Voter turnout increased by 35% between the 2023 and 2024 University of Connecticut Undergraduate Student Government spring elections, according to reporting by The Daily Campus.
2,254 students voted in last year’s spring election compared to this year’s 3,053. According to the most recent population estimates, roughly 15% of the undergraduate population at UConn voted in the 2024 USG presidential election. The Daily Campus Editorial Board is encouraged by this increase, as we have long advocated for students to make their voices heard on campus in a variety of ways. In keeping with this, we also believe that political involvement at UConn should not be limited to simply voting when USG elections roll around.
We’ve previously covered the host of institutional problems facing UConn, including rampant food insecurity, dwindling support for students who experience sexual violence, continued reliance on fossil fuels, numerous ties to a violent military-industrial complex and a rapidly increasing cost of attendance. USG and other leadership positions are sold as the most accessible avenues through which to solve these issues and advance conditions for students and workers at UConn. However, it is patently clear that, pending dramatic changes to the culture of campus activism, student representatives remain unequipped to combat tuition hikes, the undermining of undergraduate and graduate student labor and underfunding of services like SHaW Mental Health and university cultural centers and programs. Ultimately, it is students themselves who must become more directly involved to combat these problems on campus.
If the last few months have been indicative of anything, there are deep-rooted issues throughout UConn that will have lasting impacts on the undergraduate student population for years to come. As COVID-19 relief funding runs out, UConn is expecting a $70 million deficit starting in July 2024. Additionally, UConn has received a record number of applicants for the class of 2028, according to The Daily Campus. The university received more than 56,700 applications this cycle, expecting approximately 4,350 new undergraduate students to enroll in the Class of 2028, according to UConn Today. Simply put, the university is spreading fewer funds over more students, and combined with impending academic budget cuts, these factors only serve to hurt future undergraduate populations.
The people who are directly impacted by these policies first and foremost are students. This is why undergraduates making their voices heard — loudly and consistently — is paramount. From the countless on-campus student advocacy groups to staying informed about daily news at UConn (a task that our lovely news department does wonderfully), universities are fundamentally better when their students are informed and engaged. While USG lacks the broad administrative power of the board of trustees or upper administration officials, they still are the representatives of the student body, and it’s important to hold them accountable to their promises of transparency and accountability. Promises are great, but it takes an active and engaged undergraduate body to hold their elected leaders accountable.