With the University Student Government (USG) General Election just a few months away, new hopefuls will soon enter school politics. Old candidates will also run once more, but some of them for different positions.
Role-shifting is a common phenomenon in the USG, according to Chief Legislator Mj Sy. “Students [shift] positions in the elections for many reasons. Wanting to try another position or having current position that is not a good fit for them are the usual reasons. In my experience, incumbent officers usually have more freedom to choose the position they want to run for,” she shares.
The benefit of greater formational opportunities also counts as another reason. Kat Regalado, last year’s Student Council Vice President for Activities, shares from her experience that role-shifting may equip student leaders with more knowledge and experience that they will need for higher office.
“Those who want to be part of the executive committee of the USG will be more equipped for the big positions if they have diverse experiences,” Regalado informs.
Karina Velasco, Batch President of the College of Computer Science’s (CCS) Catch2T13, was a Legislative Assembly (LA) representative before she shifted to her current position. “After a term in a certain position, an officer will be able to assess his or her performance. If he or she thinks that he or she will be able to maximize his or her abilities more and perform better in another position, it’s best to shift.”
However, the issue of commitment and lack of experience sometimes arise from the different demands of the different positions. Sy explains that role-shifting can hinder the continuous growth and experience an officer could gain by staying in one position.
“In my case, I stayed in the LA for three years. This allowed me to accumulate knowledge and experience in legislative matters, which I could impart in our LA sessions. This allows me to serve my constituents better. An officer can perform better in a position if he or she vies for the same position rather than taking different positions,” Sy furthers.
“Being a legislative assembly representative before helped me as a batch president. Being aware of the different University issues helped me develop activities that will be relevant to the needs of the students,” Velasco also shares.
Ralph Bragancia, Outer Core Vice President of Iisang Tugon Sa Tawag ng Panahon (Santugon), shares that while preparations for specific positions are given importance by the party, their focus lies on modules that are more centered on the needs of becoming a leader.
“It is very important that the officer should understand the position he or she is running for. Historically, we have allowed previous incumbents to transfer positions because there is really nothing wrong with that,” Bragancia adds.
In an LA meeting covered by The Lasallian, an LA representative admitted that she was not aware of the changes in the Election Code that was revised last academic year because she held a different position prior to becoming an LA representative. These inconsistencies in the mastery of the role an officer ran for can hamper the operations of the USG.
“We don’t just do this [let officers run for another position] without proper consultation,” Bragancia defends. However, the candidate still has the final say whether he or she will pursue a different position.
While role-shifting can be an opportunity to widen scope, it still involves responsibility and a doubled effort toward fulfilling new roles productively. “You can always learn things and adapt to new environments if your passion is there. The important thing is that each officer remains dedicated and fulfills his or her responsibilities,” Velasco ends.
