Candidate Q&A: Carl McGee

What follows is a partial transcription of an interview The Daily Cougar conducted with SGA presidential candidate Carl McGee. Each of the SGA presidential candidates were featured in our “Candidate Q&A” series this week.

The Daily Cougar: What are three things you think voters should know about you?

Carl McGee: The first thing is I want to lower textbook costs. I can do that by enforcing House Bill 33, which was just recently passed by the Texas House. It states that schools in Texas have to have a textbook buyback program. It also states that they can’t set the prices for textbooks artificially high. Another thing it states is that the teachers have to get the word out to the students what books their classes will use a month in advance, that way they have time to search for the lowest textbook price.

The second thing I’d do would be to veto needless rules that limit freedom.

The third thing would be to bring back the power to the students. I would let everybody know who the bosses are.

Students are the ones paying thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars a year for tuition, and they need to start figuring out that they’re the boss. They’re paying for a service and for knowledge, so we need to help them out with their careers.

TDC: Do you want to give a specific example of needless rules that limit freedoms?

CM: Sure, there’s been lots of bills proposed last session in the student government that limit freedoms. One that comes to mind is the smoking on campus bill. When it was first proposed, it said that a student couldn’t smoke anywhere on campus at all, not even on their own patio — if they lived on campus — even if it doesn’t bother anyone else.

So, I’d make sure to veto those types of rules. I’d also work to reverse rules that limit personal freedoms other than those necessary to protect the rights and liberties of others.

TDC: What would you do to ensure that you’re accurately representing the student body?

CM: I would closely examine rules and advance those which support this cause — this personal liberty that I’m talking about — and attempt to modify or kill those which would degrade that cause.

I’d represent them by getting the message out that student government exists. I want the University of Houston students to be masters of their own lives and not to be subject to any other master other than the Creator.

TDC: What would you do differently from the last administration?

CM: I would do a couple things differently.

One of the things is I would help advance the cause of freedom. I want University of Houston students to be free to choose their studies, their lifestyles and the direction of their lives.

I want to really encourage students and really get the message out that they’re the bosses. It seems like everyone kind of forgot who the bosses are. It’s (not) to the administration or the teachers, it’s the students.

Michael Harding was a great president and he was really active, but I plan on being more active on campus. I live right here in the heat of UH, so I can get anywhere on campus within minutes.

I plan on having an open-door policy so students can come over when ever they want and talk to me about their problems.

TDC: What do you think has been the most important thing done by the SGA in the last year?

CM: SGA has done a great job of marketing. This year we have eight presidential candidates. They did a really good job of marketing and trying to get everybody to notice the student government.

They’ve also done a really great job of pride here on campus. It seems like when I’m walking around campus I see more people wearing UH clothes and UH apparel and they did a great job of letting people know that SGA actually exists.

TDC: What will be the first thing you do if elected as SGA president?

CM: The first thing I’d do is I’d get the word out that I’m open to any suggestions and problems that people have and I’d listen to them. I’d examine their problems and I’d help them in the best way that I could.

For more information on this and other candidates, go to thedailycougar.com/tags/sga2012.