But we have a lot of work to do.
In recent years our SGA has not approached challenges in a proactive manner; rather, we’ve become complacent. We’ve put things off until tomorrow; a metaphorical tomorrow that I do not believe exists.
Under my administration, Tomorrow Begins Today. My administration will tackle challenges from day one. We will listen to students and aggressively pursue tangible solutions.
This approach is necessary for the sustainability of our SGA. Now is the time to act. Now we must prove that our SGA is effective, necessary and representative of a diverse body of students.
We must have a change in culture so that challenges are addressed quickly and effectively. But this change will not be easy. This sort of change will take time and effort. It requires not only a vision, but also the experience of understanding the system and recognizing how it should be fixed.
A change of the culture within the SGA can and will come from a leader who has the experience and relationships within the organization, student body and administration.
Imagine if someone new came into your student organization with the intent of leading it in a new direction. It would take time for them to understand that organization and its challenges before they could make sustainable change. It is much easier to change an organization from the inside out than the outside in.
This also applies to the SGA. We need a leader who can easily move into the president’s office with a vision, a plan and the experience it takes to make change.
I am the most qualified person for this position.
I have been an active member of SGA for three years. My positions have required me to be active on a daily basis. During my freshman year I served as a member of the First Year Council, then as a senator my sophomore year and now as your sitting Vice President for Student Affairs.
But even with these qualifications, I cannot pretend to have all the answers. I cannot pretend to understand the challenges facing our student body, but I can learn. I can talk to students and find out what individuals see as challenges to their time here on this campus. And that is what this SGA must do.
After discussing these issues with various organizations and students, I believe the feeling of safety must be a priority for this administration. My platform specifically addresses the issue of safety for underrepresented groups on campus. I encourage you to visit my Facebook page to learn more about these programs among others.
As your SGA President, I promise each student that I will continue to work daily to make this campus more inclusive and efficient. I will address main points and propose tangible solutions for a multitude of student issues including unifying our campus, fixing academic hardships, revamping athletic procedures and increasing student involvement.
I promise these things because I intend to keep them. I intend to create a lasting impression that I can take with me wherever I go. I want to be able to tell employers that under my administration we created change. That’s why I want to be your next president. We have a lot of work to do, but I’m prepared. I’ve got the vision. I’ve got the experience. I’m ready to go. So let’s do this, together.
Stephen Keller is a candidate running for the position of SGA President.
