The vast majority of the positions on the Student Assembly will be contested this year with one notable exception: president. As The Sun reported Tuesday, current S.A. Executive Vice President Adam Gitlin ’13 will run unopposed for the S.A.’s top position. While Gitlin has proven himself over the course of his time on the S.A. to be a natural leader, and The Sun endorses his candidacy, the students deserve a voice in electing their leadership. Even though he is running unopposed, Gitlin has a responsibility prior to the election to put forth a clear and specific platform informing the student body of his vision for Cornell.

Since his election to the Student Assembly during his first semester on campus, Gitlin has proven himself to be an active member and an influential voice. His previous responsibilities as the S.A. vice president of internal operations and his current role as executive vice president give him a strong understanding of the Assembly’s inner workings. Gitlin has also established himself as a leading advocate for alcohol safety, working on promoting awareness of medical amnesty and spearheading the “Cayuga’s Watchers” initiative. We trust that he will make the transition from overseeing the day-to-day function of the S.A. to crafting the Assembly’s broad view easily and effectively.

However, regardless of our faith in Gitlin’s leadership, the power to vote for S.A. president was given to the student body with the goal of electing a popularly chosen student advocate. Only four years ago, the S.A. voted to grant undergraduates the ability to directly choose their leadership. It is regrettable that this year, with only one candidate for president, students do not have that choice.

Running in a competitive election forces a candidate to create a coherent plan for the S.A. and the University as a whole. During a campaign, students look for a leader who both understands their viewpoints and can articulate his or her own vision. Gitlin has promised to meet with students and student organizations over the campaign period, and to listen to their perspectives. While it is commendable and appropriate for Gitlin to actively seek out the concerns of the student body, listening is not enough. During a campaign, a candidate, whether opposed or not, has an obligation to his or her constituency to develop and publicize a specific set of goals. By choosing to run for the position of S.A. president, Gitlin assumed a responsibility to share his vision for the University’s future with those he would be representing: the entire student body. He has already promised to listen, but he needs to develop a broad platform that appeals to and accounts for all students. We hope he demonstrates this over the course of the next few weeks.

Four years ago, the student body was given an opportunity not just to elect a president, but also to run for this office if they choose to. Engaging in the electoral process on campus, whether as a voter or a candidate, has become the responsibility of the students. No matter how many candidates there are, any election that does not develop a substantive dialogue with the student body would set a bad precedent.

Ben Gitlin, Adam Gitlin’s brother, is The Sun’s Editor-in-Chief. He played no role in writing this editorial.