Recommendations for SGA Exec Board ’14-’15

The College Voice Managing Editor Julia Cristofano made the following endorsements based on the platforms put forward by the candidates as well as the speeches given on Friday, April 11^th. For positions in which only one candidate ran, the author felt she could not give an objective opinion or in which there was no clearly superior candidate, an abstention was ruled. The goal of these endorsements is to encourage the student body to think critically in electing their SGA representatives and to increase voter turn out. These suggestions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of individual members of The College Voice staff.

The recommendations are as follows:

Chair of Academic Affairs – Tyler Wood

1. Tyler Wood will readdress and rethink the way we prepare 1^st year and transfer students through working to enhance advising
2. Tyler Wood is committed to collaborating with the Chair of Diversity and Equity to work on enhancing the experience of international students
3. Tyler Wood will better our academic lives through increasing student participation in faculty hiring, course offerings, and academic events

Additional Candidates:

Kevin Saunders: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m9odRgqPTE&list=UUQ32RQrQj36woBBByVgO6Ng

Jessica Weldon: speech not provided

Chair of Equity and Diversity – Lamiya Khandaker

1. Lamiya Khandaker has a unique understanding of diversity as going beyond race, religion, and sexual orientation and believes that the term also embodies the overall struggle of people who feel underrepresented
2. Lamiya Khandakar will work to create a community at Conn where all students, regardless of their differences, feel comfortable expressing themslves
3. Lamiya Khandakar plans to work toward three main goals in all aspects of campus life: R.E.D. – Religious accommodation, Ethnic integration, Diverse inspiration

Additional Candidates:

Deion Jordan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAdpLaYOQuQ

Kristina Harrold:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToqP6YeTt7w

Anique Ashraf: Speech read by Amber VIllanova – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwHlaVDH204

Nam Hoang: Speech not provided

Chair of Residential Affairs – Sal Bigay

1. Sal Bigay plans to ‘get back to basics,’ by increasing transparency between Res Life and the campus and ensuring that everyone is on the same page with regard to 1^st year housing, retention rate, and the lottery system
2. Sal Bigay will be more than a bridge between Res Life and the student body, but a voice for the students’ needs and how they can be met
3. Sal Bigay will work to reevaluate the 1^st year experience and research models of living employed by other NESCAC schools in order to increase our retention rate

Additional Candidates:

Christine Roundtree: Speech not provided

Mike Coscarelli: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWO8IU-XZTE

Chief of Finance – Nico Dorlea

1. Nico Dorlea will streamline the process for club funding and work to increase the budget allocated to student groups
2. Nico Dorlea will work to eliminate fees that student groups need to pay to use college resources (e.g. auditorium space)
3. Nico Dorlea is committed to having 1 on 1 meetings with clubs that struggle with their finances and helping to facilitate a better relationship between clubs and the administration

Additional Candidates:

Murat Edin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGeaQKGLHUE

Ellis Tonissi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4uP61GhnYo

Will Fetchko: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZB09zmT5SA

Mengezi Ngwenya: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppj4ZUNh8bE

Vice President of SGA – Rob Jones

1. Rob Jones has a firm understanding of the implications of the library renovation and will work to make sure all students in all grade levels are accommodated accordingly
2. Rob Jones will work to ensure that ‘diversity’ is not just a buzz word and that our campus is open and comfortable for all
3. Rob Jones plans to advocate for better training and transparency for Campus Safety

Additional Candidates:

Claire von Loesecke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYbimAUwDdw

President of SGA – Ethan Underhill

1. Ethan Underhill will provide stable leadership during a time of transition as Connecticut College is faced with the library renovations, new administrators, and a changing social scene
2. Ethan Underhill is committed ‘giving back, not getting ahead’ and working to address our decreasing retention rate and reworking antiquated policies
3. Ethan Underhill will bring maturity, consistency, and open mindedness to the SGA Assembly

Additional Candidates:

Will Pisano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CM4O0wDGemA

All of the speeches can be found on SGAs youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/SGAConnColl