At the Student Association meeting on Wednesday March 6, candidates for the 2013-2014 SA executive committee presented their campaign speeches.
Junior Forrest Regan is running uncontested for SA president. Regan currently serves as director of public relations on the board and discussed how his experience has prepared him for presidency.
“[SA] is definitely something I'm glad I've taken a part in. It surprises me how much we can do as students and I know we can do a lot next year, too,” Regan said.
Junior Katie Becker, who is also running uncontested for SA vice president, spoke next, addressing her lack of experience with SA.
“I am going to be the fresh eyes on the eboard. I look forward to the challenge and opportunity to represent student voices,” she said.
The only candidate for director of student affairs, junior Bruno Villazhinay, discussed how his past positions with other organizations would aid him in taking on his new responsibilities.
“One of the things I want to work for next year will be for the anti-bullying campaign. I want all of the Alliance for Community Enrichment groups working together so we can build a more diverse, friendly campus at Geneseo,” he said.
Two students, juniors Alexander Clark and Jenny Keller, are running for director of student programming. Clark spoke first about his current affiliation with Activities Commission and his goals for the future.
“I want to use my experience from AC to help better serve SA and the campus community. Some of my goals include continuing to brand AC and advertise better so students know what it does and what events they can attend - it's their money after all,” Clark said.
Keller also discussed her involvement with AC and how this experience will aid her, should she be voted into the position.
“Basically as soon as I came here I was appointed to AC, I was very aggressive about what I wanted and was pleased with the results. I've taken many finance classes and I work with management classes as well,” she said.
Junior Riley Burchell is running uncontested for director of public relations.
“To me public relations is a really loosely defined position but I sort of think of it as the middleman between student body and SA executive board,” she said. “At the end of the day it's your money, we are spending it, so it should be on programs that you guys want to see happen.”
The only candidate for director of academic affairs is junior Efthimia Barbagiannis.
“SA has really helped shape my college experience because I've been able to go to conferences that I am really passionate about,” she said. “I think that it's just a really wonderful thing to go to places and participate in events that you might not otherwise be able to.”
Juniors Marie Dempsey and Olivia Kelly are both running for director of inter-residence affairs. Dempsey delivered her speech first.
“I have gained so much from my experience in Inter-Residence Council and it has shaped me into the leader that I have become. To sit on the board of SA and then further to chair IRC will only give me the opportunity to give what I earned back to students,” she said.
Kelly spoke next, addressing her understanding of student organization finances.
“I would be a really great asset to SA exec because I have a really good understanding of budgets as well as how clubs operate and what the money in those budgets goes towards,” she said.
Junior Robert Terreri, the only candidate for director of business affairs, concluded the campaign speeches.
“Fundamentally I think the role of DBA is being a resource for clubs and organizations, assisting in readings and getting information out there. But at the same time to make sure that all students are aware of the services that are provided by SA,” he said.