Student Government Association elections are upon us.’ With the elections come a chance for new student representatives to be elected to represent the student body.

It’s also a chance for new relationships to be built, especially with NKU’s student media outlet, The Northerner.

The past year for SGA has been tumultuous. Last spring the SGA election was marred with accusations of cheating, which led to the election being void. In the fall, a special election was held, due to the void in the spring. Due to the delay in electing student government officials, SGA was already more than two months behind in business.

The special election was just the beginning to what would be a year entrapped in controversy, which further cramped the progress of SGA. The last three weeks of the Fall 2009 semester, Vice President Dennis Chaney was impeached and removed and President Keith Kaseke faced an attempted impeachment as well.

We at The Northerner hope the new SGA administration moves in a more positive direction and are able to accomplish what they’ wish to accomplish.

However, if you want people to know what SGA is accomplishing, a good relationship needs to be built with your student media outlet, The Northerner. We are going to be there, but you need to come to us as well. However, if things are going wrong, we will report that – no matter how controversial or negative a story is.

Former SGA President Gabe Cronon embodied the philosophy of building a relationship with student media, often stopping by The Northerner office and tipping The Northerner off to story ideas.

Reaching out to student media will give the faces of SGA a chance to be shown to the student body, further increasing your transparency to the people SGA is suppose to be advocating for – the students.

SGA elections start March 31 and The Northerner has a wealth of coverage planned. It’s a chance for new SGA members, and SGA veterans, to make a difference at his or her university. It’s also a chance to form relationships with The Northerner.