Vanguard

Issue date: 3/3/08 Section: News

Hannah Skewes

Mikey Hendrick

Michael Smith

Jeffrey Ryan Harris

Jason Shepard

Caitlin Collins

Ashley McGee

With the 2008 University of South Alabama Student Government Association elections quickly approaching, students have already begun to announce their candidacies for executive committee and senate positions.
Current SGA Chief Justice Caitlin Collins, Jeffrey Ryan Harris and Students Who Stand founder and president Mikey Hendrich have all announced intent to run for SGA president. Current SGA Senate Pro-Tem Michael Smith has announced intent to run for vice president. The Vanguard Editor-in-Chief Jason Shepard and TKE member Todd Fowler have announced intent to run for treasurer. Current College of Arts and Science Senator Ashley D. McGee has announced intent to run for attorney general. Current College of Arts and Science Senator Hannah Skewes has announced intent to run for chief justice.
"I've been involved with SGA since my freshman year, and I'm very familiar with the way SGA works," said Collins. "I think that experience is incredibly important when you're seeking a leadership position."
As an SGA presidential candidate, Collins wants to stress that she will work hard to make sure she accomplishes her goals.
"I would like to continue many of the projects that this year's officers have begun and work really hard to streamline appropriations with the new treasurer so we can continue to improve that system," Collins said.
In addition to being the current SGA chief justice, Collins is currently the treasurer of the Honors Program Organization and a member of the Freshman Advisory Board and the OUTLAWS. In the past, Collins has been a Peer Advisor, associate senate clerk and associate justice of SGA.
"I would also like to find more creative ways to get students excited about SGA because it's a great organization," Collins said. "Being a voice for the students is what SGA is all about."
Candidate Jeffrey Ryan Harris is running for SGA President "to represent the 13,000 students who are fed up with the SGA acting as the University's men whenever the board of trustees needs the appearance of grassroots support from the student body." Harris plans to commence a petition drive to amend the SGA constitution to dissolve the organization.
"The 13,000 students whose money has been taken to pay for $1,500 block parties and whose voices have been stolen to lend support to the administration's drive to spend millions of dollars on USA football at the students' expense --those students will give our referendum a majority," Harris said.
Harris stresses his desire to give students their money back.
"I am running for president to stop the SGA from doing more damage," Harris said. "It is time for students to address the fraud perpetrated against them in the form of the SGA. It is time for students to take back their school."
South Alabama student Mikey Hendrich always knew he was going to go to South Alabama as a young boy. For him, whoever wins the position as president of SGA must have school spirit.
"I think whoever wins should have crazy school spirit. I would like to find ways to have other students gain school spirit by getting them involved," Hendrich said.
Hendrich's current leadership roles at South Alabama include being the current president of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, creator and president of Students Who Stand, recruitment officer of Outlaws Recruitment, member of the Freshman Advisory Board, SGA senator, and a member of the USA Dining Services Committee.
"SGA President is something I know I can do really well," Hendrich said. "I want to get other students as excited about South as I am, and I want to get people's concerns heard."
Hendrich was credited as one of the student leaders who helped bring NCAA Football to South Alabama. After creating Students Who Stand, Hendrich was able to get the students and SGA involved.
One of the candidate's biggest concerns and changes he would like to see made involve aid for international students on campus.
"International students who have to stay on campus over the holidays are left in a serious food situation; with all dining services closed down starting at the last day of finals, international students are left to fend for themselves," Hendrich said.
Hendrich proposes many new changes that will help inconvenienced students at South Alabama.
"Having an enclosed JagTran route to Wal-Mart once a day maybe twice a week over the break would at least give students the opportunity to make it to a grocery store," Hendrich said. "Another thing I think is most logical is to have the Delta Deli open for limited hours over the break."
Current SGA Senator Michael Smith plans to run for Vice President because he sees SGA as an extension of the student body and has a solid grasp of how the senate operates.
"I believe that there is so much that SGA can do for students, and I really want to see a continuation of what has been going on this past year," Smith said.
Smith has been a senator of the College of Arts and Sciences for the past two years. This past summer, he was elected Senate Pro-Tem. He is active in a number of other organizations, including Freshman Advisory Board, Model UN, Mortar Board and TKE. Smith has many goals for the new SGA year if elected as vice president.
"Next year, I really want to work on revamping the SGA committees that are open to all students to participate in," Smith said. "I think that if the system is tweaked a little bit, it can be more effective and get more students involved with SGA."
South Alabama student Jason Shepard hopes to secure the treasurer position for the 2008 SGA. Shepard's main goals are to involve more students in campus activities.
"The students are the lifeblood of this campus, and my goal is to serve the students to the best of my ability," Shepard said. "As treasurer, this means communicating effectively with all students and finding ways to help fund events and activities that are meaningful to the students."
Shepard proposes to achieve these goals by maximizing the amount of money SGA gives directly to student organizations, simplifying the appropriations and co-sponsorship process, and being readily available to the student body.
"As a treasurer, I bring to the table a much needed sense of maturity and dedication, strong leadership skills, strong organization and experience," Shepard said.
Shepard has held various leadership roles including editor-in-chief of The Vanguard, a lead organizer in bringing a national student philosophy conference to South Alabama's campus, served as chairperson of SGA's non-traditional students committee and has been involved in educational outreach off campus.
TKE member Todd Fowler has also reportedly filed to run for SGA treasurer, according to current SGA President Jennifer Edwards. Repeated attempts to contact Fowler were unsecessful.
Ashley D. McGee applied for the position of the attorney general for SGA. For McGee, the attorney general should be a student who has a deep love and devotion to South Alabama, someone who is trustworthy and has a just and fair way of thinking.
Prior to wanting to run for attorney general, McGee served as senator for the College of Arts and Sciences for two years.
"While serving, I always make decisions based on the betterment of the University as a whole, not for personal gain," McGee said.
McGee is also an I.M.P.A.C.T mentor, the lifestyles editor for The Vanguard, a resident advisor and a 2007-2008 USS Alabama Crewmate.
"I hope to increase student involvement on campus when it comes to organizations as well as athletics," McGee said. "I've seen an amazing amount of growth and support in both of these areas, and I plan to do all I can to keep this positive trend in place."
Current SGA Senator Hannah Skewes plans to apply for chief justice of SGA to "work with the other officers and senators to make improvements where possible and make sure SGA is doing what it's supposed to do."
Skewes is also the president of the Creative Writing Club, Habitat for Humanity member and a senior reporter for The Vanguard.
Skewes stresses the importance of making the student body understand that SGA is for all the students.
"SGA does have influence over funds for student organizations and some decisions within the University," Skewes said. "It's pretty important for students to know that the door is open and that members are listening to what they have to say."
Current SGA President Jennifer Edwards outlines the essentials to being a good executive committee member.
"It is extremely important that people running evaluate their time commitments before filing," Edwards said. "Most people don't realize how much time it takes to be on the executive council; it's a lot of fun and very rewarding, but very demanding of your time."
Students interested in running for an executive committee or senator position must turn in a completed candidacy application to the SGA office by March 17 at 5 p.m. Applications are available in the SGA offices. A meeting for all candidates will take place immediately after deadline at 5:15 p.m.
Executive officers are required to have 44 hours completed at South Alabama and a 2.5 grade point average. All senators must have a 2.0 grade point average and represent the college of their major. Online voting for all SGA positions begins March 24.
Campaigning for all SGA positions is allowed after the March 17 meeting. Students are encouraged to vote online for executive committee as well as senator candidates from March 24-28. Executive committee officers can show their commitment and desire to become officers in an executive committee officer candidate forum taking place March 20.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools