Photo courtesy of Xavier University | Three different tickets are on the ballot for the October 25-26 Student Government Association Executive election: JBC, which consists of Johnny Srsich, Bri Boyce and Cole Stautberg; ASR, which consists of Alexander Valdivieso, Sahr Marrah and Rachel Whelan; and VMR, which consists of Valiant Freeman, Maryn McCarty and Ryan Spolar.
Three groups have announced their candicacy for SGA Executives. To inform voters about their ideas, the groups filled out a brief questionnaire. Here, the Newswire highlights each ticket’s answer to one of the questions:
If you could change one thing about Xavier, what would it be, and how would you accomplish it?
JBC: We believe that health and safety is the biggest concern with the current campus climate. We want to ensure that our students feel safe and comfortable both on and off this campus. To do this, we will be working with Chief Milek and XUPD to find creative ways to teach students self-defense and other ways to be confident when walking around Norwood. In addition, we would also like to work with Norwood Police and other community leaders to help us become informed students to see what Xavier students can do to improve the Norwood community and help make it a safe place for all citizens.ASR: One thing about Xavier that has been a popular issue or topic is Diversity. Statistics show that our school is one of the most diverse universities in the Midwest. However, we may be one of the most diverse, but we lack in being inclusive with each other. Inclusion is important and is what creates more of a community feeling for all of us. By us meeting other students from different backgrounds we can grow as people and even enjoy our time here at our home away from home. We would make SGA join other organizations and clubs in their events that seek to make Xavier even more of a home for us. We are an organization that is big but can join forces with others to make this change happen and be felt on campus. Events with others would be a great way to start the process for inclusion on campus, and simply showing the presence of the SGA Executives at club and organization meetings lets you know that we are here and we are working towards the same goal. ALL FOR ONE & ONE FOR ALL.VMR: Areas we feel that need improvement are all of our GOA and First Year Seminar courses. These classes are supposed to offer first-year students with knowledge that can benefit them throughout their four years here but don’t discuss any relevant issues that go on within the Xavier community or the world. We need to have more GOA and First Year Seminar classes truthfully discuss issues of race, gender/sexuality and other global issues. Currently, some of the subjects that these classes touch upon deal with random topics that will not necessarily impact our lives. We want to improve these programs so that they better inform and prepare our students for the issues they will face on campus as well as globally. First, we’ll meet with the coordinator of GOA, along with the coordinator of the First Year Seminar programs, to explain our platform. Then, we’ll see what ways SGA can help aid the transformation. We are proposing a committee that sits the director of our orientation programs, as well as FYS and GOA, and the director of McGrath to study the impact these programs have on the mental health and overall well-being of our students. The more we engage with our student body and try to understand every aspect they embody, the better we can make Xavier University a true place for all people.
Be sure to check out next week’s Newswire for highlights from the tickets’ platforms.
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