Student Government Association (SGA) presidential candidates SGA Senator Neal Mehta, SGA President Josh Shearin, and SGA Senator Whitney Schultz were able to take some time to talk to the East Tennessean regarding where they stand on issues at ETSU and why it is that they have decided to run.
Q: What made you decide to run for office?
Mehta: As a student, I have developed in many positive ways and have truly enjoyed my tenure at ETSU. As a result, I want to help to continue to make ETSU the best university for its students.
Schultz: I decided to run just because I do a lot for this campus already and SGA has given me a new light of what it is involved on this campus. I want to be the one that helps people get their opinions out there … or if they have questions or concerns I want to be the one they come to get the answers. I want to work hard to be the voice of the students.
Shearin: I’m running for re-election because I feel I have not accomplished all my goals here at ETSU.
I believe a lot of effort has gone into laying the groundwork this year for a successful school year in 2007-2008.
I’m running to help our school and the community. I am not doing this to add “fluff” to my resume. I believe I am in this for the right reasons — to provide for the students what they deserve: a voice.
Q: What do you plan on doing to help improve ETSU and it’s student body?
Mehta:  I plan to work with SGA towards improving students’ interactions within all dimensions of ETSU, whether it be campus life, on-campus dining, major events or other on-campus facilities, to ensure that they are student friendly.
Historically at ETSU, town hall meetings have been scheduled when most students are not on campus.
I plan to conduct focus groups when most students are on campus. The purpose of these focus groups will be to not only inform you on what SGA is working towards, but primarily to seek your input on essential issues.
The SGA’s purpose is to advocate for what students truly want. In addition, as president, I promise to periodically update all students on campus proceedings through campus mail or e-mail throughout the year in a presidential address. Throughout my senatorial career, I have repeatedly heard complaints regarding SGA’s inefficiency in responding to questions. If elected, I will establish a hotline whereby all organizations can directly contact my staff or me regarding specific situations. In addition, I promise to return all calls within 24 hours. Furthermore, I hope to improve the “BUC Fund” funding process. If your organization’s activity benefits campus life, I will support it and ensure that it receives due process.
Schultz:  Football is a big issue on campus and I feel like the campus is split in half. My goal would be at least to answer any questions on that topic and hopefully encourage students to vote whether it be yay or nay. Obviously I have my own opinions … everybody does but this is such a campuswide issue and I am sure that whoever takes over — they will work hard to do whatever the student body needs — as would I.
People are also concerned about certain buildings on campus. They are concerned about having the proper equipment and parking all of these issues are being discussed with the administration.
I am going to work with the improvements on campus and help get more parking, which we are in the process of doing right now. There are plans all over campus to tear down and rebuild all kinds of stuff  and I plan on getting in there and helping in anyway I can as the SGA president.
Shearin:  I support the ETSU recycling and sustainability program through co-sponsorships with university administration. Cosponship has proved to be the most feasible in campus endeavors.
Also I plan to replace the current student iMail server on campus. It is slow, unreliable and filled with spam, and it isn’t even supported by the software developer. I recommended a Google-supported system that would save the school some $60,000, which could be used to improve other areas on campus.
I also believe that all student “Z-names” should be changed to reflect something more logical and easy to exchange, perhaps just your last name, such as “shearin@etsu.edu,” would be best.
I also want to work on making the Culp Center a more “friendly” student center, and seek out the possibility of building electronic SGA information kiosks on campus.
Obviously campus parking is an issue that needs leadership. Currently the university has a master plan, that ensures several solutions to parking challenges on campus. I will make sure students are represented on various committees and that any new parking fees are kept to a minimum. To build a new parking garage will cost the students a lot, but I hope to keep those parking fees as low as possible as the university continues to grow each semester.
Another parking issue that should be explored is the issue of “open” parking, combination faculty/staff/student lots. “Premium” parking should be looked into for those that are willing to pay extra. This would be strictly optional.
I want the SGA to take a commanding role in making the campus more environmentally aware through “green” initiatives such as recycling and clean energy.
I also support the addition of a main campus quadrangle in the master plan.
I want to reduce textbook pricing through innovative partnerships that I have already explored and intending to put in place provided I am re-elected.
I plan on implementing university podcasting and SGA podcasts to improve communication on campus.
I also wish to improve Greek community relations with the SGA and form strategic partnerships with Homecoming and I plan on working to improve campus dining with Aramark.
I believe in holding Town Hall Meetings on a regular basis on the main ETSU campus as well at off-campus sites.
Furthermore, I support the improvement of campus wireless Internet through campuswide strategic plans with OIT.
Finally, I hope to improve the SGA funding process by making allocations on a more frequent basis throughout the year.
Q: What do you feel is the most pressing issue right now on this campus?
Mehta: The most pressing issue right now on this campus is advocating for what students really want. If elected, I will determine what students truly want through focus groups encompassing a wide array of students. Then, SGA and I will work collectively together to address those issues.
Schultz: Obviously football. Football is so big and requires so much time and effort and money. It affects everybody — not just our school, but community as well. Clearly, there are pros and cons. My concern is whether or not the campus understands the importance of the issue — we had almost 70 students at the forum the other night — 70 out of 13,000. I don’t think this campus understands what bringing back football means. Everyone has concerns about the issue — it is just a matter of knowing the facts and whether or not people will vote.
Shearin: Higher education faces many significant issues. Funding always ranks high. Students’ rights are huge. Football is a hot topic. However at this point I think basic levels of communication seem hard to obtain on campus. I would point to our e-mail server, as well as publicity. Another major issue relates to getting basic maintenance work done. Our campus needs work!
We have a beautiful campus, but we can do so much more. I would like to see more art on campus. I’d like to see several buildings and facilities get the attention they need. I would work to make our facilities safe for our students so that they may accomplish what they came here to do in the first place: obtain an education.
Q: What do you feel qualifies you for this position?
Schultz:  My running mates and I have had a lot of leadership offices on and off campus and we know what it takes to be leaders, representing a lot of diversity. We have all done a lot for SGA, as senators, and know the issues that have been brought to us. We believe that we are all approachable individuals that our student body would feel comfortable coming and speaking with us. We are concerned for the student body and we are wanting to get to know them better, so we have better involvement. We think that each of us are involved in very different activities on campus that we will be able to reach more individuals, in hopes of getting the campus more of a voice.
Shearin: I believe my experience qualifies myself for SGA president. As someone who has over five years experience and started out as a SGA senator, I believe I had a greater appreciation for the system than other people.
The other candidates I am running with possess great experience. Stephen Linebarger, is running for vice president served as chief justice this last year. Ashley Hood, who is running for secretary/treasurer was involved in the senate this last year.
I also spent the last year working with universities across the state of Tennessee for the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature. This provided me great hands on experience and contacts to work with across the state.
I would also like to bring to light all I have accomplished this year: Increasing homecoming and concert (major event) funding, forming strategic partnerships with the administration for sustainability of a recycling program, helping conform to the state smoking policy, giving funds to numerous organizations on campus for activities and events, giving funds to help start organizations (seed money) and giving funds for students traveling off campus for conferences and other activity-related trips.
Editor’s note: Log onto www.easttennessean.com for more questions and answers from SGA presidential candidates.
Voting begins 8 a.m. Tuesday, April 10 and runs through 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 11.  Visit www.etsu.edu to cast your vote.
All candidates were given the same interview questions and equal response time. Responses were edited for space.

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