Candidate Saucier is a leader

What started out as an idea over an instant message session has now turned into a reality. It took seven more conversations, three meetings and a brainstorming session, but now it is here. Stephen Saucier, a student with little experience in major leadership, no experience in the SGA and nothing but a solid connection with the real student body, is now running for SGA president. Seemingly strung together with toothpicks and rubber bands, Saucier's campaign and platform are indeed built upon a solid truth - the truth that anyone can change this campus, with enough support, the right ideas and a lot of perspiration.

Hesitant at first, Saucier is now going strong and reaching for the role he believes he can truly fill with competence. Why? Because in a simple question he asked me, "Can I do it, and would you help me?" The answer to both was yes - because I, like many other students on this campus, believe that if a person desires to change the community and has the natural ability to do so, he can and should do everything it takes to get in the position to make change happen. When did we stop believing, here in the land of the free, the home of the brave and the heart of Dixie, that any one individual couldn't possess the ability to make it happen? Since when did we stop believing in the common individual? Because if we truly believe that, we have lost faith in the idea of democracy itself - a government of, by and for the people.

Now, some outside observers seem to believe that Saucier's greatest contribution to this campus is in his capacity as the captain of the table tennis team. If that were a disqualifier against running for president - general leadership in a general campus organization - then no one could run for president except the candidate already set up for the position by membership in the SGA. But that team was not just a general group, and that is not his only qualification.

In fact, I would much rather have a student who ran an athletic or competitive team running one of the potentially most powerful organizations on my campus. Who else understands motivating a collective of dedicated, headstrong individuals under trying circumstances? Even if that is just getting a small white ball across a table, I've seen less happen in a Senate meeting.

But as for Saucier's experience here on campus, rumors of his underachievement have gone unchecked here until currently. First and foremost, Saucier is a junior majoring in management information systems. That alone should tell you his work ethic is strong and that he has the analytical abilities to solve some difficult problems during his time in the SGA. That being his major, we can move on to his actual contributions so far: Avanti orientation leader, mentor to computer science students, captain of the table tennis team, participation in multiple sporting events and more. Go ask him. He's more than willing to talk and completely approachable, not a masthead of unfamiliarity.

Finally, as for what Saucier believes in changing, his platform is simple. He wishes to work closely with the Environmental Concerns Committee to ensure that recycling bins are actually emptied regularly, as students have actively observed that many are full to overflowing. Also, Saucier wants to work on some way to ensure that more students actually get to attend football games, and not robbed of that chance by tickets being sold elsewhere. Finally, Saucier would like to work to create temporary "universal" parking spaces across campus, so that students can take care of quick business around key high-traffic areas without penalties or fines.

Ultimately, a lot of this will take a lot of work, but most of it can be done. And the rest, that can actually be started in his reign, but it might simply take longer. But Saucier is a candidate that looks to the long term and doesn't tell anyone what can't be done.

Jacob Summers is a senior majoring in advertising and public relations. He is Stephen Saucier's campaign manager.