Election season at the University of Alabama has officially begun! Often times, we can get lost in the constant social networking blasts and seldom get the chance to truly know our candidates. We asked the candidates for executive office about some of their plans for the upcoming year. Here is your 2016 UA Election Guide!

SGA President

Patrick Fitzgerald

Hometown: Harvest, Alabama

Major: Marketing

What are your goals for this upcoming term? My goals are to not only push campus forward for progress, but to unite all corners of the Capstone by running on and creating initiatives that cover as many groups and demographics as possible.

I want my legacy to be one that tells students, “We can." I want to be the president that shows the true power of a united and active student body when we throw our collective efforts behind an effort. If anything, I want to be a president that really drives home the point that it’s a reckless idea to grow as fast as this university has without having the resources to ensure its SGA grows right along with it. We are running on the lengthiest, most in-depth and inclusive platform in this race; I’m incredibly proud of that.

What is your vision for UA's campus? My vision is to ensure we implement a one-strike zero tolerance policy regarding sexual assault and rape. My vision is to help mold a campus that truly believes in their SGA – a campus that wants to play a part in it. We can have initiatives and ideas, but we have to make sure we have the funds to implement them to work for every one. I’m running on a platform that realizes and provides just that.

Inclusion has been a big topic the last year in regards to SGA elections. How do you plan to make sure our campus keeps growing together?

For one, we need a socially inclusive campus by ensuring we have a permanent space for our Office of Diversity. In addition to that, we need to make sure it has adequate resources to ensure its success to be able to partner with various clubs and organizations across campus on events and activities to have to ability to reach its full potential.

Inclusivity can also mean clubs and organizations always knowing what the SGA is doing by having a newsletter delivered to them every month. Financial inclusivity is also something we need to build on – ensuring that more students have access to scholarships and meal plans that normally do not. Inclusivity can mean that our veterans feel included when they have priority registration. It can also mean making sure that our international students have representation by forming an International Student Governing Board that will work hand-in-hand with the SGA to hold it accountable to bring changes for and include the international community in all business. Inclusion can be in the form of making sure we have a stout and sustainable LGBTQ+ emergency fund for students to tap into when they have been financially disowned by their families after coming out of the closet. Inclusivity can even be as simple as continuing mental health initiatives like the CrisisTextLine to ensure that all students have an anonymous avenue to text whenever they feel overwhelmed.

Caroline Morrison

Hometown: Birmingham, AL

Major: Economics and Finance

What are your goals for this upcoming term?

My goals are the make SGA more open, fair and impactful in a student's life. I also want to continue to work on initiatives that empower our students and make life easier day-to-day, such as ride sharing.

What is your vision for UA's campus?

My vision for UA's campus is one of unity, where we move beyond the politics surrounding SGA and collaborate to act in the best interests of students.

Inclusion has been a big topic the last year in regards to SGA elections. How do you plan to make sure our campus keeps growing together?

I will make the structure of SGA more inclusive by adding an application step to all appointed positions to ensure we have diverse and qualified students in office. I will also continue to advocate for and work with Administration to establish a Division of Diversity.

Lillian Roth

Hometown: Montgomery, AL

Major: Political Science and Public Relations

What are your goals for this upcoming term?

My biggest goals for the upcoming term are bringing Uber and other ridesharing companies to campus as well as instituting a SNAM forgiveness program. I am also going to make a Presidents Advisory Council so that leaders in every group are represented and their ideas can be brought to the table.

What is your vision for UA's campus?

My vision for UA's campus is one where every one student feels safe, included and comfortable in order to succeed and thrive during their time at the Capstone.

Inclusion has been a big topic the last year in regards to SGA elections. How do you plan to make sure our campus keeps growing together?

The most effective way to ensure that our campus continues to grow together and be more unified is through the creation of a Presidents' Council. Presidents of every single organization on campus, Greek and non-Greek, will be invited to come to the table, and have their ideas heard. Not only would the ideas of presidents be able to have their ideas heard in SGA, but they would have the unique opportunity to collaborate with one another and work together.

Vice President of Academic Affairs

Emily Cerrina

Hometown: Ridgewood, NJ

Major: Elementary Education

What are your goals for this upcoming term? My three main goals include: providing veterans and their dependents priority registration for classes, reforming the Academic Honor Council and creating a website that will give students the ability to view open library seats and conference rooms.

