ItâÄôs not easy being a student at the University of Minnesota. Last week, the state Legislature passed higher education finance bills that slash $306 million from current state aid.

Students donâÄôt have a say in many administrative decisions because shared governance does not exist. And textbook prices are always rising.

During times like this, itâÄôs important to take a stand.

By voting in this weekâÄôs student government elections, we can empower the Minnesota Student Association and the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly to advocate for all of us.

Last year, when both bodies held their annual elections, a total of 3,469 students (6.7 percent of the UniversityâÄôs total enrollment) voted âÄî a pathetic turnout for a campus of this size.

We can do better. Maybe we have to dig deep and find some of that zeal so many of us felt during the 2008 presidential election, when younger voters turned out in record numbers.

Of course, less is at stake here. But all politics are local, and civic engagement is important on the campus level, not just nationally.

If you missed last weekâÄôs MSA and GAPSA debates, youâÄôre definitely not the only one. But itâÄôs not too late to inform yourself. Check mndaily.com to see video footage of the events and familiarize yourself with the issues and candidates before you vote.

Voting is online, so you donâÄôt even have to leave the comfort of your own home. Just log onto msa.umn.edu and click away.

Though rigorous course loads and demanding schedules could get in the way, we implore all students to rock the vote before polls close Wednesday.