It is that time of the year again, election time. Students should pay attention not just to presidential election, but also to the student government  election at Eastern.

Students will be able to vote Wednesday and Thursday via email for who will represent their interests in student matters on campus.

This year, we have six students who are running for four different executive positions, including the vice president for student affairs, vice president for academic affairs, the executive vice president and of course, the student body president. Students also can vote for student senators to represent them.

Some students may not be familiar with what exactly is student government and what are the different responsibilities that the members are tasked with.

Voting for student government is something that every student should take seriously. The students involved with Student Senate are not only involved within their own student government, but they also play important roles in different committees with members of the faculty.

For instance, members of student government are also a part of the Council on Academic Affairs, which is in charge of deciding what new courses should be made available to students as well as what current courses need revisions, and the executive vice president of student government is also a member of the Board of Trustees.

The student government also comes up with different events for students to participate in, such as the “Prowlin’ with the Prez,” which allows students to interact with President David Glassman in different activities.

The important thing to take away from student government is that they are students, just like everyone else.

They are here to fight for the students’ needs and rights, whether that is through being a liason with the administration or passing their own bills.

Some students may feel like the student government does not do much, but the fact of the matter is that they are there for the students. The voting process is quite simple. It should not take too much out of anyone’s day, but it still counts.

If you have complaints later that you do not believe the student government is doing its job, then you will have more of a leg to stand on with your concerns if you actually voted. Do not just say something after the fact, but be part of the decision now.

The members of the student government are the ones we choose to hear our voices and take action on what is important to us.