The decision to sustain requirements that make it impossible to run for Vanderbilt Student Government president without a year of experience does not bode well for the future of campus government. In this unfortunate rejection of democracy, VSG has opted to insulate itself rather than invite the participation of the entire community.

Students should not be granted unlimited freedoms on this campus, but they should be allowed to elect a president of their choice. If the rest of VSG follows the lead of its current president and maintains this requirement, it will limit that choice and deny the majority of students the opportunity to seek the presidency.

The cultivation of relationships with campus administrators represents one important component of the position, an obviously time-consuming, responsibility-filled job. But an outsider could learn the ropes, and indeed, proven campus leaders from other student organizations could bring valuable experience and a familiarity with the university to the table. Just because these prospective presidents have never been to a VSG meeting does not mean they are any less qualified than a minimally involved member of VSG.

VSG not only asserts its own arrogance with this move, but it could also prevent important issues that have not arisen in their own meetings and day-to-day experiences from entering into the debate. VSG, if it maintains this rule, will engage only with itself as it decides its future, rather than the general student body.

VSG members can use their influence to sway student opinion toward certain candidates, and the student body will most likely continue to elect experienced members of the organization to lead it. The current president should not assume the lay student cannot comprehend VSG operations, however. She should assist the students’ choice with the transition, no matter his or her personal experience at Vanderbilt.