By Chris Yingling | Echo
The battle for the top student government positions on campus commences this week as the Student Body President and Vice Presidential campaigns get underway.
This year, there are two candidate tickets for SBP and SBVP. Juniors Kehlay Dunah and Cory Chea are running against junior Stephen Herman and sophomore Taylor Hughes.
Dunah and Chea's platform is based on continuing the efforts of current SBP Bri Leever and SBVP Jake Owens. The candidates have many goals for their projected administration, including changes in food services, student opinions and athletics.
"Our solid background in leadership provides us with insight that can only be gained through experience," Dunah said. "Through developing relationships with the current Student Body President and Vice President over the past year, I have a realistic perspective on what is possible from this position and know how cabinet meetings are run."
Herman and Hughes' platform also focuses on the continuation of the current administration, while implementing their own ideas for campus change. The "three C's" of connection, continuity and contribution highlight what they wish to do with their influence.
"We don't want to come in and start everything over, but seeing the importance in what the executive cabinet's been doing, getting the baton from them and continuing to go forth (is important)," said Herman on the subject of continuity. "Instead of starting everything over, we're trying to pick up where the last administration started and carry the banner."
The relationship between the students and administration is a key factor for both operations.
The opponents have very similar focuses, such as food management and utilization of locations around campus. Ideas for the new student center are also being discussed by both sides. While both have mutual concern for some topics, the opponents are focusing on different aspects of improvement in their campaigns.
"We plan to administer polls which will allow student opinions to be heard on topics like what should be done with the property behind Samuel Morris' parking lot and who (seniors) would like to have speak at commencement," Dunah said. "Another initiative we plan to take is forming a dance committee to organize one dance each semester."
Herman and Hughes have high hopes for new developments coming to students.
"We have tons of ideas for intramurals, with more championships on turf and more fun play now that it's under TSO," Herman said. "We also love the new concept of Sustainability Assistants and the progression towards a more green campus."
The candidates come from diverse backgrounds, providing unique perspective for the open leadership positions.
"(Taylor and I) both work in Res-Life and are co-PAs on First East Wengatz," Herman said. "We're both very different and have different passions but work extremely well together. There are a lot of values we embody."
Dunah and Chea bring in their different cultural backgrounds to provide broad perspectives to the positions.
"Together we represent a wide variety of backgrounds that help us consider many perspectives in decision making and planning," Dunah said. "We know that we can run a solid cabinet next year as a well-rounded pair with so much motivation and dedication to leadership."
SBP and SBVP debates will be on Wednesday, March 12, in the Student Union, followed immediately by student voting via Tower on myTaylor. Voting ends on Thursday at 10 p.m.
