As the race for the position of Vice President of Student Life comes to an end, we as the Editorial Board of The Crimson White would like to endorse Toyia Younger for the position. 

Younger’s calls for “systematic change,” along with her commitment to diversity and experience in higher education make her the perfect fit for the job. With issues regarding race relations and administrative power still looming over the student body, there is a current apprehension from students and faculty when it comes to administration. It is apparent now more than ever that the University needs a greater focus on supporting a diverse network of ideas and opinions. 

Though this is not an elected position, such a public affair with campus-wide implications deserves to be scrutinized to the highest degree by the campus community. Now more than ever, our campus needs an administration that is completely devoted to the students. We believe Younger is the person for the job. 

This endorsement is in no way a statement about the talent or qualifications of the other individuals vying for the position. The recruiting pool for this position was incredibly strong, and many other candidates would also be more than capable of managing the responsibilities that would come along with this job. For instance, the University’s current Associate Vice President of Student Life, Steven Hood, was hotly debated in the creation of this endorsement, due to his goals to address rising tuition costs and his extensive experience serving in leadership positions here at the University. We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge that Hood is a friend of the newspaper and the Office of Student Media operates directly under his department. We had to take our professional history with Hood and the nature of this bias into consideration when making our final decision and felt it necessary to make this clarification in the effort of transparency to our readers. 

While he does provide a deep understanding of the inner workings of the University through his eight years of service in Student Life, Hood does not appear to have the same enthusiasm when it comes to his commitment to promoting diversity initiatives and focusing on student wellbeing that Younger has. Additionally, Younger’s experience at Montgomery College in Maryland gives us hope that her focus is more on students, not administrative bureaucracy. She presents herself as a scholar, showing a vast commitment to studying what is best for those involved in university operations. Furthermore, her experiences working for the late U.S. Rep. Bruce Vento (D-Minnesota) on education legislation gives her a leg up on understanding the complex world of higher education policy.

As one of the loudest voices on this campus, we believe it is our duty to use our platform to make an endorsement in full good conscious and with careful research and contemplation. Simply put, we endorse based on principle, not likelihood of selection. The new Vice President of Student Life should be held to a high standard – a standard of excellence. We affirm that Younger can fulfill this need, as she is who the student body deserves in this time of redefinition and rebuilding.

Our View represents the consensus of the CW Editorial Board.

Editor’s Note: The Crimson White news staff has spent the past few weeks covering all candidate interviews. The reporters involved in this process were consulted for background and clarifying details, but they did not contribute to the decision or vote in the endorsement process.