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The GW Hatchet

AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Officials name senior vice president, chief of staff
By Fiona Riley, Assistant News Editor • March 26, 2024

Staff editorial: Avoid rancor

Congratulations are in order for Student Association President-elect Phil Robinson. After losing the first election, Robinson comes into office with a commanding 59 percent of the vote in last Wednesday and Thursday’s presidential run-off.

Robinson must do several things to ensure that the partisan rancor and self-important posturing of SA politics does not disable his ability to lead. While Robinson can still make headway with GW administrators without a cooperative Senate or executive vice president, it is in his best interest to get the rest of the SA on board with his agenda.

The SA Senate and Robinson must find a way to work well together despite an apparent petty clash between Josh Singer’s “Working for Us” slate of candidates and other elected students. A phone call placed by Executive Vice President-elect Eric Daleo to presidential candidate Dani Greenspan reminding him that Senators could impede confirmation for any cabinet position because of his support for Robinson is a prime example of pettiness. The “Working for Us” candidates elected by students should move on to next year’s agenda in a cooperative fashion, instead of licking their post-election wounds and vowing revenge.

Even more important is the realization that candidate slate or not, all elected students want one thing: a better student life. There are no opposing parties in student government, so gridlock should be left to the professionals. Daleo’s written statement after learning of the run-off decision is proof of some of the self-important, partisan divides that still exist in the SA. We wish Robinson luck in holding Daleo and senators to their public statements that they look to work together and end the traditional SA politics.

At this point, perhaps Robinson could demonstrate his leadership capability and willingness to quell any remaining post-election animosity by appointing Singer to a position handling one of Singer’s strongest campaign issues – improving academics at GW. Singer obviously has talents in the policy arena that could be put to good use and could lead to some positive change if he is used effectively.

Beyond it all, students must realize that Robinson is in charge.

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