Northern students have on-campus opportunities to break the millennial stereotypes of indifference and laziness: involving themselves in processes that will determine the future of the university.In coming weeks, the search for a new NMU president and the ASNMU election will proceed with or without the involvement of students.

Student participation will make or break the process in both instances. Worst case scenario, a small body of people will be responsible for remarkably significant changes to the university’s make-up.Bombarded with generalizations about millennial apathy, students today have the choice to either fulfill or quash those prophecies.

In the case of the president, there are four finalists with different visions and approaches to leadership. Without the input of the student body, the decision will be left to administrators who, due to generation gaps, may be out of touch with student desires. In the case of ASNMU, undermining the impact of the student governing body results in leadership that in turn undermines its constituents’ opinions.

The current ASNMU leadership has maintained an open door policy, yet has often (and in the case of the upcoming election) found an empty doorstep. The apathy is self-detrimental. The resulting disengagement backfires onto the very students who could have prevented it.

Without an involved and informed student body, issuing complaints over leadership is futile and hypocritical. NMU has a history of student involvement and input. Hearkening past examples will yield a student body that understands and engages in the precious democratic process broadly.

This year, students have the opportunity to break the cliches imparted on our generation. Engaging with authorities that not only influence our lives, but set us on a collective trajectory, empowers the student body to lead itself.