2020 SGU Candidate Forum

By: Savannah Havird, Campus News Editor

On Feb. 3, 2020, the third annual SGU Candidate Forum was held in the SCC Boardrooms. The event consisted of potential candidates for the upcoming SGU elections. The candidates said their names, what they were running for, and a small speech on what they would do to better in the Saint Leo community if they obtained their desired position. The objective of this event was for the student population to question the candidates, eliciting a response from the candidates to back up their arguments.

There were eight candidates running for the different board positions. Haley Robinson, Junior Homeland Security and Professional Writing major. Robinson ran for Vice President of Communication with the quote, “Your voice is my priority.” Her main goal is to further develop the social media resources on campus. She wants to have one-on-one events with students to really understand what they want and need. Robinsons’ opponent, Harriet Sands, Sophomore Hospitality Management, believes she could apply skills to help gain SGU recognition. She also wants to have more leadership conferences, in an effort to create more student leaders.

Students were very curious for what these candidates could do to make SGU better.

Next, Aliceison Brown, Junior Political Science major ran for Vice President of Finances. Brown believes the best way to show change is through the financial route. “There is a disconnect between the people and the clubs on campus,” said Brown. Brown doesn’t want students to be confused about anything she can help. She wants to show students, that she is approachable and will always smile back. Her opponent, Maryleslie Javier, Sophomore marketing and management major emphasized her history in accounting. Her main goal is to engage with students. To do this, she wants to hold financial literacy events on how to save money, have no debt and even make money.

Christopher Feliciano, Sophomore Social Work major, ran for Vice President of Activities. Feliciano wants to change campus culture through activities, his main goal is to have a more diverse events around campus.

Running for Vice President of Operations, Kyah Draper, Junior Biomedical Major, explained how she loved her time on Senate and if given the chance she “wants the opportunity to voice for the students.” Draper’s goal is to continue to run things smoothly. Her opponent Quiwanaki Ramsey, Junior political science major, wants to continue to improve Senate and the culture. His goal is to expand leadership conferences to two or three per semester instead of one.

Ashely Butler, Junior Political Science major, ran for President. She gave a very uplifting and powerful speech saying, “We have the ability to offer so much more than there already is.” She wants to put on new activities like a week of sports where students, based on dorms, go against each other playing different sports games. Butler also wants to declare a Mr. and Mrs. Saint Leo and to elicit more student involvement.

Here is a list of the questions asked to the candidates and their responses.

Question #1: There was no type of excitement during this election (for example, no flyers, shirts, etc.), what could you do to change this?

Brown started off the responses by stating that she and Ramsey have been working to communicate with the student body.

Some candidate gave full speeches introducing themselves.

Javier explained that she is always talking to someone, including asking her classmates what they are looking for in a candidate and informed them about this election.

Robinson explained that effective marketing could help fix this problem, “We should be informing students about what elections actually are, the importance of voting and the effects.” Robinson also believes that election would have more of a known presence on campus if there was marketing relating to elections before the candidates are even picked. She recommended to do this through an informational meeting.

Question #2: How are you going to maintain positivity around campus through the generations?

Draper wants to keep the connections with CAB.

Javier wants to be partners, not only with CAB but other departments like Athletics. She believes this would make more of a family here on campus.

Sands explained how “word of mouth” works around campus. She wants to use it to its advantage, by spreading the news for events around campus to obtain a higher body count at events.

Robinson wants to have social events to connect to the small populations on campus and make them feel welcomed at a place where they feel comfortable, like Benedict’s Coffeehouse. “I want to make the students feel like individuals and not just a number. Robinsons also wants to collect data about what they want less and more.

Feliciano explained how students haven’t been participating in events, he wants to conduct a survey at the end of the year to see what students want to see on campus. He also wants to try tabling before events to inform students.

Ramsey stated, “There is a big disconnect between SGU and the student body.” He wants to expand the power of SGU itself, allowing students to get more involved with the process.

Brown stated, “Saint Leo is family.” You must establish a relationship between the students and SGU. She believes strongly in accountability.

SGU partnered up with Pi Sigma Alpha for this event.

Question #3: What is SGU?

Butler believes SGU advocates for the rights of students. She also stated that people come to SGU for clubs. They can address higher ups because they are right in the middle of the student body and the higher ups.

Ramsey stated, “They are the leaders on campus.”

Draper explained how she believes SGU allows people to come together from different walks of the world and speak for the people that can’t.

Feliciano stated, “SGU is the voice of the students.”

Javier explained that she believes SGU is the heart of the school and “our home away from home.”

Brown wanted the audience to know that they are here to serve the students at SGU, “through all the stress.”

Question #4: How would you deal with personal agendas, not being supported by the SGU E-board?

Javier explained the SGU is a student based opinionated group. Therefore, if the E- board says no then most likely the students would say no as well. “There is nothing wrong with failing one or two times,” she stated.

Feliciano wanted the audience to know that SGU should have strong communication. If the E-board says no, then there should be a reason why and how to make it better from there.

Students asked a total of six questions to the candidates.

Draper said that everyone on the board should “cooperate and negotiate.” She believes that just because it is your plan, doesn’t mean that it’s the ultimatum.

Ramsey wants to try to make the bond between SGU and the other departments strong to help this issue.

Butler stated, “communication is key.” She believes that there most be compromises to achieve greatness.

Sands explained that if an idea gets rejected, there is a reason for it, therefore, she would want to know how to improve it.

Robinson agreed with everything the other candidates stated. She believes that to make the first events, she would adopt what she sees through data. Not what the board wants to see, but what the students directly want.

The candidates were also asked if they were afraid of burn out. Most of the students stated that they were not afraid of burn out because they know how to balance their responsibilities. Javier stated, “no, I would not be standing up here right now if I was worried. I signed up for a reason.” On the other side, Robinson explained that she is afraid of burn out because no matter how much time management someone may have, they are still human. “I want to have workshops to teach students how to better understand and deal with stress,” Robinson stated.

This event really helped the student population truly understand the candidates and what they stand for. Edson ONeale stated, “It’s a popularity contest only if you make it. Vote for who deserves it.”

The winners of this year’s SGU election are Ashley Butler for President, Q Ramsey for VP of Operations, Chris Feliciano for VP of Activities, Aliceison Brown for VP of Finance and Harriet Sands for VP of Communications Management.

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