Cara Bilotta’s term as the first president of Vanderbilt Student Government has concluded, as has a far more productive year than has been seen in recent memory.

Bilotta saw success in the large majority of the areas she outlined last year when campaigning. That success covers a wide and varied group of initiatives ranging from the way in which student money is allocated to housing ballot point simplification, from weekend social issues like Vandy Vans and the tailgate lot to extended Varsity Market hours and Taste of Nashville expansion, as well as the addition of the USA Today Collegiate Readership Program.

While none of these accomplishments involved revolutionary change, collectively they amount to quite a bit of success. In considering these developments, the editorial board finds that each reflects an enthusiastic yet realistic approach to noted student wishes and concerns, while always seeking to infuse the undergraduate experience with greater fairness. A drive for this fairness, though, would have been pointless without concrete accomplishment — Bilotta’s legacy will be one of refreshing action.

Her tenure’s success sets a higher standard for VSG as a body than might have otherwise occurred. In many organizations, the first year following a major structural change involves a fair bit of posturing and sluggish responses, in the name of transition. Bilotta did not follow this model and, hopefully, that will translate into a foundation to build on for VSG President Joseph Williams.

Moreover, Bilotta seems to balance and embody many of the traits that comprise the superlative Vanderbilt student: a commitment to academics and deep involvement in the campus community while maintaining a social life — and a larger perspective on how those components should fit together.

We always seek student leaders who can both represent our interests and reflect who we are as a student body and, in many ways, Bilotta succeeded in both regards.