SGA Upcoming Elections

The SGA elections are taking place from March 24 to March 26. There is a little less than a week left. Do you know who the nominees are? Here is a summary of each ticket’s platform taken from their Web sites. The only exception is the ticket of Robert Robinson for president and Esmel Meeks for vice president, who do not have a Web site and could not be reached for comment.

Stephanie Lynch for president
Megan Goldshine for vice president
Saqib Khan for Executive director

Platform:

Financial Literacy

Ensuring that students will have resources, much like the writing, career or wellness centers, which offer advice on planning, literacy and aptitude.

Job security and diploma accreditation

Working closely with the University College, Career Center and various departments to give ample opportunity to those seeking careers after graduation.

Green initiatives

Working with the various departments, on-campus resources, dormitories, dining services and transportation departments to push the efforts further, will help maintain and continue the green dream.

Vocalizing the needs and issues of underrepresented schools/women’s issues

Putting forth a combined effort to address the issues of decreased class offerings, lack of building maintenance and overworked professors as well as providing adequate care for children of students and staff is instrumental for a growing climate of working mothers/students/staff that would rely on this service to continue their education here.

Advising

Advising checklists should be implemented and used in every session. This is a guarantee that your advisor is doing their job, and you are doing yours.

www.votevcu.com

Gabriel Walker for president
Roberto Celis for vice president
Bhumi Dave for executive director

Platform:

Add/drop date

Working to get class syllabi and grades from previous semesters posted on eservices or through the VCU portal so fewer students have to switch their classes around because it wasn’t what they expected.

Library hours

Library hours need to be extended so students can have at least one place that would be open 24 hours.

Books

VCU should start an alliance with its faculty members to start providing course materials free of cost on its Web site.

Going green

Continuing to push for sustainability and find ways for VCU to reduce its carbon footprint.

Awareness

Increase awareness of the SGA though all available resources. Personally attending as many student organization and Greek events as possible ourselves, demonstrating our interest in not just funding student organizations, but in actually showing support for the events as well.

International student immersion

Working to ensure our international members get the most out of their time here away from their native countries, as well as making sure that they feel a connection with the community as a whole.

And YOU

The main goal of this team is to restore faith and trust from the general student body in the SGA though empowering students to take a stance.

www.progressvcu.com

Josh Ronk for president
Josie Mace for vice president
Jenny You for executive director

Platform:

Greater transparency in administrative and student government affairs

The student body of VCU needs to be included in discussions on the very issues that impact our day-to-day lives: from cost of tuition to standards of living.

Representing the needs of all students, not just the majority

From green initiatives to expanded child care for adult students to more bike racks, VCU deserves leadership that fully represent needs and concerns as diverse as the student body itself.

Creating a stronger body of student leaders

Student leaders need to engage the people they represent, not only to help spread the word of what SGA does but to better hear and understand the needs of the student body.

Greater outreach to the community

Tapping into opportunities help build not just stronger individuals, but stronger communities.

Developing a better system for informing students of events

By working with student-run and local media, reaching out to student organizations, and having strong leaders who engage the students directly, we can better inform the student body of what is happening around them.

Accountability on the part of the university and the student government

Strong leadership to stand up for the students and ensure their voices are heard and needs are met.

www.studentsforaction.com