In early April, SGA will be holding their annual election. While it’s easy to brush this off as unimportant, the SGA is unlike any student organization on campus.
There are three main branches in the SGA, similar to the U.S. Government. The legislative branch only has one house, the Senate. The Senate holds 27 members spanning across all colleges. The number of students in each college converts to the number of senators from each, like the electoral college in a way. The College of Arts and Sciences has seven spots, while the College of Public Health only holds two.
The judicial branch consists solely of the Student Court, which is led by a Chief Justice (Aarsh Patel) and seven associate justices.
The Executive branch is compiled of the President (Currently held by Mason Mosier), the executive-vice president (Ethan Becker) and the Vice President for Finance and Administration (Paulina Ramirez). After elections take place, the President appoints any empty seats in the senate or student court.
At the moment, those who are running for office are prohibited from publicizing it. Campaigning begins around two weeks before the election. Prepare to see plenty of chalk drawings, social media post and tents handing out buttons and free candy.
There is a political system at play when it comes to these elections. Typically, politically aligning tickets compile amongst students who are running. A trio usually forms to represent the executive branch, while the President takes on the front of the campaign.
Senators who are running can align with a certain ticket and join that campaign. If a senator happens to lose their election, but the president they supported wins, then they have a good chance of being appointed into the Senate.
Pay attention to the election as it develops in the next few weeks. The SGA has real power to get things done if managed effectively. If you want to see campus continue in the right direction, make sure you vote!
