Your vote counts...sort of

By Hannah Groah, Campus Life Senior Writer

May 16, 2007 | 2:15 a.m.

Ohio University students will vote Thursday regarding the confidence they have in the current McDavis administration, but no direct action will come of Issue One.

“Formally, that feedback doesn’t have any influence,” Student Trustee Micah Mitchell said about the upcoming vote of confidence. “There’s no bearing on whether or not [President Roderick McDavis] keeps his job."

Student Trustee Lydia Gerthoffer still urges students to use their voices on Thursday to express any concerns or praise they have with the current administration, even if the outcome won’t cause McDavis to step down. “It’s not that nothing would happen,” she said, “the Board of Trustees will take seriously what students say."

Mitchell said the outcome of the vote will be a chance for students to tell the McDavis administration and the Board of Trustees how they feel. “This is an opportunity for people to submit their concerns in a constructive way,” Mitchell said.

Issue One first asks students three general questions regarding students' opinions of the McDavis administration and finally culminates in a yes or no vote on the confidence students have in President McDavis and his current administration.

According to the Web Site GetInformedOU.com the first two questions ask students if they feel the current administration seeks out and respects student opinions. The third questions asks if students feel the administration is makes budgeting and financial information available.

Gerthoffer said the original four questions proposed for the ballot by Students for Effective Leadership were misleading. “Student Senate felt they were pretty biased,” she said and so words were changed and a numbered scale was added to the first three questions to neutralize the wording.

With electronic voting available from any computer on Thursday May 17th from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on-site voting at College Gate, Ping and Baker Center, students will finally have the chance to put their tuition money where their mouths are. While the lack of action may be frustrating, a ballot issue like the one in this year’s election is rare. So take the opportunity to vote. It doesn’t matter who or what for, just vote.

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Learn more about the Student Senate presidential candidates:
Tim Vonville
Will Klatt
Shane Tilton
Patrick Heery