SGA President Stephen Swinson said that no voting bloc on campus has influence over the current SGA administration. Swinson never directly referenced the Machine, a secret political coalition of traditionally white fraternities and sororities, but said that voting blocs at large universities are not uncommon.
“There are voting blocs at every university, especially the larger ones,” he said. “There are many within the greek community.”
Swinson said that though they exist, the voting blocs do not make decisions for him in his position.
“I, and no other Exec member, [am not] a puppet to the greek system, to the student media, to this University’s administration. My loyalty lies to the interest of this student body in its entirety, all corners of campus,” he said. “And they can rest assured that every day I come in here and I’m focused on serving the entire student body, not one particular section of campus versus another.”
Swinson, who ran unopposed, said that in Spring 2011, his only campaign expense was a sign hung on the front of Sigma Nu that was donated to his campaign for Executive Vice President by the fraternity.
“I ran for Executive Vice President…and I was prepared to work under Grant [Cochran] or Nancy [Hogan]. It was my decision…I could have run for president, I could have run for Vice President for Student Affairs or External Affairs. I chose Executive Vice President,” he said.
Swinson assumed the SGA presidency on Sept. 23 after the resignation of former SGA President Grant Cochran.
In Spring 2011, Swinson had been part of a three-way race for the Machine’s nomination for the SGA president, according to sources with direct knowledge of the situation. Swinson denied he ever sought the nomination from any voting bloc.
“I don’t get too involved with the voting blocs thing,” Swinson said. “When I am running for stuff, I hope that every student will vote for me and look at what I’ve done in the past for the reason they vote for me.”
The Machine has no real process for choosing the candidates it puts up for SGA elections, according to sources with knowledge of the group’s operations.
Instead, a Machine representative for a particular house may “take a name down,” meaning he or she will recommend to the Machine a member of his or her house for candidacy at a meeting of the entire group, according to the sources. The members write the name of the candidate they want on paper and tally the votes to produce the Machine’s candidates for SGA elections.
After the Machine’s candidates are nominated, members of Machine-affiliated greek houses are then encouraged to vote for the selected candidate. Emails obtained by The Crimson White show that members of certain greek houses are sent a list of the candidates that the house is supporting on election day, including the president, executive officers and senators.
Swinson said he believes the current system of online voting takes away the amount of influence any group can have on a bloc of voters.
“You have online voting, where nobody knows who you vote for. I think every student can feel comfortable that they can make their own decision,” he said.
Regardless, Swinson said he focuses little attention on campus politics in his current office.
“Every day I come in here and I’m focused on serving the entire student body, not one particular section of campus versus another,” he said. “I concentrate on being an advocate for students. All students.”
