Now that campaigning for Student Assembly positions has officially begun, the candidates are doing all they can to publicize themselves and their platforms. Amongst many diverse ideas, one thing many of the candidates have in common is their failure to explain how they plan to accomplish these goals.

One objective mentioned by several candidates is to extend library hours. Yet none of these students mention whether they have contacted the library to even see if this plan is feasible. The candidates are all keen to spout ideas on improving Cornell, but few offer evidence that they have researched the implementation of these proposals. And if this research has been conducted, many of the students neglect to publicize the actions they will take towards executing their platforms once elected.

This idea of extending library hours and many of the others proposed by the candidates call for additions or expansions to University services, but none of the S.A. hopefuls state how they plan to pay for these add-ons. At a time when the University faces budget cuts and a hiring freeze, there is little mention of how Cornell would be able to afford such changes.

But students voting in this election must also realize what is even possible for a member of the S.A. to do; fulfilling these candidates’ goals is not as simple as electing candidates and waiting for them to draft resolutions. Once a resolution has passed, its requests are far from being fulfilled.

When resolutions involve the Department of Campus Life or the Office of the Dean of Students, these offices must consider and respond to the requests. The two departments must entertain the possibility of honoring S.A. resolutions, but in fact, have no obligation to do so.

For all other University departments, however, the S.A.’s resolutions are suggestions alone, made on behalf of students. While a certain level of respect is certainly given to the S.A.’s resolutions, University departments have no obligation to adhere — or even respond — to them.

For example, should the S.A. resolve that all students receive free bus passes, the University’s Department of Transportation and Mail Services would be under no obligation to read or respond to the resolution — let alone pass it.

The available campaign materials of many of the candidates suggest that several great ideas rest on the table. As S.A. elections approach, however, the candidates must do more research to determine the feasibility of these proposals, and publicize some practical plans. As it stands now, many of the candidates sound like that guy from middle school who promised free soda at lunch in his student council campaign.

It does not have to be this way. There’s still time for the candidates to flesh out their plans and present them to a student body that has a better understanding of what the Student Assembly is capable of doing.