No Opposition, No Conversation

Rarely have fame, power, and privilege not tempted Harvard students—but this year’s Undergraduate Council (UC) election threatens to be one for the books.

With less than two weeks before the deadline for candidacy declarations, only one established ticket has emerged. In confirming the bid of current UC Vice President Matthew L. Sundquist ’09 and Finance Committee Chair Randall S. Sarafa ’09 for the UC presidency and vice presidency, UC insiders have suggested that there will likely be no other candidates who are currently UC representatives. Even more troubling, no potential outsider candidates have come to the fore.

An uncontested race adversely affects not only the entertainment value, but also the quality of its outcome. Competition pushes all participants to be sharper, more innovative, and more accountable. A multiplicity of voices and platforms widens the scope and depth of issues raised during the campaign.

Though Sundquist has long been an obvious contender for the top UC spot as only the fourth non-junior in UC history to be elected vice president, experience, name recognition, and the clout of the UC political machine are not everything. Far more important are the vision and ideas that the UC president brings to the table.

Every additional entry into the UC race increases options and improves the discourse over the course of Harvard College that occurs each fall. The result is a better outcome for all students, no matter who the victors are.