership role on the Bloomington campus.\nThis year, the Indiana Memorial Union Board of Directors offered more than 300 programs to students. Events ranged from the weekly films series in the IMU to a lecture by Colin Powell, from an evening workshop on how to make origami to a campus forum on the future of music on the Internet. We have tried to provide the community with as broad a range of programming as we know how, and now it is time for a new group of directors to carry the torch. \nApplications are available in the Union Board Office, located on the second floor of the Student Activities Tower of the IMU. \nEach year, the Board reinvents itself, selecting 13 programming committees that will best serve the campus. Examples of committees that have been mainstays on the Board for years include Lectures, Concerts and Films. Others such as the Canvas Committee, which publishes a creative arts magazine each semester, and the IU Late Night Committee, which plans events Friday nights in the Union, have been the brainchilds of recent Boards. \nThe committees might evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of IU students, but the responsibilities of a Union Board Director remain pretty constant over time. They include, but are not limited to, attending weekly Board meetings on Thursday evenings, leading a committee of students to plan events for your particular programming area and spending a minimum of 15 hours in the office per week. \nThis might sound like a lot of work for a volunteer position, but I guarantee you will get more out of Union Board than you put in to it. The amazing people you meet, the skills you learn and the feeling you get when an event you sponsored goes well justify all the time you will invest. Every student, whether undergraduate or graduate, international or native Hoosier, residence hall student or greek student, should pick up an application. You will be glad you did.\nOnce on the ballot, a candidate's work is just beginning. At 7 p.m., Dec. 4 in the IMU Gallery, candidates will take part in a public forum where they will present their platforms and answer questions regarding their candidacy. In addition to the forum, candidates will actively campaign the week before the Dec. 5 election. \nThe election is campus-wide, and all students can vote at the three polling stations: the East Lounge of the IMU, the ground floor of Ballantine Hall and the lobby of the Main Library. \nThe top eight vote-getters in this popular election become Union Board Directors. All candidates not elected go through a selection process that determines the remaining eight student positions on the Board.\nIf I have been unable to convince a few of you to run for a Union Board Directorship, I strongly encourage you to join a Union Board Committee. Any student can serve as a Union Board committee member, and it is a great way to decide which events come to campus without having all of the responsibilities of being a Union Board Director. Each committee meets on a weekly basis, and they could all use your voice. \nE-mail ubpres@indiana.edu if you are interested in learning more about becoming a Union Board director or committee member.