SGA applications open for students

Applications are open for positions within Student Government Association.

Elections for SGA president, vice president and vice president of student activities council will begin when the applications closes 5 p.m. March 5. Students can also apply to serve on the student senate. The candidate forum will be held 7:15 p.m. March 19. Polls open for voting 8 a.m. March 22 and close 5:00 p.m. March 23.

Joanna Whipple, political science/philosophy senior and chief justice for student court, said the candidates must be enrolled as a law, graduate, or undergraduate student at OCU. Law students must keep a 2.0 GPA, graduate students must keep a 2.5 GPA, and undergraduate students must keep a 3.25 GPA.

Whipple said she encourages students to apply to SGA, especially those passionate about serving the OCU community.

“My experience in SGA has been very rewarding,” Whipple said. “It’s really cool to be behind the scenes of SGA to see the hard work that goes behind improving students’ experience at OCU.”

Whipple said the candidates must also be in good standing with the university as determined by the registrar and must not be on disciplinary probation at the time of application for candidacy.

Students who have previously been removed from an SGA office cannot serve in the same office for one fall or spring academic semester. SGA president may not serve as the president of another campus organization while holding office and must have completed at least two consecutive semesters with a minimum of 12 academic hours in each semester.

The vice president must serve on the student senate for at least one semester before election.

The application process includes a 50-word description of why the candidate thinks he or she will benefit from the position.

Lucas Freeman, political science/history sophomore and SGA public relations secretary, sent out an email to the campus community Feb. 26 to inform students that applications are open.

Freeman said he plans to send more reminders as the deadline approaches. He said students government officials will be checking GPAs after the application, and all candidates are required to attend the candidate seminar at 6 p.m. March 8 in Walker Hall 151.

Freeman said students are allowed to rerun for Senate seats and executive positions, if they wish. Members of the cabinet do not run for election but are chosen by the appointed president.

Freeman said he encourages students to apply so they can learn more about the way the school operates and actively address the issues students have expressed.

“I feel like there are a lot of issues that people have with the school,” Freeman said. “I mean, think about what you see on Twitter. It’s WiFi. It’s Chick-fil-A. It’s any number of things.”

He said he has been thankful for his time in SGA and feels more knowledgeable about boards and committees within the school and the general decision-making process. He also said it’s been positive in a sense of going to events and meeting more students on a personal level.

“It’s a way to increase your voice and increase the voices of the people you can represent,” Freeman said.

The schedule below was provided by Freeman.

Spring 2018

Elections timeline