One morning over winter break, I sat as usual with my coffee, cereal and print edition of The New York Times, poring over the front page and attempting to navigate the current events of a very confused global society. (Yes, I am a college student on vacation and not a middle-aged professional, I swear.) Of all the articles detailing various tragedies, the following headline jumped out at me:"Tricky Call for New Governors: The Price of Inaugurals."

Hmmm. Politicians overspending on themselves-surprising? Not really. I read on, looking for some good dirt on our esteemed congressmen and -women.

And boy, did I get it. The article began, "To warm up the Florida crowds for his inauguration as governor, Rick Scott has been flying around the state this week on a seven-city 'appreciation' tour. For the main event on Tuesday, he will lead a parade featuring 26 marching bands, followed by a black-tie dinner for 2,100 people, with oysters Rockefeller and fried calamari served in mini-martini glasses."

And there was more.

"In Nevada, Brian Sandoval, a Republican, will host back-to-back $1,000-a-head V.I.P. receptions, one of them at the Wynn Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip."

"In Oklahoma, Mary Fallin, also a Republican, has organized two 'preinaugural balls,' not to be confused with the inaugural ball itself, which will be held later at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City."

The Times' vested interest in singling out Republican expenditures aside, it struck me that these governors seem to have such a stake in their own self-promotion. I don't mean to insinuate that this is wrong; on the contrary, I believe it's quite worthwhile for these governors to invest in creating a positive image for their constituents.

In politics, it is crucial for the public to recognize one person in a solid leadership role. This way, people can identify one person upon whom they can depend and hold accountable. They can identify an image of trust, responsibility and character and associate a face with their country.

So it's understandable, to an extent, when 26 newly elected governors and their staffs plan parades with marching bands, receptions on the Las Vegas strip and multiple preinaugural balls. They want nothing but a good image for their governor, and they'll do whatever they can to obtain it.

However, in this day and age, people are growing ever more conscious of budgets, both personal and public. Lavish spending may have its benefits, but in the face of the unemployed these affairs will likely have an opposite effect. Governors here risk alienating some of their constituents who today could not fathom having the means to attend an event as extravagant as some of these inauguration agendas.

As I contemplated the meaning of these governors' self-promotion parties, the thought of planning these events on tight budgets brought to mind the plans for Brandeis' own newly elected President Frederick Lawrence. Curious as to what they were, I checked the website for the Office of the President and stumbled upon a page titled "Global Liberal Arts University: Scholarship and Service." Below that, in smaller type, was the tagline: "The Inauguration of the Eighth President of Brandeis University."

Well, I thought, so much for self-promotion. Aside from not mentioning Lawrence's name anywhere in the title, the focus of the weeklong inauguration schedule seems wholeheartedly academic, with the first two days devoted entirely to symposia moderated by famed Brandeis alumni and Brandeis faculty panelists.

Moreover, the theme of the week seems to indicate a pronounced effort on Lawrence's part to integrate a renewed focus on the distinct role of the liberal arts university with the start of his new career.

Needless to say, a university president's need for self-promotion does not exactly parallel that of a governor. But each should take into account how much and what sort of visibility is necessary.

As students, we don't vote, we don't pay taxes, and we have a necessarily limited role in determining university policy. But nonetheless, we do play an important part in the University, whose goal is to expand the mind and challenge assumptions. And participating in an inauguration ceremony like the one planned for Lawrence will directly serve our interests while simultaneously elevating his image as Brandeis' leader.

While the inauguration schedule also includes the requisite ceremonies, assemblies, meetings with the Board of Trustees, not to mention an inaugural ball, the Office of the President has made academics and the spirit of the liberal arts the basis for a weeklong celebration.

So while Govs. Rick Scott, Brian Sandoval and Mary Fallin have respectable agendas, perhaps they should consider the plans for our own new president. Self-promotion is the goal, but there are many different ways to achieve it. And involving constituents along the way to that end goal may be among the best options a new leader has.