And suddenly, we find ourselves in the midst of a profoundly important time at Iowa State.

Or should we say in Ames? Since Veishea, it seems, everyone has been talking about the dysfunctional relationship between ISU students and the city. Depending on your point of view, students are either rebellious and stupid thugs to a moral (but tolerant) city, or they are brilliant but misunderstood by a clueless, blubbering Ames.

It is in this context that next week’s Government of the Student Body election comes. The GSB president is the most important, if not influential, leader on campus; we may be more likely to follow Curtis Stinson’s lead than Sophia Magill’s, but Magill is the person this year who is in contact with the people who matter.

It’s silly to pretend otherwise: The new president will be leading the student body into a bitter conflict, the resolution of which is critical to the future of Ames.Yes, that’s the kind of statement that’s easy to throw around, a la last fall’s presidential election being the most important of our time — er, at least since 2000 — but it’s not hyperbole to say that balancing students’ and other residents’ roles will be telling for the future of the university and the city.

That said, Henry Alliger is the best choice for GSB president.

We are confident not only that he can help create an environment in Ames that is favorable to both halves of its population, but that he won’t capitulate to pressure from older, more experienced long-term residents and city officials if they try to ignore or usurp the interests of students and other young adults.

In his role as speaker of the GSB senate, Alliger has proven himself. He had a lot to do with making the upcoming special election happen. He helped gather signatures, he refused an offhand suggestion that GSB subsidize the election, and he has responded to the City Council’s reticence to set up the election with public criticism that isn’t winning him any friends in Ames.

Alliger’s challenger, Angela Groh, holds many of the same positions as Alliger on these issues. Groh is a tireless worker, and her leading roles in creating programs like ISU Ambassadors are a strong and encouraging indication of how she would function in an executive spot.

Making connections and building consensus are skills not everybody has; Groh’s abilities at each have already reaped benefits for Iowa State. We are skeptical, though, of her ability to say “No way” when warranted. We’ve been frustrated with that characteristic for three consecutive administrations and would just as soon not be frustrated by it again.

It’s true that GSB needs to cooperate with the City Council, Statehouse, Board of Regents and Beardshear Hall in order for real reconciliation and progress to take place. It may seem that intransigence on issues like two-year terms, tuition, Veishea, kegs, overoccupancy and couches could make that cooperation impossible, leading government and administration to dismiss students’ “immature” views.

We don’t think so. Political disagreement is different from personal contempt, and although Alliger is participating in the former, we don’t believe he is fostering the latter. In an age of politics where presentation and perception are everything, Alliger is less articulate than Groh but comes across as more earnest (which shouldn’t be construed as an endorsement of President Bush).

With regard to the candidates’ platforms, we like most of the ideas; in fact, both executive slates have decided to implement many of each others’ planks.

Experience seems a relatively unimportant criterion, although it does favor Alliger and running mate Sarah Walter. The argument that the voice of a newcomer, like Groh running mate Chris Deal, is necessary is not compelling.

Because of the stakes, among them Veishea and greater respect of students by the city — and of the city by students — we urge you to vote Monday or Tuesday. It’s easy — just go to www.vote.iastate.edu.

Research the senatorial races for your college and residency, and then choose Alliger and Walter for president and vice president. They will be selfless and unyielding in representing you.