It could have been one of the most important votes the Student Government Association made all semester, but it didn’t even make it past preliminary discussion.

On March 17, the Monday after the General Assembly passed a long awaited operating budget, SGA met for a regular meeting to decide whether or not to support a tuition increase proposed by University Administrators.

A quorum to conduct business was lost, though, as Senators left the meeting early during preliminary discussion and budget presentations from President James Votruba and Gerald Hunter, Vice President for Administration and Finance.

The Senate’s vote would have had some direct influence at the Board of Regents meeting, where a tuition increase was approved March 19.

SGA President Katie Herschede, who sits on the Board as the only student, said she would vote in the Regents’ meeting however SGA voted.

She was left without a clear direction on how to vote, though, which is a shame.

Even though the students who left may have had other obligations like classes and jobs, that doesn’t relieve them of their duties as elected officials.

They should have made it a point to follow the budget proceedings in the news and have at least a rough idea of when they would be expected to make a decision.

The SGA members who left failed in their duties at the meeting March 17 by leaving before voting.

As the Spring elections near, everyone considering running for an SGA position should think the obligation they’re able to make.

They should be able to stay for each and every meeting, especially when it comes to an issue as important to most students as tuition.