The new Student Senate president and vice president, besides juggling a nearly $5 million budget and bringing change to the campus and community, will have to work hard to combat student apathy and get students more involved in Senate matters.

With many strong Senate leaders graduating, the leadership vacuum must be filled by the strongest all-around candidates.

Of the three presidential tickets interviewed by The Spectator’s editorial board, Scott Olson and Dawn Snyder came across as the most solid candidates to deal with these challenges.

The tickets of Chad Wade and Meredith Marx and Bob Bourgeois and Lindsey Nelson would bring strong leadership with varying degrees of experience and fresh ideas. But Olson and Snyder strike a good balance between a knowledge of the Senate and community affairs and approachability.

Olson and Snyder have impressive experience within the Senate. Olson is familiar with different types of student government from his experiences at UW-Barron County and UW-Eau Claire, including working on the Information Technology Commission, Intergovernmental Affairs and he worked with the Board of Regents. Snyder has served on many committees, including the Academic Affairs Commission and various finance commissions. Senate’s budget is quite a bit of money to be responsible for, and their broad experience will prove valuable in decision-making.

They have strong on- and off-campus experience as well; Snyder is an RA and has served on the Oak Ridge Hall Council, while Olson has worked extensively with neighborhood organizations in the community. Broad experience outside of Senate is important, especially in light of recent run-ins the university has had with some Third Ward residents.

Olson’s calmness and Snyder’s energy complement each other. They are approachable and would work proactively to get more students involved and caring about Senate. Together, they are capable of bringing positive change to the university.