The ASM elections are upon us. (Or didn’t you notice?) Just as in previous years, a critically low number of people are campaigning for Associated Students of Madison Student Council. The only contested seats are for representatives from the College of Letters and Sciences, where 19 students are vying for 12 seats. Many candidates are running on the For Accessibility, Community, and Empowerment of Students slate, comprised largely of activists whose Vote No Coalition defeated ASM’s recent reform efforts.

FACES opposes the Madison Initiative for Undergraduates on principle unless equivalent increases in financial aid are provided to accompany tuition hikes. One member even suggested lowering tuition at the University of Wisconsin. Clearly, the FACES slate does not understand basic economic principles, not least the imperative tuition keep pace with inflation. (They also remain blisteringly unappreciative of Chancellor Biddy Martin’s comprehensive attempts to increase financial aid for lower-middle-class students.)

FACES’ plans for promoting diversity on campus are also misguided. While we do agree refunding the PEOPLE program is, in practice, a reasonable move, their central recommendation with regards to what ASM is feasibly able to do is mandating diversity training for all ASM and SSFC representatives. Someone should alert FACES no amount of incessant cheerleading will solve our issues with diversity. Symbolic statements of solidarity and decisions to fund specific diversity initiatives will not bring this campus one millimeter closer to the inclusivity we desire. The best way to advocate for minority representation on campus is to ensure quality, fair-minded representation for all students; the zealotry and grandstanding of FACES misses the point. This grandstanding is equally-evident in FACES’ safety-oriented proposal for more blue light phones near the Southeast residence halls — an anachronistic suggestion which, in the age of universal cell phone usage, leaves us scratching our heads.

All of this neglects the most serious objection to FACES: This candidate slate largely misstates ASM’s role, believing “grassroots activism” can be deployed for any political whim whatsoever. The last thing we need on Student Council is a group of people who spent the past six months apologizing for ASM’s grave institutional flaws and scaring students away from needed reform. Another FACES candidate spoke repeatedly to us about giving “power to the people” — a worthy idea, which traditionally requires clear conceptions of power and clear plans for change. The above policy prescriptions notwithstanding, the FACES platform reveals a tidy assortment of banal platitudes.

One exception from FACES is Sam Stevenson, who claims only nominal affiliations with this ill-conceived platform. Stevenson supports the Madison Initiative, taking a more moderate position on tuition increases, as well as acknowledging a need to tone down the sometimes vitriolic rhetoric that has alienated some students. You could do much worse than voting for Stevenson.

Yet FACES is not the only problem with this year’s ballot. Other candidates have more feasible policy positions but are comparably ignorant of what their responsibilities as ASM representatives would be. Most of these 19 candidates have no business running for ASM. After dismissing both FACES and equally uninformed candidates, we are left with four people who could conceivably do something in these positions; Stevenson is one. Then there’s former Student Services Finance Committee Chair Kurt Gosselin and current SSFC Secretary Tyler Junger, who already have demonstrated informed leadership. Finally, we were impressed by Adam Johnson. Johnson unambiguously supports the Madison Initiative; he also has specific ideas for improving lighting throughout campus and revamping the SAFE program to cut down on frivolous usage.

We wish we could endorse more candidates for ASM, but there’s just nothing to work with here. For now, Gosselin, Junger, Adam Johnson and Stevenson will have to do. These individuals might not ensure that 2009-10 becomes when our sarcophagus of a student government breaks through into meaningful leadership. But voting for them certainly can’t hurt.