1. Why did you decide to run for this SA E-Board position? 

When I first came to [BU], I wanted to get involved in student government to make a change on campus. As someone interested in both the political and legal fields, I felt the [SA] would be a great way to gain experience on a smaller, collegiate scale. I immediately fell in love with the SA, and it has been an absolute pleasure to advance as much as I have in the past two years. When it came to making my next step in the SA, I wasn’t exactly sure how I wanted to proceed. I figured that it would be a natural progression for me to run for the role of VPF with my finance experience. But the more I thought about it, I realized that BU Council was definitely the right fit for me. I am someone who has always wanted to help others and use my voice for good, and I feel that BU Council is the most effective way for me to achieve this goal. In this role, I aim to be an advocate for the student body and a megaphone for all unheard concerns. The closer we are to election day, the more excited I am about the role and to hit the ground running next semester.

2. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or career plans for the future? 

Currently, in addition to being heavily involved in the SA, I am also a member of a sorority, Phi Mu, where I currently hold the position of ritual chair. In my free time, I love to read, spend time with friends and I am obsessed with the New York Times games and the crossword. After college, I plan on going to law school, and I currently have an interest in pursuing AI ethics and technology law in the future.

3. Describe your platform in a succinct way. 

I aim to address campus parking issues by advocating for increased resident parking, including opening all spots to residents on weekends and converting certain lots. Additionally, I will push for improved parking garage accessibility and construction. I propose easier contact with the administration through monthly meetings and town halls, along with implementing online feedback platforms. To enhance transportation services, I suggest updates to the OCCT system, including automated bus delay notifications and new bus lines. I also emphasize closer ties to SUNY resources and committees focused on student life, academics and mental health support.

4. How does your background influence what you are able to offer the campus community? 

My experience as a student congress representative, chair of the finance committee and involvement in state student government equips me with the skills and knowledge necessary for the role of council representative. Serving in these capacities has honed my ability to navigate bureaucratic processes, collaborate with diverse stakeholders and advocate effectively for student interests. From crafting legislation to managing budgets, I’ve demonstrated a strong commitment to driving positive change and amplifying student voices. As a council representative, I will leverage this expertise to foster greater transparency, accountability and student engagement in the governance of our institution.

5. What is your favorite restaurant in Binghamton? 

Lost Dog [Cafe & Lounge].

1. Why did you decide to run for this SA E-Board position? 

Experiencing the profound impact of being involved in [Binghamton University’s] multicultural community, I am passionate about providing it with further nurture and support. I have so much love for this community and the way it cares for one another, the way it becomes a source of comfort and a home away from home. Because of this, I want to help it thrive and help guide and ease in new students — whether they be freshmen, transfers or just aren’t involved yet — to the abundance of student organizations there are here!

Additionally, as a [first-generation and] low-income student, my involvement with [Student Support Services (SSS)] has been instrumental in helping me navigate college through support from not only counselors but the community that exists amongst my peers. Any way I can help SSS or other [first-generation, low-income and disabled students] would greatly warm my heart.

2. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or career plans for the future? 

I am currently a part of SHADES as activities director. I love planning creative events, and interacting with our general body members and fellow E-Board members, who have quickly become close friends and a place of support. I love that, since the unifying factor is being a queer student of color, the club enjoys a diversity that creates a celebratory culture.

Besides that, I love being crafty. I enjoy nail art, doing eye makeup, fashion and crocheting. Though, my most recent hyperfixation is Stardew Valley — I’m sure that combination creates a clear picture of my personality.

As for career plans, I am planning on going into the nonprofit sector and getting my master’s in public administration. As someone who credits much of my success and growth as a person to a nonprofit, I wish to do the same for others — having a positive impact on others’ lives through direct aid.

3. Describe your platform in a succinct way. 

My first platform, accessibility, works to create a support network making this community as accessible as possible to new people. Through a discord server that serves as a place for promotion and connection. Through automating the process of inputting all cultural events into a Google Calendar to make it easy for students to find. Through recording a series of videos that introduce student organizations, who they are, what they do and what their big events are, and through keeping all of this information in one easy place on the VPMA section of the SA website and digestible graphics.

My second platform, elevation, focuses on putting a spotlight on new emerging cultural organizations, spreading awareness about issues that affect people of color through events and graphics and immortalizing what this community has to offer through POC murals and art all around campus.

