Sometimes you have to give credit where credit is due.

The Student Government Association (SGA), over the past month, has gone from a comedy of errors and drama to, well, our student government. In the span of less than two months, they have tackled issues with real focus, making choices based on the needs of the students.

Over the summer, when students voiced disdain for high school students creating a ruckus in the Curry Student Center, SGA Vice President Rogan O’Handley held several meetings with officials from both the university and area high schools, eventually leading to the Roxbury charter school City on a Hill suspending indefinitely Curry Student Center privileges for its students.

SGA also stepped in to fight the inherent discrimination in last week’s “Breaking Bread: Women of Color Dialogue” that advertised itself as only for women of color. Despite criticisms from Dr. Robin Chandler, the head of women’s studies, the controversial decision was important for the student body as a whole and gave SGA credibility for taking a strong stance on a complicated issue.

Most importantly, in both cases, SGA got something done. They didn’t sit idly by, spouting empty rhetoric and promises. And they are not done yet.

Since the administration shut down The Times New Roman Web site last week, SGA has actively pursued the satirical publication to remedy the situation.

These are early and minor victories for SGA, but at least precedent has been set to suggest this year’s government will take stances and make change. Their bigger challenges (tuition negotiations, for example) are still months away. But for now, students should have some faith in their leaders.

Perhaps most impressive about SGA’s recent track record for success is all of its accomplishments came following a summer-long turmoil that saw both their elected president and vice president step down, and an emergency election that seemed more interested in producing leaders than producing the right ones.

Yes. Tuition is still high. Residence halls are still in lousy shape. Our relationship with the community is still so hostile it’s being depicted in 200-page books.

Yet with all that said, the first month of the 2005-06 school year can only be considered a rousing success, and finally gives the students an optimistic view for the future for our student government.

One month down, seven to go.