It has become a common theme in American politics to criticize a politician for being a Washington, D.C., “insider” — someone that has spent so much time within the political machine that they have become unconnected and jaded by the system.
However, this is a perception that does not deal in reality. Being an “insider” is not a detriment to a leader’s performance. Instead, it affords experience and knowledge that often lead to being truly effective.
That is why students should vote for Nikita Shamdasani to be their next student body president. The experience she has gained through working with past presidents is invaluable in the fact that it has mounted her platform in reality and instilled her with the knowledge of how to actually get things done.
Through her work with both former presidents Mary Cooper and Will Leimenstoll, Shamadasani has gained valuable insight about the job and the role of the SBP not only on campus, but also within the UNC system.
However, it would be foolish to assume that she will merely be more of the same. Shamdasani knows where her predecessors have faltered and was able to offer concrete solutions to problems found in their administrations.
It was obvious during the editorial board’s time with her that Shamdasani also has a deep knowledge of the bureaucracies that govern the University and UNC system. It is evident that she has the personality to work alongside these leaders, as well as push back to ensure students’ voices are heard.
The Board of Governors and Board of Trustees have the final say on some of the most pressing issues facing UNC, such as gender-neutral housing, tuition hikes and coal divestment. It is extremely important for the president to know how to navigate the waters surrounding theses governing bodies, in order to actually influence their decisions.
Her platform is also inhabited by a strong sense of progress tempered by realistic expectations, something that many candidates often lack. Her strategy regarding divestment from coal offers a perfect example of this modesty.
There are many complications to divesting the University’s endowment from coal. It would be easy to just include coal divestment as a plank in a platform. However, that is not realistic and could result in failure once a roadblock is hit. Shamdasani’s pledge to ensure the BOT creates the working group it has promised is a more sensible and forward-minded solution that could yield actual results.
