While WSA President Mike Pernick’s decision to seek re-election this spring was not a surprise, the fact that he will be unchallenged in his bid is. Taken at face value, this turn of events suggests either a tacit endorsement of his administration or a general sense of apathy towards the WSA. Ultimately, it would be pointless to endorse Pernick’s unopposed campaign, and it’s also a bit late to call upon the student body to rise up and elect a different leader. Instead, we want to explore the reasons behind this unexciting presidential “race.” Although an unopposed election seems antithetical to a vibrant democratic process, perhaps sacrificing spirited political debate for seasoned leadership is as democratic as multi-candidate elections. 

At the same time, Pernick’s re-election campaign raises questions about Wesleyan students’ attitudes. Are we letting Pernick keep his job because we just don’t care? Or are we so jaded that we think the WSA doesn’t matter in shaping student life? The Wesleyan student body thrives on political debate, and we often throw ourselves into the political process—the hundreds of students celebrating Obama’s victory embody the special place that politics has on campus. So where is this fire, this love of argument and political dogfights? Maybe we are too lazy to care, too caught up in the Connecticut spring to campaign for the most powerful student office.  

On the other hand, this seeming apathy towards Pernick’s continued leadership could be a show of support for his policies and actions as WSA President. He appears to have welcomed opposition candidates, and we commend the WSA for actively trying to recruit students to challenge him. Over the past year Pernick has shown that he is a hard working, honest president who has tackled important issues, and overall, he seems to have increased confidence in the WSA. He takes his job seriously, and has made personal contact and transparency a theme of his administration. So, perhaps this seemingly monarchic re-election gets at the nature of the democratic process—we are ruled by the people, and the people don’t seem to have a problem with Pernick.