What is your vision for UA's campus?

Altogether, my vision for UA includes holding my fellow Capstone members to higher academic standards. After my term, I would like to see a campus-wide GPA increase as well as students taking advantage of every educational and academic opportunity. I envision students attending free tutorial sessions, refrainment from academic dishonesty and plagiarism, as well as students taking advantage of job fairs and scholarship forums.

Inclusion has been a big topic the last year in regards to SGA elections. How do you plan to make sure our campus keeps growing together? I want to create a newsletter with the Academic Honor Council that will share campus-wide academic opportunities for all students. The newsletter will be sent to each students' email, and all students will feel included and be given an equal opportunity.

Hometown: New Market, AL

Major: Political Science

What are your goals for this upcoming term?

My goals for this upcoming term include: priority class registration for on-campus veterans, a campus-wide textbook swap, having SOI’s halfway through the semester, creation of a cultural diversity class, advocating that libraries stay open later on Friday nights, establishing an academic resource hub online called “My Path,” and working to make advising more efficient especially within the business college. I want to be remembered as someone who was truly candid with students, and who wanted the best for this university.

What is your vision for UA's campus?

My vision for UA is for students to realize that before we are members of organizations, we are first and foremost students at the university. Students who communicate with other students to solve problems, and who work towards consistently bettering our university. My vision is for our campus to come together, and to put aside our differences.

Inclusion has been a big topic the last year in regards to SGA elections. How do you plan to make sure our campus keeps growing together?

As Vice President of Academic Affairs, I want to establish a cultural diversity class. We have progressed substantially as a university this past year, but we are far from being finished. We should not stop, but keep pushing forward. A cultural diversity class would not only educate students about different heritages, cultures and monumental moments throughout history, but foster empathy among the student body.

Kara Whelply

Hometown: Bayonne, NJ

Major: Interdisciplinary Studies, Depth Study: Global Public Health

What are your goals for this upcoming term? My goal for the upcoming term is to create a community where students enjoy going to class and are prepared to leave The Capstone to enter the workforce. I plan to host forums and work with the testing center to make the resources easily available for students so they can take the next step in their education. Another goal of mine is to work with the libraries to make a more individual and collaborative study space on our campus.

What is your vision for UA's campus?

My vision for UA’s campus is that we become more than just champions in athletics, but also champions in academics. The Capstone of Higher Education can be one of the most academically innovative and stimulating campuses in the country, but sometimes I see that the campus culture has a shifted focus away from academics. We are all here to get an education. My vision is that students and faculty enjoy those five days and see the value of what they’re learning, and can apply it beyond their time at UA.

Inclusion has been a big topic the last year in regards to SGA elections. How do you plan to make sure our campus keeps growing together?

As an independent candidate I understand the need for inclusion on our campus. Students need to be encouraged to take charge of their time here. Leadership must be chosen from the most experienced, talented and passionate individuals no matter what organization, race, ethnicity or sex they may identify. I understand that students have different academic needs and I am here to listen to their concerns and to give students an equal opportunity to succeed regardless of their year in school, learning level or study habits because academics knows no boundaries.

Vice President of External Affairs

Alli Selman

Hometown: Red Level, AL

Major: Political Science and Communication Studies

What are your goals for this upcoming term?

I will advocate for a reform of state sexual assault laws to make them better equipped to protect all victims and be inclusive of the LGBTQA+ community. I hope to build off of the incredible strides made by our previous Vice President of External Affairs, Jonathan Hess, to get Uber or similar, desperately needed transportation options in Tuscaloosa. These pieces of my platform, objectives I do hope to make substantial progress toward, are not my sole purpose for being in office. My purpose is to continue to serve you, the students of the University of Alabama, to the best of my ability, as I have always done.

What is your vision for UA's campus?

I want to help create a UA that promotes equal opportunity in all aspects of campus. Even though it is 2016, we still struggle with embracing diversity and inclusion. Alabama is a beautifully diverse campus, and it would be foolish of us to not utilize that for the betterment of our university.

Inclusion has been a big topic the last year in regards to SGA elections. How do you plan to make sure our campus keeps growing together?