My third platform, equity, works to create a network via LinkedIn of cultural organizations’ alumni, have priority room booking on the third floor for multicultural organizations and provide ghost credits — similar to what [Residential Life] Student Staff, Athletes and Scholars have — to [first-generation or low-income students] of color who display a need for it, for example needing to schedule classes around having multiple jobs.

4. How does your background influence what you are able to offer the campus community? 

My identity as a [first generation and low-income] queer Filipina woman gifts me with a wider perspective in understanding others through our differences. A perspective, that has proved valuable as a student leader within the multicultural organizations here and provided me with invaluable growth. Through planning large scale events, I have become incredibly detail oriented, flexible where things go wrong at the last minute (because something always does) and an amount of patience that allows me to work well under pressure. I love that these organizations can help you develop as a person, socially and professionally.

5. Additionally, what is your favorite restaurant in Binghamton? 

My favorite restaurant has to be either Old Union Hotel or PK Thai! Old Union has the best wings but I think I have to go with PK Thai, because the cutest family runs it. They have amazing Thai food that feels like it was cooked by a loving mother. They’re always a go-to for me even though they’re a little out of the way. I love to support family-owned businesses here in Binghamton when I can.

1. Why did you decide to run for this SA E-Board position? 

I am running for VPMA because I would like the opportunity to use my ideas to help my fellow students. As a current co-projects and programming director and [an] active member of the multicultural community, I have learned what the [SA] can do, as well as its limitations, so I believe I can effectively advocate for underrepresented groups on campus.

2. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or career plans for the future? 

I am currently the co-programming director for the National Association of Black Accountants — NABA Binghamton Chapter — co-projects and co-programming Director for the VPMA office, a student manager at [University Tutorial Services and a] former African Student Organization co-public relations chair. My hobbies include looking at vintage cameras on eBay, watching sewing projects on TikTok and making pasta. I hope to be a public sector consultant after graduation, but I would also love to work in creative marketing for a skincare brand one day.

3. Describe your platform in a succinct way. 

I have created my platform around expanding resources available to students of color in need, creating a system to directly support and advocate for the multicultural community, fostering stronger relationships between students, alumni and faculty of color, highlighting individual talents and enhancing cultural awareness through collaboration.

4. How does your background influence what you are able to offer the campus community? 

My background motivates me to take action as a member of multiple marginalized groups myself, and my personal connection to multicultural issues has made me see areas that which the campus community can improve in supporting students.

5. What is your favorite restaurant in Binghamton? 

My favorite restaurant in Binghamton is Thai Time. I love their drunken noodles and Thai iced tea.

1. Why did you decide to run for this SA E-Board position? 

I’ve decided to run for the office of [VPF] because I feel through this office, I can make a real impact on campus. Another factor in my decision is the current VPF, Daniel Croce. I started to closely work with the SA office my sophomore year as the comptroller for the ESCAPE Bus Company and as the treasurer for the Binghamton Bowling Club on campus. I do so even more now this year as the executive director for ESCAPE. Through his guidance, he has helped me succeed in my positions and helped me grow as a person via interpersonal relationships and overall management. I want to give back more to this community than it has given me and through this position, I can make that effective impact on clubs and therefore, the whole community.

2. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or career plans for the future? 

A bit about myself, I’m a junior double-majoring in integrative neuroscience and economics. I am also a pre-med student and before hopefully attending medical school, I want to take a gap year and obtain my [master’s of business administration] with a concentration in finance. On campus, I am a student support assistant, one of the new live-in positions, with Residential Life working in Hinman College. I’m also a first year peer success coach with the department for student transition and success working with first year, spring-admit and transfer students to help them acclimate to campus. As I alluded to earlier, I am currently the executive director for the ESCAPE Bus Company. Although I am not currently involved on the E-Board for the Binghamton Bowling Club, I’m still an active member as I consider bowling to be a hobby of mine. Outside of my involvement on campus, I’m currently in the process of becoming an emergency medical technician, and I’ve recently taken fitness as another hobby of mine.

3. Describe your platform in a succinct way. 

My platform can be described with three main focuses — effectiveness, communication and inclusivity. I want to make sure that clubs’ and organizations’ needs are met effectively and efficiently. Communication is another focus as I want to make sure that clubs and organizations are always informed of things going on in the SA and on campus. I plan to send weekly recaps that are brief and effective with keeping all clubs and organizations informed of happenings across the SA and campus. My last focus is on inclusivity as I feel anyone and everyone should have their voices heard. I aim to connect with each club and organization periodically throughout the semester to answer any questions and to have their voices heard. My office will always be open for conversation.

