This week, the Daily Texan Forum will focus on Student Government. With the election of Xavier Rotnofsky and Rohit Mandalapu, the removal of the Jefferson Davis statue, a contentious vote on divestment and a 24/5 PCL, Student Government has rarely been such an attention grabbing force on campus as it is now. And yet while SG action grabs national headlines, student engagement in the organization remains low.

This week, the forum will explore the important work student government is doing, and how students can continue to be involved. While some may not realize it, SG fills many roles on our campus, from registering students to vote, to providing them with safe walks home. SG also remains a large source of funding for student organizations from all walks of life on campus.

In years past, many have viewed SG as a club for specific groups, disproportionately dominated by certain social circles. With new leadership and progress in advancing social causes on campus, the 2015-2016 iteration of student government has sought to dispel those feelings, and make SG more accessible to students, often through the use of humor and social media. 

While student turnout in elections remains low, our guest columnists will speak to the important work our Student Government is doing, and how students can step up to help their efforts, and hopefully help students become more engaged and dialed into their campus community. And the engagement does not stop here — SG President Xavier Rotnofsky and Vice President Rohit Mandalapu will join Daily Texan Editor-in-Chief Claire Smith for a moderated discussion at 11 a.m.Thursday in the Texas Union Theatre. Join us for “The Texan Talks” and learn about how SG is currently serving students.

Fountain is a government senior from Pelham, New York.