Farris Willingham, Editor-in-Chief
Emma Velez. Photo: Submitted
Velez originally ran for SGA president because she saw the potential for necessary change to the campus community.
“I had been involved in student government, and I wanted to be more involved,” she said. “It’s a great resource for students, and I would love to serve in the capacity of student body president again.”
During her term as student body president, Emma’s administration accomplished:
– cutting the $8,000 deficit acquired in transitioning to the new administration,
– initiating Star Connect, a peer mentorship program that pairs an international student with a domestic student to improve international student involvement on campus,
– advocating for tuition to remain flat for the 2012-13 academic year,
– expanding the university business district,
– implementing the Five-Star Organizational Model, which helped streamline the Senate allotment process and clarified SGA expectations for organizations, and
– prompting the creation of the Student Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.
Velez said her biggest accomplishments were starting the Five-Star Organizational Model and eliminating the deficit.
“We inherited about an $8,000 debt, which we cut right off the top,” she said. “To be fiscally responsible, we decided before we even start allocating money to the rest of student government that we were just going to write a check for that debt, cut it out and then work with what we have left.”
SGA started the 2011-12 year with $267,000, from which they cut $8,000, Velez said.
“It’s going to be huge for the administrations to come to not have that debt trailing behind them,” she said.
Velez continued the same campaign approach this year, which is based on a platform of collaboration, connection and communication.
“We want to collaborate with our student organizations and local businesses,” she said. “We’re committed to advocating for students at the university, local and national level and communicating what we’re doing.”
Velez said her administration’s main fault was in communicating their ideas and interests to the student body.
“In the modern age, people are inundated with information,” she said. “How do you reach people in a way that they want to be reached?”
It’s pertinent to reach students in an effective way, so they may benefit more from enacted policies or allocation of funding, Velez said.
“Clearly, students don’t want to be contacted by email anymore,” she said. “I’d like to see our own app to let people know what’s going on internally, such as legislation or budgeting issues.”
Velez said her experience in the president’s seat qualifies her to assume the role for a second term.
“I know what it takes,” she said. “I know from firsthand experience what it entails.”
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