4. How does your background influence what you are able to offer the campus community? 

As a double-major in integrative neuroscience and economics, I am exposed to an extremely diverse environment on campus. My background in economics and finance will help me ensure that the SA and all clubs and organizations within are operating efficiently and effectively financially. With my background in neuroscience and health care, I have a deeper understanding of the culture between pre-med students and the necessity of Harpur’s Ferry on campus for the Binghamton community. I would use my understanding when helping clubs with a focus in medicine and when helping Harpur’s Ferry meet organizational needs. Overall, I think that these two distinguishable majors help to provide me with a very unique background and view of issues on campus and this in turn gives me great direction for taking on those issues.

5. What is your favorite restaurant in Binghamton? 

My favorite restaurant [in] Binghamton is Lost Dog Cafe & Lounge. I love the variety on the menu, with the rigatoni ala vodka being my favorite dish. One can truly appreciate the vibes the restaurant gives off and the staff there is great as always.

1. Why did you decide to run for this SA E-Board position? 

I decided to run for VPP because I would love to continue to bring my campus community together through SAPB events. I am very passionate about what SAPB can do for students. These events provide students a chance to feel connected with each other, and give a much needed break from hectic schedules and academics. I have many ideas for events that students will not just enjoy, but can participate in, providing more opportunities to see an incredible range of entertainment and talent. I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to plan events for the [student] body, and I would love to continue this on a larger scale while providing more opportunities for student involvement.

2. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or career plans for the future? 

I am a very creative person with many different passions. I am an English literature and rhetoric major and a graphic design minor, so I love to read, write and create art. I love music, especially discovering new artists. I am currently the vice festivals chair of the [SAPB], which has been the most incredible experience, and it has inspired me to run for VPP. I hope to work in entertainment, publishing or media one day.

3. Describe your platform in a succinct way. 

My goal as VPP is to ensure that students are excited about all of the events that we have to offer, and are always provided with opportunities for involvement and feedback. If elected, I plan on expanding student involvement by having more opportunities for student participation in events. For example, I want to provide more events like Battle of the Bands, where students can perform not just music, but dance, comedy or any other talent they wish to share with our campus! There is such a diverse range of student talent at Binghamton [University], and I hope to showcase this as much as possible.

Additionally, I want to increase SAPB’s collaboration with different clubs — such as dance or music groups — as well as provide more opportunities for SAPB volunteer committee members to participate in event planning. I aim to improve on outreach by implementing tabling in different locations and more often around campus so students are better informed about events, performance opportunities, chances for involvement and have an easy way to share their feedback and desires.

Accompanying this, I will increase our advertising around campus to connect with more students, especially with those who may not see social media posts about events. I want student voices to be heard. In addition to holding office hours for students who want to provide feedback about SAPB events, I will open up an anonymous suggestion box for students to share requests and critiques. I will prioritize the student body, ensuring their representation in all events, fulfilling their wishes and bringing events that everyone loves.

4. How does your background influence what you are able to offer the campus community? 

The combination of my academic career, SAPB position and interests equips me with a very creative perspective to event planning for the student body. As vice festivals chair, I gained valuable insights about how large scale events work, and I have learned a lot about what the student body likes to see from our events. I have experience with agents, show production, marketing and more, so I have a well rounded background with relevance to the position as a whole. I am passionate about ensuring that all students feel there is an event catered to their interests, and my experiences on SAPB and outside of school will allow me to make this happen.

5. What is your favorite restaurant in Binghamton? 

Lost Dog [Cafe and Lounge].

1. Why did you decide to run for this SA E-Board position? 

I decided to run for EVP because it is a natural continuance of my current position, [Internal Affairs Committee (IA)] Chair, and I wanted to do something different next year. Also, I thought I could do well in the role.

2. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or career plans for the future? 

I’m on the E-Board of Knitwits, so naturally some of hobbies include knitting and crocheting. I don’t really have any clear career plans for the future.

3. Describe your platform in a succinct way. 

My platform is that I want to help more students, especially clubs, achieve their goals — so making more storage accessible, explaining why things are happening the way they are within the EVP’s office and trying to move UFest to Sunday.

4. How does your background influence what you are able to offer the campus community? 

As I’ve said before, I’m the current IA chair, so I already have experience helping new clubs get their provisional charter and working with established clubs to change their constitutions. Being the EVP will just help me reach a wider variety of clubs to help.

