Letter From The Editor: Hearing all sides

This week SMC will elect a new student government. Voting has commenced and the following week could see an uptick in the political temperature on campus, or there might just be silence. This year's elections have come with a strange serenity. There was little time given for campaigning. The so-called "debate" last Tuesday was more of a Q&A and the fact that only one week was allotted to the entire election cycle raises a big question mark. As a news publication it is our duty to keep track of the political going ons on campus. Even if it means taking a few foam bricks. Last week, after we brought you the story of a recent, public flare up at the last A.S. Board meeting, an A.S. advisor decided to issue a response. The comment was in the style of "How did the Corsair newspaper become worse than TMZ in its reporting? Stop looking for angles that aren't there & take journalism 101 to learn how to report on facts, not your one-sided twisted opinions." Politics always makes for heated climate and in a college campus this is no exception, but we're used to taking the heat, it comes with the job.

In this week's issue A.S. Director of Activities Andrew "Andy" Koo writes us a letter where he tries to clear up the air regarding some of the recent going ons at the Cayton Center. In particular he defends A.S. advisor Sonali Bridges and attempts to clarify the recent debates and slight tensions within the campus student government. We are more than open to criticism as with another letter we are running this week from a cast member from the recent campus production of "Elephant's Graveyard." It is very easy to simply throw an offense in anger, but it is something else to sit down and articulate a response.

It is fitting that this is an issue where voices are being heard because this week a portion of the student body will make its voice heard by electing the new student government. It will be interesting to collect the data of just how much student participation there was in the elections after the winners are announced this week. It might serve as a pulse on how politically engaged the student body is with campus politics.

With spring break around the corner we also invite you to take heed of the information being offered on campus this week as part of "consent month." The issue of consent when regarding sexual relations is an important one as campus sexual assaults remain a serious problem in our society. Even if you plan to copulate with the fellow waiter at work, in these jaded times please still do so consensually. Even when it comes to the evolutionary impulse to procreate, you should fully exercise the right to choose, consent and even back out.

We at The Corsair are preparing to spend the first few days of our spring break at the Journalism Association Of Community Colleges Conference where we will represent SMC and see what other campus publications are up to. The presses are always running and we'll see you soon.

Have a great spring break!