Inclusion is vital to the success of our campus. As an SGA, we must embrace the opinions of all in order to best represent the student body. It is through inclusion that SGA can foster the progression and betterment of our beloved Capstone. In order for any species, establishment, or nation to survive and thrive in a changing world, it must continue to grow and shape itself. Th University of Alabama is no different. As a student body and university, we must be inclusive to continue progression and survive as the flagship university.

Vice President of Financial Affairs

Jordan Forrest

Hometown: Columbia, MO

Major: Public Relations and Political Science (Minor in International Relations and Public Policy)

What are your goals for the upcoming term?

Working with the current VPFA, Treasurer, UA Dean of Students and Office of Financial Affairs as an executive officer in SGA has been invaluable and will be of great importance for an easy transition into office of Vice President of Financial Affairs. As your next VPFA, I will use my SGA legislative and executive experience budgeting, allocating funds and fundraising to create new and innovative programs to support our students’ financial needs. It is essential that all groups on campus know and understand how the FAC can meet their needs. I will put my experience towards creating new scholarships to work through partnerships with student organizations and our community to raise funds for need-based scholarships and additional scholarships to expand the financial reach.

What is your vision for UA's campus?

As a student leader at the Capstone is it essential that we always strive for excellence in every endeavor. Excellence is about contributing our best to university life while encouraging others to do the same. It is how we honor others through a vision to support and improve our campus. Each of us walks onto the University of Alabama campus as individuals with goals, dreams and plans. My vision for UA is to continue to create sustainable programs that empower students to collaborate more and complain less, to take action to work together to provide a safer and more inclusive campus for all, and devise new plans for financial resources so everyone can succeed and graduate from the Capstone.

Inclusion has been a big topic the last year in regards to SGA elections. How do you plan to make sure our campus keeps growing together?

If we truly want to facilitate diversity of opinion, we must provide opportunities for students on our campus to engage in healthy dialogue that finds solutions for inclusion. Prioritizing exchanges where students are exposed to others with differing opinions, races, cultures, religions, sexual orientations and political beliefs ensures that the goal of diversity on campus is accomplished. My platform includes the creation of program partnerships with cross-cultural clubs, professional organizations, student athletes and fine arts programs on campus to come together to raise funds for various new scholarships. When we create opportunities for diverse groups to come together for a common cause, we create inclusive opportunities to learn about different cultures while serving our campus and community. When we listen and collaborate with one another, we learn how to work together to lift one another up and provide better educational opportunities for all.

Hunter Richey

Hometown: Hoover, AL

Major: Economics and Political Science (Minor in History)

What are your goals for this upcoming term?

I hope to bridge the current gap between student organization funding requests and what we are able to provide. I seek to do this by creating corporate project funding partnerships to link organizations with like-minded entities around the state to both supplement project funding and allow companies to develop relationships with potential future job recruits. I will also partner with the SOURCE to ensure all organizations are fully aware of the requirements for receiving FAC funding, create a mini-lecture series with Culverhouse professors to touch on issues rarely covered in the classroom, such as mortgage or student debt financing, and continue the job of working with Student Affairs to develop new ways to fund the Needs-Based Scholarship program, making it more accessible to the students who need it.

What is your vision for UA's campus?

I envision a campus where all students feel empowered by the voice they have at this university. I love this school. I love its passion, its drive and its tradition – but more than that, I love its people. The University of Alabama is a student-centered research university, and I envision a campus where all students feel as though that label is appropriate.

Inclusion has been a big topic the last year in regards to SGA elections. How do you plan to make sure our campus keeps growing together?

The University of Alabama cannot reach its full potential if entire pockets of the student population are left out of the mix. Every person on this campus deserves a say in the happenings. This is not just their student government, but of their campus as a whole. I will bring students from all parts of campus to the table to influence how organizational funding is allocated. The FAC should represent not only my vision, but the collective vision of every student who seeks greatness for the University of Alabama.

Vice President of Student Affairs

Dalton Beasley

Hometown: Montgomery, AL

Major: Marketing and Music Administration

What are your goals for this upcoming term?

