Elections for Student Government Association president began with the announcement of three presidential candidates. Polls opened at 8 a.m. March 22 and close at 5 p.m. March 23 on OrgSync.
The SGA president approves bills presented to Senate, appoints positions within SGA, and is a liason between university administration and the students.
Incumbent SGA President Randy Gipson-Black, religion/political science junior, is running for re-election. Rodney Smith, religion/philosophy junior and SGA secretary, and Jordan Tarter, English junior and SGA senator, also announced their decision to run for SGA president.
Gipson-Black said his priorities are student safety, improvements in facilities and addressing student concerns. Smith’s platform includes diversity, transparency and involvement. Tarter said her priorities include student safety, transparency and making the campus more environmentally-friendly.
Running for re-election
Gipson-Black is running for re-election as SGA President.
“Obviously, I bring experience to the table,” he said. “I’ve been in the office for a year. I know what I’m doing. I have a really good understanding of how to take an idea and get it done.”
Gipson-Black said people are more interested in SGA, and he’s grown a lot by being a part of it.
If he is re-elected, he said he has the advantage of not needing an adjustment period.
“It took a while to get used to the whole office because SGA has been kind of fluctuating in leadership,” he said. “With the last administration, we didn’t have a great transition, and my administration was kind of left at the drawing board.”
Gipson-Black said he wants to continue the “Blue Goes Green” initiative, which began with recycling on campus. He said he would also give water bottles to freshmen during Stars Week.
Gipson-Black said he is in communication with officials to expand Aduddell Fitness Center. This was one of Gipson-Black’s major campaign initiatives when he ran for president in 2017, along with the repainting of parking spots.
Gipson-Black said he’s glad to see eagerness in all of the candidates.
“You’ve really got to have that sense of service,” he said. “You’ve got to have that willingness to serve to do the job effectively.”
Gipson-Black said he’s excited to go through the campaign process again, and he said he’s hoping students will vote.
“I’m sure a lot of people don’t think SGA is super important or super influential or whatever, but it matters who you vote for, because, no matter who wins, things are going to get done on campus,” he said.
Serving the students
Smith said he wants to communicate with the students about Senate actions and make it easier for students toapply to be on Senate, possibly by going through OrgSync and keeping the application open year-round.
“I want people to not view SGA as a separate entity from the student population,” he said. “We’re supposed to be serving them.”
Smith also said he would promote diversity-focused events on campus like the Black Student Association’s Blackout and the Native American Society’s Spring Powwow, an event where people dance, sing, socialize, and honor their culture.
“I just want to show people that we support these things, that we’re a part of the campus,” he said.
Smith said he would use office hours to keep the SGA president’s office open to students and send the minutes from Senate meetings directly to students’ emails.
“I think one of my better skills is that I’m easily approachable,” he said. “I’m pretty laid back. Anyone can talk to me about any bills they want to submit or anything like that, just keeping an open atmosphere between the president and everybody else.”
Smith said he’s excited to campaign and hear feedback from students and administrators. He said the best way to contact him is by Facebook messenger or email at rasmith@my.okcu.edu.
“I’m open-minded, so I really want to hear what students have to say because I think a leader of an organization is someone who knows what everyone else is thinking,” he said.
Other plans Smith has include utilizing the Prexie Club to discuss ideas across student organizations and working with the Office of Undergraduate Admission to recruit underrepresented populations. Prexie Club is a club of presidents from student organizations that was created to allow students to influence SGA’s mission.
Smith said he hopes students vote their conscience during this election.
“Let your decision kind of be yours,” he said. “Don’t let a bunch of outside voices influence your decision, but make sure whoever you’re voting for is someone you can really see taking the position in a good direction.”
Speaking out
Tarter said it’s important to her that she represents the students.
“I truly believe you should be the change you want to see in the world, or even just be the change you want to see in the school,” she said. “I think that I have what it takes to truly listen to the student body and be transparent with them and work with their desires and work with what they need.”
Tarter said she wants to increase security in Cokesbury Court Apartments by fixing the gate and adding cameras. She also wants to replace plastic straws with paper straws to cut back on plastic waste and address the issue of sound installation in the theater facilities. She said she is open to student feedback for other campaign goals.
“I want to ask the students at the school what they would like because it’s not just about what I want for the school,” Tarter said. “I definitely want to listen to the student body and hear them out. For that to be a part of my platform is really close to my heart.”
Tarter said she encourages students not to be silent with their concerns and bring them to the presidential candidates.
“I encourage students to think about what they truly care about in the school,” she said. “I want them to get involved. If they want change, they’re going to have to vote, and I think voting where your concerns are, voting where your heart is, is extremely important.”
Tarter said she wants to tell students that anyone can have an impact on campus.
“Use your voice. Your vote is your voice,” she said. “Personally, I believe I am a candidate who will listen to your voices.”
Tarter said she also wants to put more focus into transparency.
“We have a wonderful campus, and we have many amazing opportunities here,” she said. “I think that SGA could be a huge part in educating this campus on what they can do to achieve their dreams.”
Staff writer and photographer Rodney Smith is running for SGA president. He did not participate in the writing or editing of this story.
Proofreader Tyler Patton, mass communications junior, is campaign manager for Jordan Tarter. He did not participate in the writing of this story.
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