The 2015 Student Government Association election season has been well underway for quite some time. With the election taking place this coming Tuesday, March 10, The Odyssey has decided to feature the platforms for each of the candidates running for the executive positions of the SGA. The following is the list of candidates, as well as their respective platforms highlighted on their campaign websites, that are running for the following positions:

President

Stephen Keller: 

Stephen Keller currently serves as the Vice-President of Student Affairs and he hopes to continue his service as your next SGA President. Keller claims that many these issues tend to be put off until tomorrow: a metaphorical tomorrow that he believes does not need to exist. Keller and his team have come up with the campaign slogan, “Tomorrow Begins Today,” and argues that "no longer will the SGA embrace silence on issues or late responses; rather, I plan on dealing with these issues right now." A few of the issues that Keller has brought to the forefront during the campaign have been as follows; expanding the routes of 348-RIDE to prevent our students from walking long distances to catch their ride, continuing to build a stronger relationship with the city of Tuscaloosa and UA, work to increase the number of streetlights in surrounding areas, create the UAct Program that aims to build a campus where everyone is treated with the highest dignity and respect, help club sports reach their maximum potential and lastly, hopes to provide parking passes to volunteers that will allow them to park in the lot closest to their tasks without penalty.

Elliot Spillers: As President, Spillers would base his administration on campus-wide initiative that will provide wellness resources to students, cultivate sustainable change in our system of government, foster student collaboration and innovation, and increase transparency in the SGA. His initiative will outline “The Six Dimensions of Wellness,” Environmental, Emotional, Physical, Financial, Spiritual, and Social, and will be focused on creating a culture in which a balanced lifestyle is valued and everyone on our campus has the opportunity to achieve their highest potential. Spillers argues that students need an SGA that works with them, not against them, to help students maximize their potential and well-being. He says that for too long the SGA has neglected the needs of large numbers of students and as President, he would work with other students and campus leaders through committees and partnerships to turn around an SGA that he believes ignores the vast complexities of our student body.

Vice-President of Academic Affairs

Addison Arnold: Although running unopposed, Arnold aims to work to maximize student’s academic experiences. Some of Arnold’s goals include but are not limited to; maintaining the effectiveness of the “Compass” scholarship database, increasing student access to Student Opinion of Instruction Surveys, streamlining the advising process, and giving students more access to graduate preparatory classes, such as Kaplan or Princeton Review.

Vice President of External Affairs

Jonathtan Hess: As Vice President of External Affairs, Hess hopes to build closer connections between SGA and the Administration, the City of Tuscaloosa, and the State of Alabama. Hess plans to use his experience as both a resident of Tuscaloosa and a student to broaden the Capstone’s impact on its surrounding community. Hess argues that the student body requires improved transportation for students to the Strip, downtown, and Tuscaloosa as a whole. He hopes that as Vice President of External Affairs, he can facilitate discussions between the City of Tuscaloosa and transportation services, like Uber, in order to provide safer, faster rides home for Alabama students – and turn those discussions into action. Additionally, Hess hopes to improve lighting on roadways close to campus as well as building an infrastructure for student dining halls and organizations to donate extra food to charitable organizations across the city.

Vice President of Financial Affairs

Ben Leake: Leake plans to focus on the following objectives during his time in office; expand the FAC budget to help students and organizations reach their goals, increase the amount of financial assistance available to members of the student body, facilitate opportunities for students to start their own organizations on campus and lastly, encourage creative fundraising initiatives that better the campus community.

Vice President of Student Affairs

Ryan Campbell: Campbell believes that it’s time to inject new energy in the executive branch with fun and engaging opportunities that will foster equal opportunity and empower people to change campus. As Vice President of Student Affairs, Campbell will work to implement a SNAM forgiveness program so that students don’t get unfair and brutal punishments for a temporary lapse in judgment, work to implement a school wide March Madness bracket for the NCAA tournament, work to overhaul the way Alabama bowl football tickets are allocated and lastly, will push to set up a safe way for students to get home.

Branden Greenberg: As Vice President of Student Affairs, Greenberg says he would dedicate his time to the students of Alabama. He plans to do this by implementing a multi-step process of the Crimson Changes Educational Reform. The reform encompasses a new collaboration with multiple big businesses while yielding new student jobs, new student scholarships, and decreased cost in textbooks (approximately 30 percent). Greenberg also plans to implement free Open Educational Resources within our curriculum in hopes of creating classes with free online textbooks. Additionally, Greenberg hopes to continue the partnership and fundraiser with the Tuscaloosa Branch of Honor Flight as well as bring an NFL Play 60 to Tuscaloosa.

Tate Thomas: Thomas believes he can be most effective as VP of Student Affairs by heading projects and proposing policies that pertain to improving life for the entire student body. Thomas says he will place an emphasis on improving the efficacy of the Student Government Association as a whole by utilizing the broad scope of resources, both human and material, at its disposal. Finally, Thomas hopes to make it a point to continuously improve the Student Government Association's relationship with the average student through transparency and openness.

Executive Vice President

Polly Ricketts: If elected, Ricketts will strive to continue connecting students with SGA through various programs and initiatives while also working to create a SGA geared toward sustainability through long-term and strategic planning. Additionally, Ricketts hopes to reinvigorate the “RAGE” Concert initiative and base it around a Spring Week of Welcome for students when they return from winter break. Lastly, Ricketts aims to implement a new student program called "Ask SGA." The program would be a way for students to relay any questions or comments they may have regarding university services to SGA members and administrators in a more convenient manner.

Executive Secretary

Katrina Swarthout: Swarthout views the Executive Secretary position as Executive Secretary as the gatekeeper, distributing information from the executive cabinet to the students. She believes that an open line of communication is crucial and without it, the SGA cannot help students’ voices be heard and get plans called into action. Swarthout plans on achieving this by sustaining and improving SGA archives and executive records, maintaining and expanding current programs and initiatives and creating new avenues for communication and transparency.