The Student Government Association (SGA) presidential candidates had a final chance before the start of elections to discuss and debate their proposed platforms and initiatives on Tuesday, April 9 in the Blackwell Ballroom. Juniors Haley Vest, executive senator, and Queen Burrell, treasurer, are the candidates for the 2013-2014 presidency. Students can vote for presidential candidates, senators and representatives via CollegiateLink from Wednesday, April 10 to Friday, April 12.
Before the debate began, Senior Class President and co-chair of the Recruitment/Elections Committee Gina DeMarco, along with Vice President Brian Reid, reminded students that they could contact Reid or herself regarding any issues or questions during elections.
In Vest’s opening statement, she said, “[I am] high energy and enthusiastic, but I’m also reliable and hardworking and very decisive — and I love Longwood, most importantly.”
Burrell told the audience she has “a true passion for doing service and giving back. I also view myself as being a hard worker and a passionate person.”
Grant Avent, director of Longwood Dining Services, served as the debate moderator. The first portion of the debate consisted of prepared questions and answers. Vest and Burrell had four minutes each to answer the questions.
The first question Avent posed was, “What are your top three priorities for the next school year, and what specifically will you do to achieve your goals?”
Vest defined her three priorities as actively supporting student clubs and organizations, addressing the big issues on campus and increasing awareness and visibility of the SGA. She cited working closely with organizations and engaging the student bodies as ways in which we would accomplish these goals.
Promoting social justice, improving campus safety and enhancing student engagement were Burrell’s listed top priorities. Working with the appropriate organizations and informing students of the resources available to them are among Burrell’s planned strategies to achieve these goals.
The next question was, “Part of being the SGA president entails being passionate about your school. To you, what does it mean to be a Lancer and how will you ensure that you carry out this definition every day that you’re in office?”
In response to this question, Burrell said, “To me, being a lancer means that you carry the spirit of Longwood inside of you in all the activities that you do.”
Burrell said she would show open support on activities and organizations on campus in order to live this definition. “Being a Lancer is synonymous with being a citizen leader, something we really, really promote at Longwood,” responded Vest. “So this means leading fairly and morally and being supportive of our fellow Lancers.”
Attending events in support of students and listening to what students have to say are ways Vest said she will support her personal definition of being a Lancer.
The final prepared question was, “What do you want your legacy to be when you leave Longwood?”
Vest said she would graduate leaving the SGA strong and make “major improvements toward club and organization development and also strides toward the big issues that matter the most to students on campus” in order to leave a legacy.
As for Burrell’s envisioned legacy, she said, “I want to be that individual who truly cares, not the president who said she wanted to make Longwood better, but the one who took the actions to actually make a difference.”
The audience was then able to submit questions for the two candidates to answer.
The first question from the audience asked, “How do you feel about the current controversy regarding off- campus organizations, and how should the SGA handle it?”
Burrell answered, “I think the SGA should support all students on their values and interests as an individual.”
Vest agreed with Burrell’s response, saying, “SGA is really here to represent every single Longwood student.”
Vest added that she would like to extend an invitation to off- campus organizations to apply to become on-campus groups and reap the benefits of being a recognized organization.
The next question was, “In your current position, what changes have you made?”
Astreasurer,Burrelltransferred the budget allocation process from a paper process to an online one. As executive senator, Vest launched initiatives to help further engage students on campus.
Burrell and Vest then answered the question, “What programs or committees do you plan on launching to improve the quality of student life?”
Vest said she would like to “focus on student club and organizational development.” Burrell would like to focus on the SGA’s Legislative Committee and help students become more familiar with SGA bylaws.
The penultimate question was, “As president, you’re accountable for everything the SGA does. You take praise and criticism when it’s given. How can you be accountable as a leader and also address criticism when it is needed?”
Burrell felt she has dealt with criticism well as treasurer. Vest said it is important to be accountable and the role of president is “not really about you, it’s about what you do and how you leave it.”
The final, two-part question was, “What kinds of traits make you the ideal candidate, and can you balance the responsibility of being the president as well as your school work?”
A president, according to Vest, should be a spirit leader while also performing behind the scenes work, and she believes she “can encompass both sides of that coin very, very well.” She is confident she would make being president and academics her priority.
Burrell described herself as passionate and a hard worker, and she feels she could balance her school work and the role of president effectively.
Outgoing SGA President Donald Knight, who is set to graduate this May, said the debate questions represented “some of the issues that you are going to have to address [as president]. Sometimes they’re going to happen on the fly, sometimes you’re prepared”
Ultimately, Knight said, “What you can bring and how you want to help display [students’] voice is absolutely crucial to how this campus functions; not only to SGA functions but to how you can better the entire campus as a whole. It’s all about setting the precedent and pressing forward with that.”
Current Student Government Association (SGA) Treasurer Queen Burrell