Connect2: ‘Increase visibility of SG’
Why are there no other candidates on your ticket?
Thompson: Experience from last election showed us that students will be able to make a better decision if it is just based on us. We are losing benefits by not campaigning on a ticket but it won’t hurt us if we’re elected. Once we’re elected it will be all about SG business and not about a coalition.
What practical changes will you make on campus if you are elected?
Thompson: The SG archives are not properly maintained and virtually don’t exist. We want to create a better system to easily retrieve documents and lists of precedents set by SG for students to review. We do not want our achievements to disappear.
We want to create a DART system around campus to aid in our parking issues since there is not any money right now to build parking structures. Students will be able to hop on a trolley that runs on specified routes to buildings around campus. If students feel unsafe when getting out of an evening class they can call this service to come pick them up and take them to their car.
Sharkey: We want to strengthen ties between Richardson and UTD so that it becomes a more college-friendly town.
Chipotle is only open until 10 p.m. on a Friday night!
Thompson: We want to assign a senator to each student organization so that student-run organizations can be tied more to SG. SG can be made aware of events that each organization is putting on so that they can benefit from senate involvement.
We would like to create a rating system for student offices. If you just visited a student office and have something to say about your experience with it, we want to hear about it so we can streamline that experience in the future.
I’m a McDermott Scholar and it appears that we receive benefits that others don’t. That’s not true — we’re just made aware of the benefits that are actually open to all students.
We want to create an A-Z Web page that’s user friendly to explain to students how to get what they want on campus.
Students are paying for services on campus, so they should know how to utilize them.
We would like to increase visibility and accessibility for commuter students by setting up an SG Twitter account to send out real time tweets from meetings.
What are your qualifications for office?
Sharkey: Working as Peer Advisers, we understand the rules and regulations of how things run on campus. We’re both very passionate about helping people. We’ve both worked with Enrollment Services, Residential Life and served on SG. We were both directors for the Spring Freshman Convocation in 2009 and it was a huge success.
Thompson: After being involved on campus since I arrived I’ve decided that my passions lie in SG. I’ve changed my major from neuroscience to political science because this is where my passions lie. There are times where I have put SG committee things before my school work because SG affects the entire school.
Why should students care about Student Government?
Sharkey: The power and influence SG has on campus is huge. Complaints can be carried forward and addressed if people would just bring them to SG. We can use SG to set precedents while the university is still young.
Thompson: This university is nothing without the students. SG is the liaison between the administration and the students. If you look at it like a business, we’re all stockholders in UTD. Anything the university does I want to know about.
Horde or Alliance?
Thompson: If it is “Halo” or “Call of Duty,” then I can answer but I have to concede ignorance on “World of Warcraft.”
Sharkey: I’m more of a Nintendo gamer. “Mario Kart” and “Legend of Zelda” are my games.
Student Allies: ‘Responsible spending key’
What does the party name mean?
Bielawski: Student Allies is made up of many different students that represent different schools and organizations on campus.
We are banding together to represent the student body of UTD.
What practical changes will you make on campus if you are elected?
Bielawski: We want more outlets in outdoor areas so students can study outside when it’s nice out, and we want to find ways to lower textbook costs.
We want to make sure the Dining Hall hours and the menu are meeting students’ needs and that prices are fair.
We want to increase UTD representation in Texas state and local legislature. We would like to send the SG president to city council meetings and to UT System Board of Regents meetings.
For example, when the Board was discussing plans for the new bookstore, they asked what the students thought about it and there wasn’t a student present to answer.
We need to ensure responsible spending of student money. The Student Fee Committee controls millions of dollars.
3 comments