Letter to the editor

Senate actions inadequate

I would like to thank all the students who worked and followed the rules to support their viewpoint in the recent United Council referendum. Many students spent their personal time working in the last few weeks of the semester. During a time when demands for classes are the highest, they sacrificed and worked honestly for what they believed in.

Other students did not follow the election rules. The action by these students was in clear violation of election rules. The Student Senate punished the College Republicans with a “reprimand” for their actions. The actions by the rule-breaking students show how little respect they have for election rules, and for all of the hardworking honest students here at UW-River Falls.

I think that a reprimand is entirely insufficient punishment for these violators. Elections are a form of public contract between all of the students here at UWRF. When this contract is broken by a few, they take away from all of the hard work put in by honest students. What kind of message are we sending when we say it is OK to cheat in elections... the punishment is a... reprimand? We have seen a pattern of behavior from these students that indicate they will continue to disrespect our elections in the future, for the good of the University and for the rights of all the honest hardworking students who were cheated there need to be immediate and severe consequences for their behavior.

I am calling for the University administration to follow UWS system policy as outlined in UWS 17.03 (4) (b) and punish the students that cheated and violated UWS policy. Fair and clean elections are America’s last defense against tyranny. Why is the Republican Party incapable of respecting clean and fair elections?

Ben Plunkett
Student