Empty chairs at empty tables. This was the scene at last Thursday’s Government of the Student Body Constitutional Convention, which eight of the 21 delegates attended.

At least 11 delegates needed to be present to have a quorum.

However, this convention was also for the student body.

Except for an Iowa State Daily reporter, no other students were present outside the various student government associations represented.

Maybe it was just coincidence. But if this “we don’t care” attitude is representative of how ISU students perceive their elected officials, it is pretty sad.

It is easy to blame absent student government officials for not attending the convention.

It is easy to blame them for being inefficient and ignorant about the meeting.

But students are just as equally to blame.

The students who serve on our student governments represent the students of Iowa State.

If these students are not representing their constituents at their best, then it is the students’ responsibility to bring that to their attention.

A good way to do this is to first show up at some meetings, even if it is only one.

Meetings are often filled with empty spectator chairs. If there is no audience, no students, a meeting is not conducted with full capacity because of its lack of input from the people who are represented.

Empty chairs at meetings are a sorry site for sore eyes.

However, if attendance was better at all meetings, then meetings would do what they were meant to — provide a productive forum full of a variety of input for officials to consider.