Student Senator Geoff Costeloe was recently elected as vice-chair of the UBC Vancouver Senate. Students have always complained that their voices aren’t heard on this campus—especially when it comes to academics—but it’s doubtful that having a student in a generally ceremonial post for one year will change that.

Nonetheless, it’s nice to see a bit more acceptance to the idea of students in the highest rungs of power. Last year, current AMS President Blake Frederick ran against incumbent Dr Rhodri Windsor-Liscombe for the vice-chair position and lost. This year, a student ran against a faculty member, and won. That’s progress.

As vice-chair, Costeloe will chair the most important academic body on campus whenever President Toope is away or in a conflict of interest. He’ll manage debates, present reports, and generally influence the tenor of discussion on how UBC should manage its core mission—teaching. That’s heady stuff.

But this isn’t enough to change things. There are only 18 student representatives on Senate, and they serve one-year terms, compared to the other 70+ faculty senators who serve longer terms. Costeloe’s election as vice-chair does not give him more concrete weight in Senate. Not to mention that on a purely mathematical basis, should Toope be away and Costeloe be forced to chair a meeting, students lose a vote.

Costeloe has been an active member of student politics and is dedicated and well-informed about campus issues. In as much as a student senator can “earn” this position, he’s earned it.

So we look forward to seeing if Costeloe and Senate alike will prove relevant for students in the upcoming year. Year after year, UBC struggles in surveys on faculty-student interaction, class sizes and the general learning experience for undergraduate students. The Senate can change that. As vice-chair, Costeloe has a responsibility for working toward that. Even though we’re skeptical of the impact his election will have, we wish him the best of luck.