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In less than a week, the student body will vote for its new group of Union leaders. Over the coming days, eager and ambitious young people will knock on our doors, post flyers in our bathrooms, and e-mail our club leaders for endorsements in an effort to win our votes.

The student body at large sees the waste of paper and the grandiose speeches and e-mails.

We do not see the back door dealings. And of course, at a university that holds truth and social justice as its highest ideals, we might assume that no such dealings exist. But wherever there is politics, there are politicians, and Brandeis is no different.

As at it stands, only two candidates will vie for the Union presidency, Union Executive Board member Andy Hogan ’11, who some view as the favorite, and Union Senator Philips Loh ’11.

However, three other students showed interest, yet backed out after a meeting with current Union President Jason Gray ’10. While it is certain that some of these students may have reconsidered their ambitions after hearing the hard work that goes into the presidency, it remains highly suspect that the only candidate opposing Hogan did not speak to Gray before signing up to run.

Whether Gray acted improperly remains to be determined; however, it is clear that winning Union office is not solely contingent upon dedication and creativity.

Over the past few years, as one president has paved the way for a hand-picked successor, we have seen that winning is about connections over ideas, support from insiders over broad appeal. From Deis Bikes to study abroad merit aid portability, the Union has achieved enough to demonstrate that it are more than a high school student council. It is time for its politics to catch up.