The values driving my platform are gratitude, respect, and the belief that listening and speaking candidly leads to the most worthwhile endeavors within SGA, the Centre College community, and beyond.
My core desire to run for President of SGA stems from the admiration I’ve found for all people on this campus. When I reflect on my accomplishments in SGA, the personal impact stands out the most. Receiving a grateful and enthusiastic email from an international student in support of Amendment Unity, setting up dinners to put students with dietary concerns in direct contact with the Centre Dining administration, meeting with the football team to encourage them to run for SGA, and seeing one of them get elected as a representative have all been moments of personal importance. The people of Centre are what make this college so valuable to me, which is why my administration will be one of empowerment, encouragement, and support. I believe the power of tangible change lies in the hands of the student body, and I shall run SGA to maximize that power for all students.
1) Sustainability and Campus Safety are personal priorities.
a. SGA has shown a commitment to sustainability over the years, installing solar panels on the roof of Chowan and continuing efforts to restart the compost pile on campus. I pledge to use my position to focus on more of these efforts. Similarly, campus safety is an important issue to me that I will continue to emphasize in meetings with faculty, administration, and the board of trustees. I state these two
issues without offering tangible task items because my vision of a successful SGA is one that accomplishes these goals through the support of clubs specifically dedicated to these issues, the second and most integral part of my platform.
2) SGA as an empowering governmental organization.
a. SGA functions best when it ensures that clubs have the financial as well as organizational support they need to best pursue their missions. Recently, there has been a disconnect between many clubs and their relation to SGA, both in regards to how to maximize their support from SGA and communicate with SGA. I will first dedicate myself to communication with these clubs, making sure that each treasurer is comfortable with the process of requesting financial support. Secondly, I will make it clear that SGA supports the mission of these clubs by actively bringing ideas or offering support to ongoing projects within the organizations. SGA is a governmental organization that should prioritize empowerment of student clubs rather than trying to accomplish everything internally and exclusively.
3) Listening to the campus.
a. Amendment Unity was an overwhelming success because its creation and implementation were largely driven by students outside of Student Government. The values of the amendment, inclusion and empowerment, were important to me as a leader and as a human being. However, it was clear that there was a significant part of campus in opposition to the amendment and that they felt ostracized from participating openly in the conversation around the issue. I was proud that we could enact an amendment driven by listening to many students on
campus, but I was disappointed that there were members of the campus community who felt opposed to the amendment and furthermore that they felt like they could not openly bring their concerns to me. It led to a divisive and tense time on campus. While I do not try to avoid tense situations, I firmly believe that open discussion leads to more productivity and unity than anonymous opposition. Therefore, I would like to continue the act of listening to all students. I will work hard to identify those who feel disenfranchised by SGA and the school as a whole, communicate with them, and reach an action that is inclusive and beneficial to the student body as a whole.
Please join me for the SGA debate on Tuesday, March 13th, to hear these ideas discussed further, and please consider a question central to the development of my campaign: What voices need to be heard more on campus?