This year, Ohio University students have been offered the chance to choose from several Student Senate presidential candidates and multiple tickets.
Everyone running brings beneficial qualities to Student Senate and we hope — no matter who is victorious — that the unique talents and experiences of all running are incorporated into the senate.
For the sake of student’s interest, we feel that REACH’s candidates will best serve and represent the OU student body. All three executives have substantial experience in Senate, insider knowledge that is key to accomplishing Senate goals and knowledge about the way our university and its corresponding government runs.
President: Zach George
Zach George has proven his ability to sit down at a table with university administrators and reasonably discuss a solution, keeping students’ best interest in mind. Most recently, George took a chance by backing the ballot question about student representation on Budget Planning Council. The issue of student representation in OU budgeting will now be brought to campus-wide attention through a vote, in part due to George’s diligence. We hope George remains unafraid to voice the opinion of students and is capable of being different than past presidents.
George mentioned that each senate should leave OU better than it found it, a charge we hope he and the REACH ticket will carry out faithfully once elected.
However, George could take a page out of the yOU presidential candidate Tony Koehling’s book when dealing with public relations and communication with the student body. Koehling proposed a PR plan that would ensure Senate seeks students out instead of staying isolate and asking students to come to them.
Every part of yOU’s non-traditional campaign emphasized the need to meet students where they are instead of expecting them to come to the senate — a stance we implore next year’s leaders to continue. Koehling suggested creating a press secretary position to enhance relations with the media and ensure information about Senate’s programs and tasks are available to the general public, a plan that allows for more dialogue between students and their senators. Win or lose, we truly hope to see Koehling heavily involved in the leadership of next year’s senate (potentially as director of communications?).
While we weren’t convinced Koehling’s lack of senate experience made him the most equipped for the senate presidency, his unique student experience and his true passion for representing students will provide next year’s senate with a vital asset.
The same can be said for independent candidate Jared Henderson, who has proven it’s possible to be in student leadership while also standing staunchly against administration on issues of importance to students. As Honors Tutorial College senator, Henderson was the perfect example of how representative government should work by constantly bringing issues before his constituents before opining about them on the senate floor. Missed meetings aside, he’s proven that he understands what the students deserve from their representatives — and REACH would be foolish not to have him in a commissioner position next year.
Despite our endorsement, George needs to be more visible to the student body.
Throughout our time here at OU, visibility and accessibility has been a consistent problem with Senate. Often, students know little about the body or how it is working for them. If elected, we hope George strives to tear down the curtain between senate and the students it is supposed to represent.
Vice President: Amrit Saini
Saini describes the position of Student Senate vice president as that of a “ship engineer.” The vice president must motivate the senate to keep up day-to-day productivity while also maintaining internal moral and social harmony. For a position focused almost exclusively on the senate’s inner workings, we believe previous senate experience is a must.
yOU candidate Elizabeth Culp didn’t attend either of the scheduled endorsement meetings, so, unfortunately, we never had a direct opportunity to speak to her about her vision for the vice presidential position. That said, Culp has no prior experience with Senate.
Treasurer: Evan Ecos
Although running unopposed, Ecos proved he would be a steadfast executive in Senate. Like his running mates, his experience in Senate will be extremely beneficial next year. The key for him, and all of next year’s executives, will be to avoid clustering with other senate insiders and truly embracing outside student voices and perspectives.
These endorsements don’t come without defined expectations. Student Senate must become more accessible to its constituents. We expect to see George, Saini and Ecos interacting with other students outside Senate’s walls. Though slightly hostile to it during the campaign, they must embrace the fact that many students are turned off by senate and work to reach the student body in new ways — which was a major component of their opponents’ platform.
During The Post debate, the subject of the REACH ticket’s seeming lack of diversity – especially in terms of gender – was mentioned. Fortunately for REACH there are a plethora of hardworking, dedicated women who have proven their worth to the senate. We expect to see current senate workhorses such as Mary Kate Gallagher and Victoria Calderon in elevated leadership positions next year — as well as yOU vice presidential candidate Elizabeth Culp.
