More data should be considered when passing legislation than just the number of hands raised on either side. Debate about how the student body feels about an issue should be based on statistical evidence, rather than on speculation. Feedback on bills should be taken from all students on a regular basis, rather than once a week and just from those that show up to the right meeting.

These are ideas that have begun to rise in this year’s ASSU Undergraduate Senate and may well be the differentiating quality for this year’s legislative branch of the ASSU. Creating a student government that we can be proud of comes down to the sum of the impact of the decisions we make. Optimizing these decisions is the place to start.

The operation of the ASSU has a direct impact on every single Stanford student. Stanford is such an incredible community in large part due to the fact that the students around you are engaged in enriching and edifying activities. Every student I know at Stanford is a leader in some way, and we all benefit from this. The ASSU is an enabler; it helps students make those unbelievable activities happen. The ASSU is Stanford and Stanford is the ASSU.

Former Election Commissioner Quinn Slack ’11 recently wrote an excellent critique of some of the issues in student government for a campus publication. He highlighted from a data perspective many of the issues around funding that need to be addressed. This is the kind of data-driven contribution that is hugely valuable to helping the student body. There are student that do care; we just need to find the Quinn Slacks.

“Data-driven” may not be the most sexy term. Then again, I am a computer science major, so I won’t comment on my sentiment on whether it is or not. Anyway, the point is that I’m writing this to let you know that we would like your help. At Tuesday’s Senate meeting, a bill was presented to electronically survey students each week on legislation; we want your input. Appropriations Committee Chair Rafael Vasquez ’12 is doing a great job leading the committee in a data-driven effort to optimize our funding policies. Help us analyze your output. Senate Chair Michael Cruz ’12 is leading from the front in his charge to make decisions with evidence, improve based on proof, and create a better Stanford based on what people actually want. Help us decide how our collective resources are best put.

To be clear, I’m talking numbers, not gambling. The risk is in making decisions based on shadows on the wall. Data can lead us at least part of the way out of the cave. The time for conjectures is over, unless they’re mathematical ones. Let’s do this.

Stewart Macgregor-Dennis ’13

ASSU Undergraduate Senator