My platform is entitled "A Greater UA" where my goal is to enhance student life in various aspects. I plan to create an Entertainment and Programming Board that will be responsible for entertainment-based initiatives such as the growing Yellowhammer Music Festival. I also plan to better advocate for our student textbook initiative, Bamazon, by continuing to work with administration on an agreement. I want to host student-based projects and events across campus that raise funds for our needs based scholarship account. I also want to fight for more advanced student services. In the dorms, I'm advocating for more advanced technological services such as detailed bus routing systems and what's being served in the dining halls, all on display so it will be easily accessible for students. Finally, I want to work with the judicial system on potential reforms to better serve the student body.

What is your vision for UA's campus?

My vision for UA's campus is a diverse, complex environment where students of all types can come together and find their overall purpose. College is the time to find yourself. Your likes, your dislikes, your personal hobbies and interests, all of these things we discover during our college career. I think fostering an environment of safety while placing importance on excellence both inside and outside of the classroom is the key to a positive vision across campus.

Inclusion has been a big topic the last year in regards to SGA elections. How do you plan to make sure our campus keeps growing together?

I want to make sure that everyone feels included on this campus. I have several ideas for diversity initiatives and I hope to see more come to light over the next year. The UA Diversity Center was a great place to start, but I think the sustainability in these programs such as the Strategic Planning Council is extremely important. In order to become more inclusive, we have to ensure that these programs continue in their goals. I also want to make sure these resources, such as our Safe Zone, Women and Gender Resource Center, and Crossroads Community Center are better branded and advertised, so ALL students will know of the services accessible to them.

Shelby Norman

Hometown: Loganville, GA

Major: Political Science

What are your goals for this upcoming term?

I want to be able to implement comprehensive education programs for students to learn about Medical Amnesty policies on campus, as well as push for more accountability from students and administration on sexual assault awareness, prevention, and consequential action. I also want to create a social/academic pairing program for students with cognitive and physical disabilities on campus.

What is your vision for UA's campus?

My vision for UA includes progression, augmented diversity of thought, collective creativity, and thoughtful discourse. I see the entire student body moving closer to the family that we were always meant to be.

Inclusion has been a big topic the last year in regards to SGA elections. How do you plan to make sure our campus keeps growing together?

In order to make sure campus continues to grow together and learn together, I want to help ensure that we all take the time to step out of our comfort zones. This is how we can learn more about ourselves and others. We as students are making great strides, but there is always room for improvement.

Executive Vice President

Ben Leake

Hometown: Lexington, IL

Major: MIS & Finance

What are your goals for this upcoming term?

This term, I’m looking to expand and improve upon the initiatives that have made our SGA so successful in the past, as well as implementing a few new ones.

As we all know, the opportunities you have to get involved on campus as a freshman can often dictate the course of your college career.

For the thousands of others (other freshmen, graduate students, anyone!) looking to get involved, SGA will now offer that opportunity with Student Action Teams, groups of students from across campus that tackle a specific issue or cause (community service, academic resources, etc.). These opportunities optimize engagement in SGA for everyone, meaning a more involved student body as a whole.

The ultimate goal of college is to help us land that dream job, and I’d love to help my fellow students reach their professional goals by offering more resources for professional development. Last year I developed Bama Budget, a financial management program for our students. This year, I’ll expand it to ensure everyone’s being reached. New student? You’ll be able to learn about the basics of taking care of money while you’re in college. About to graduate? You’ll get the chance to understand how to best invest the money you earn from your first “real” paycheck. I’ve developed partnerships with some of our business school’s most successful financial groups, and we’ll make sure every student knows how to handle their cash.

What is your vision for UA's campus?

I envision UA as a community where students are empowered to succeed in the professional world. Whether that means in a full-time job, graduate school, or other endeavor, the ultimate goal of UA should be to provide its students an experience that opens their mind and gives them the tools they need to help them reach their goals in life. We have already made incredible strides as an academic institution, and I only see us going further.

Ultimately, I envision a unified campus with unmatched camaraderie that is prepared to succeed once we leave Tuscaloosa. Of course, this can’t be achieved by SGA members alone – it takes everyone on campus working together. But I believe we can do it.

Inclusion has been a big topic this last year in regards to SGA elections. How do you plan to make sure our campus keeps growing together?

