Change has been a common theme on campus over the past 6 months. From retirements of key members of the community, to budget cuts causing a change in the Core Curriculum, the idea of these new realities were a focal point for each candidate. When asked about changes for the campus, each ticket provided insightful reasoning for what can be done, whether it be for student culture or physical changes.
While the other tickets harkened on SGA related changes, Timberlake and Hana both focused on reform. Hana went further to say that he is a “reformer.” Timberlake believes that the SGA and its subcommittees, when working cohesively, can enact significant changes to the college culture and campus overall. She continued to say “we think it’s really important to work with student government and the various subcommittees and leaders on this campus to enact real change and active communication and active listening to really work for the student body because these are really important. We’re constantly listening and engaging with the student body and really working with them to make those plans happen.”
Hana went on to say his reformer ideals are at the core of his reason to be running in the race. Hana finished his statement saying “I really wanted to expand the e-board. I want delegates from our campus ministry, the Multicultural Center ought to be sitting in the Senate when we’re meeting so that when the President of the Senate says ‘what’s new’, we actually have people giving reports and that’s very important. We need students’ voices to be heard.”
As for the incumbents, Parent and Benites, upon their inauguration, noticed direct change needed to happen immediately when it comes to the culture within SGA. A major reason behind the wanting for culture change in SGA rooted from the lack of resolutions passed within the senate. Parent elaborated on his and Benties’s success with this problem, saying “it [the changes in SGA] can be seen in our administration. There were many who received the resolution on a desk. I was trying to have a conversation with them to start enacting real change that can possibly happen. So one of the biggest changes from our perspective was to get our student government members out into the community making those connections. With administration, namely with our welfare committee, with our room and board committee and with our academic committee. Those three committees have done so much work this year and have fostered such fantastic connections with administration.”
Carrol, on behalf of himself and Dervin, believed that an expansion to the student senate can help enact and combat the various changes on campus. Carrol continued to say “I would try to do is get some legislation together to try to enact that policy of being able to expand our Senate’s because now, instead of four members, we’d have five and with five members, you’d be able to, I believe, accomplish a lot more because there’s more ideas and that’s my number one I’m going to focus on.” Carrol also reminded the audience that his administration lacked SGA experience and is a driving force for their campaign.
