<p>Welcome to UVA! My name is Eugene Resnick and I serve on the Executive Board of the University Democrats! I'd love to welcome you to UVA, and to encourage you to get politically involved once you get on Grounds. Dont forget to join the University Democrats, UVA's largest and most powerful student organization. Friend me on Facebook and join the University Democrats Facebook group! We will be at the activities fair in August so don't forget to stop by! See you all in August!</p>
<p>If you have any questions about the University Democrats, politics on Grounds, or general student organizations, feel free to post them up and i will attempt to answer all. Thanks!</p>
<p>Not to attack anyone, but a nonpartisan evaluation here: The College Republicans at UVA is a very small organization and isnt strong at all. They can barely have a meeting together. The UDems is immensely stronger and an endorsement of a candidate by the UDems is as strong as the Cavalier Daily, the Sororities/Fraternities, and the Minority Rights Coalition.Those are the 4 strongest and most prominent organizations on Grounds. No doubt about it. CR's dont even fit in top 15.</p>
<p>Honestly, college republicans pretty much have no place here. They could even barely have a team that could debate against UDems during the Allen-Webb elections.</p>
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Not to attack anyone, but a nonpartisan evaluation here: The College Republicans at UVA is a very small organization and isnt strong at all. They can barely have a meeting together. The UDems is immensely stronger and an endorsement of a candidate by the UDems is as strong as the Cavalier Daily, the Sororities/Fraternities, and the Minority Rights Coalition.Those are the 4 strongest and most prominent organizations on Grounds. No doubt about it. CR's dont even fit in top 15.
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<p>Obviously the Democrat student group is stronger than the Republican one, it's a college.</p>
<p>Do you really think that your organization "endorsing" someone matters? The sororities and fraternities endorse candidates? Does that mandate their members to vote for them? I'm pretty sure no one cares what the school paper thinks either.</p>
<p>Your post screams of someone who thinks college politics are a big deal, when they aren't.</p>
<p>If someone is conservative they are not going to join the UDems just b/c the UDems are bigger. Surely you understand this.</p>
<p>I think Bklyn2Cornell's comment about endorsing someone was in reference to student government elections not national elections. Influential student groups will back certain candidates for College class president, the Engineering Council, Honor Committee reps, etc.</p>
<p>Student self-governance is really big at UVA.</p>
<p>Self-governance is a big deal, but not many people care about StudCo elections and the endorsements given by the various political and special interest groups on grounds. Turnout in elections is usually horrible, and most people don't think too much about who they vote for (and it most cases, it doesn't matter).</p>
<p>In my opinion, the best examples of student self-governance go on each and every day in CIOs, the Honor System and the UJC.</p>
<p>And about joining clubs: join the clubs you enjoy or that will help you towards some specific goal (getting into medical school, etc). Don't worry about how big your club is or how much weight some people think its silly endorsements carry in University elections. Also, never forget that if you can't find a club that meets your specific interests, you can start your own.</p>
<p>I think there are a few clubs that a libertarian would enjoy...perhaps the Classical Liberal Roundtable or the Federalist Society or something? I'm not too familiar with the various political and ideological groups on grounds.</p>
<p>There is the classical liberals organization on grounds yes. In reference to endorsements, UVA Students DO look and pay attention to endorsements. Its no surprise that the candidate who usually gets the most endorsements almost always wins because that bracket lobbies their supporters to vote for a certain candidate. A student running for StudCo President bends over backwards to get endorsements because if you dont have any, you virtually have no chance. Being endorsed by the College Republicans works almost against a candidate ironically. Anyway, in terms of activism, conservatives are politically active as much as liberals but they sure are journalistically (if thats a word). They have publications, columns in the paper, etc etc.</p>
<p>by the way, to the man who said that college politics are no big deal and nobody cares about endorsements, you are probably the one that doesnt care at all so you really shouldnt speak for the many who are involved. You'd be surprised how many young people are involved rather than apathetic about the many problems that are going on not only nationally, but within the University. Thanks for telling us more of a little bit about your own character, lets not generalize.</p>
<p>Voter turnout was 42% for the College, 28% overall. And by voter turnout that means anyone that voted. Most of the time people randomly click crap until they get to the friend they want to vote for or the proposal they want to reject. It's a fact that most people don't care.</p>
<p>Honestly, you are probably one of the few that care overall, so in actuality you're telling us a little bit about your own character (which isn't a bad thing).</p>