The Student Government Association’s (SGA) Series 2 election applications opened on March 1. The application gives students the opportunity to run for seats on the SGA Executive Board for the academic year of 2023-2024.
Series 1 elections for SGA, which took place earlier in the semester from Feb. 27 to March 6, brought in 913 voters. This series focused on board positions that require more responsibility and time for those who fill them, including student body president, executive vice president, chief financial officer, student trustee, and alternate student trustee.
“Other students don’t really have the chances to meet with the administration that we do. So we need to have people that are actually passionate about the positions and really want to help the students and aren’t just looking after their own interests, but looking after the best interests of the student body,” said current Executive Vice President Emily Lowe.
Lowe also said that due to the importance of these positions, she hopes more students vote in the Series 2 elections than they did last year, as only about 3% of students voted in Series 2 last year.
Series 2 elections focus on the positions that require fewer office hours and responsibilities of those who fill them, but have more direct access to specific departments and faculty that impact campus life. Voting and campaigning for this election will begin on April 3 at 8 a.m.
“The Series 2 representatives are really the ones that can help get down to specific issues, sometimes more so than the Series 1 positions,” said current Alternate Student Trustee Alyssa Bollendorf.
Series 2 includes the chief commissioner of community standards and the recording secretary. Also included are all of the assistant vice president positions for Academic Affairs, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, Facilities, and Operations, Governmental Relations, Health, Wellness, and Safety, Public Relations and Special Events, Student Affairs, and University Advancement.
“It is split into two series to give people a chance to run again in Series 2 if not successful in Series 1,” said Brianna Reagan, the current assistant vice president of public relations and new SGA president-elect.
Applications for the positions are open on Proflink until March 31 at 11:59 p.m. Applicants are required to have the ability to serve their entire term, be able to attend university senate meetings, have a GPA of at least 2.5, be in good academic and conduct standing and must attend a virtual meeting on election rules and guidelines.
All campaign materials have to be approved by SGA and no campaigning is allowed to take place before 8 a.m. on April 3, the same time voting will open for the student body on Proflink. In the event that any rules are broken by candidates, they will have a grievance brought against them and a trial will take place to determine what happened and how to proceed from there.
“I definitely encourage all students to vote in the SGA elections. These are key student leaders that represent your voice to a lot of different administrators around the university,” said Drew Tinnin, associate vice president of student life.
SGA is also holding a non-mandatory information session for those interested in applying for a position on March 27 at 3:30 p.m. in room 220 of the Student Center, as well as on Zoom.
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