Student Government is broken.

We’ve seen it all over the course of this year. Resignations have been occurring at an unforeseen rate as people grow frustrated. Student Government can’t even seem to follow the very laws that govern it. Worst of all, there’s been very little sense of direction from the executive board to remedy these concerns.

In President Thania Hernandez ‘25’s own words, Student Government is facing “basically an emergency at this point.”

I’d argue that Student Government’s system of selecting a few representatives for every class has left these problems worse.

Executive board elections remain depressingly ignored because there are very few willing or eligible candidates for such positions. That’s a government more indicative of Laos than Lafayette. Many students feel locked out of Student Government with little voice, forced to pick between a candidate they feel doesn’t represent them or no one at all.

There’s also been a massive gap between the sentiments of Student Government and the general body. With no effective accountability mechanism for representatives outside of the executive board, it’s a problem that will only continue to worsen.

Simply put, Student Government feels unresponsive with little incentive to make things happen, in part because their positions are so highly insulated.

It’s time for a change. I have the experience and the ideas to bring just that.

During my time as The Lafayette’s Student Government correspondent, I held Student Government’s feet to the fire, helping bring executive board negligence and $3,000 worth of wasteful retreat spending to light. With this, alongside my four years of experience with Robert’s Rules of Order, I know what it takes to hold Student Government accountable.

As Parliamentarian, I’ll make sure that Student Government is actually following its own rules, and with all the constitutional and procedural knowledge that’s been lost due to resignations, I’ll bring stability.

If elected, I’ll fight for constitutional reform that Student Government sorely needs.

I will advocate for the implementation of at-large representative seats for every class. This will hold Student Government directly accountable to you, making them look at the broader impacts the decisions they make have.

I’ll push for recording every session of Student Government to bring forward the transparency that you, the students, are entitled to. You deserve easy access to the decisions being made that will impact you, and Student Government ought to have the courage to put its ideas up to face public scrutiny.

Lastly, I’ll help rebuild communication between Student Government and The Lafayette, because a healthy democracy can only thrive with people willing and able to hold it to account.

The job of a public servant should be serving you, the people. If elected, I will uphold that standard every day I’m in office.

I have the courage, conviction and character to get things moving again. If you’re ready for better, vote for me and let’s make it happen.

William Gutiérrez ’27 is a candidate for Student Government parliamentarian.