Right now, our SGA is in a very unique position – Elliot’s addition of a Director of Multicultural Affairs has us poised to make strides far ahead of any other school’s student government regarding inclusion of all perspectives on campus. What that requires is further empowerment of DMA through increased resources, an expanded cabinet, and more combined events on campus highlighting everyone’s voice.

An expanded cabinet for the DMA would help our campus grow together, specifically with an advisory council made up of what I’d like to call “concurrent positions” – meaning if you’re the president of a cultural organization, you automatically hold a seat on the council. Students who are presidents of these organizations are often so busy running their own group that they don’t have the time to apply for an SGA position advocating for the causes they’re so interested in. I’d like to bring these groups together so they pool their collective resources to have a greater impact on campus together – SGA can facilitate those relationships to push us forward.

Miranda Cobb

Hometown: Bristow, VA

Major: Restaurant, Hotel, and Meeting Management (Concentration: Meeting and Events, Minor: Communication Studies)

What are your goals for this upcoming term?

To implement the Capstone Mentoring Program, the Joining Forces Movement: Veteran and Dependent Priority Registration and Veteran Only Orientation Session, alongside the Platform Tracker.

My vision for UA is a Capstone that embodies sustainability, fosters innovation, offers networking and strives for equality. By achieving these four main goals, the Capstone can truly be seen as #OneCapstone.

Inclusion has been a big topic the last year in regards to SGA elections. How do you plan to make sure our campus keeps growing together?

My whole campaign runs off of the idea of a #OneCapstone. To me this can be done by creating inclusion for all. I hope to add new director positions like Women and International Relations Director Positions to tackle the minority groups on campus. They will be the catalyst for various programs, involvement opportunities, and events.

In addition, I will bridge the gap between faculty and students by instating a monthly college forum, which all SGA senators, college ambassadors, and faculty join together to go over upcoming events or objectives. This will keep faculty in the loop while engaging students to connect with their college's faculty members.

Executive Secretary

Kelsi Long

Hometown: Madison, AL

Major: Accounting

What are your goals for this upcoming term?

I want students to be able to connect with SGA and understand the influence that we can have. I want all students to be able to come and talk to me about problems or issues they see on campus so that I can work to get those resolved. I not only want to hear about the problems, but I want every single student to believe they have a voice, so if they have an idea for an initiative they can come discuss it with me and I can lead them in the right direction of who they would need to talk to get their goals accomplished.

What is your vision for UA's campus?

I want a campus that is united. I want everyone to feel like they are important to our campus and their ideas and opinions matter. Every student should be proud that they go to the University of Alabama and I hope to change some things so that they are able to say that. I do not want anyone to feel like they are not allowed to be themselves. I want campus to be fun, inclusive and SGA accessible to all 37,000+ students.

Inclusion has been a big topic the last year in regards to SGA elections. How do you plan to make sure our campus keeps growing together?

Inclusion is very important to me especially since I am the only candidate running for an executive position who is non-Greek. I want to fight for every student to have a fair opportunity at anything they want on campus. I want to create an open dialogue for these issues. I want every single student who steps foot on campus to be able to feel like they can change campus for the better and be able to have those opportunities to them. I want SGA to start having events that allows students to share their concerns and work towards a more inclusive and unified campus.

Major: Electrical Engineering and Mathematics

What are your goals for this upcoming term?

I want to focus on making our Student Government Association more efficient and effective. I will work to make our SGA more efficient by implementing simplified systems that will allow every member of our student government to accomplish their goals. These systems will include having a guide on how to plan an event or campaign, so every member of SGA will have a starting point for implementing their ideas. Instead of asking the student body for more money, when many students are already stretched thin, I would like to reach out to our alumni to participate in our fundraising efforts, and then dedicate a section of the SGA website to following up after events, allowing every member of the University of Alabama community to see how their donations are helping to improve our campus.

What is your vision for UA's campus?

My vision for UA’s campus is to have every student believe they can accomplish their goals. I want each student to feel that they have access to the resources they need to be successful.

Inclusion has been a big topic the last year in regards to SGA elections. How do you plan to make sure our campus keeps growing together?

I want to promote inclusion through communication. SGA has made efforts to make a more inclusive campus with initiatives such as “It’s On Us” and hosting a Mental Health Awareness Week. The job of Executive Secretary is to foster inclusion on campus by making everyone aware of the opportunities and initiatives provided by SGA.