As an involved and proud student at the University of Iowa, and an informed voter who looked into both UISG parties extensively, I was incredibly embarrassed at an editorial printed in the DI titled "No change to toss around" on April 2. Many statements found in the editorial served as an injustice to both parties.

First, let me say that both parties performed in-depth research in regards to the ideas surrounding their platforms, and the goals of each party were completely viable. Both the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the I Party and the #Party have served a minimum of two years on student government. Therefore, all party leaders have a strong sense of what UISG is capable of and what students want to see changed.

There was no "elitist attitude" present in either party. Jessie Tobin, the vice-presidential candidate for the I Party, iterated its desire to "improve student’s daily lives."

Likewise, the vice-presidential candidate for the #Party, Nick Rolston, stressed at the debate that "we have seven main goals, but the platform is flexible, and we want to hear what the students want."

In addition, to clarify from the DI‘s editorial, the five $1,000 Engage scholarships to be given if the #Party had been elected would have a few qualifications besides being highly involved: being a student at the University of Iowa but not being a part of UISG. In addition, none of the student government’s funds affect our staff’s salaries, and therefore, it is a moot point.

While the main platforms largely reflected each other, the details and the leadership of the parties largely differed.

That sustainability, safety, and improving the transparency of UISG have been frequently debated topics in the past weeks only speaks to the need for these issues to be addressed in a serious manner. Both parties were in the process of increasing awareness and interest of both voting and UISG in general. By looking further into their platforms, many unique differences could found between their details and approaches and could be easily found on their respective Facebook pages.

Finally, it is student government that partakes in the ongoing lobbying to receive more funds from the state of Iowa to lower tuition. UISG has and will continue to have a large effect, whether it is bringing recycling to campus (not just making it easier) or changing finals scheduling policies, taking less stress off of students.

Student government will be there to respond to what the students want and will continue to make large, positive, and useful effects on the campus. With that in mind, the election in fact did have an utmost importance to the University of Iowa, and it is capable of bringing about much needed changes to the campus.