5. What is your favorite restaurant in Binghamton? 

I don’t really have a favorite restaurant in Binghamton. I don’t eat out that much.

1. Why did you decide to run for this SA E-Board position? 

Although I’ve been attending SAPB events my whole life, this past year I have fallen in love with the work SAPB does. Helping organize events such as Giancarlo Esposito was the highlight of my year — seeing an event I worked so hard on be so successful was everything to me and that is the exact reason why I wanted to run again. I love this work, and I’ve been successful in the past and, if given the opportunity, I am excited for many more events just like it.

2. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or career plans for the future? 

My favorite pastime is listening and finding good music, which comes in handy for my radio show — every Tuesday from 8:30 a.m to 10 a.m. I’m also currently the president of College Democrats and a club lacrosse E-Board member. My favorite organization, of course, being SAPB. My grandmother taught me piano when I was little, and [I] love playing when I get a chance, along with currently learning the bass guitar. On a warm day, I love to go out and skate — still trying to perfect my kickflip. I don’t know what my future holds but hopefully I’ll be living in [New York City] or a major metropolitan area — that’s where the people are. My dream job is to be the [chief operations officer] of my own company!

3. Describe your platform in a succinct way. 

My goal is to make SAPB the most well-known organization at [Binghamton University] and to become more integrated in the student body, clubs and the various communities here at [BU]. I plan to do this with new programming initiatives, creative and more advanced marketing strategies and taking advantage of established connections.

4. How does your background influence what you are able to offer the campus community? 

From an administrative side, I’ve been in leadership positions planning events for students my entire college career, spanning from Newing [College’s] social [vice president] to president of College Democrats, including my time on the insights committee where we planned and organized events such as Giancarlo and spring semester speaker.

When talking about SAPB, I’ve grown up attending SAPB events. I saw Post Malone at the Events Center and Pete Davidson at the Anderson Center. I remember Gunna being the biggest thing at my high school and the fact that he was in town was huge. My hometown connections were crucial when we had to organize the move from [the Mandela Room] to [the Anderson Center] for Giancarlo, for Marnie Wrighter, [who] runs the box office for the Anderson Center, is a close family friend. Before I even got to college I fell in love with SAPB programming, and now being here for a couple years I’m hoping to combine my roots and my experience into a great year for programming.

5. What is your favorite restaurant in Binghamton? 

Tough question — my grandmother would be mad if I didn’t say Little Venice, but Lost Dog [Cafe and Lounge] has never failed me. Los Tapatios has my all time favorite food, yet if I am basing this off of consumption, I will have to choose [Maryam’s Taste of Halal]. Good quality food for cheap, plus so many options.

1. Why did you decide to run for this SA E-Board position? 

I decided to run for SA President because I am passionate about bettering the Binghamton [University] community. For the past [eight] months, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside the current SA president in her advocacy work as her chief of staff. Last semester, I successfully helped the Black Student Union in their initiative to get students the day off on Black Solidarity Day. I’ve also worked on the cabinet’s “Initiagive” or our successful efforts to restart Fireside Chats. More recently, I’ve been working with [the Glenn G. Bartle Library] to create a space for clubs to archive their materials.

I have learned firsthand all the good the SA President can do and all the resources the SA president has to offer the [University] community — being able to enact change on [campus] this year has been inspiring, and I’d love the opportunity to continue my work in making [BU] a better place!

2. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or career plans for the future? 

I’m a sophomore, and I’ve lived in Queens, Long Island, Syracuse and the Bronx. As I already mentioned, I am a member of the SA President’s cabinet, where I serve as chief of staff. I’m also a researcher in Dr. William Hayes’s DReaM lab, where we mimic and model human thinking patterns, specifically decision making, with large language models. Additionally, I am a Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Scholar (LSAMP) and a Collegiate Sciences and Technology Entry Program Scholar (CSTEP). I hope to one day have a career as a statistical researcher, biostatistician or bioinformatician. In my free time, I enjoy reading, playing the Sims 4 and building LEGOs.

3. Describe your platform in a succinct way. 

My platform:

I will break the barrier between the [SA] and the students. How can I expect students and organizations to come to me with their problems if no one knows what the [SA] is, let alone that the SA president exists? I will do this through monthly fireside chats, an increase in social media outreach and student organization collaboration.

I will increase the accessibility of mental health resources around campus. I would like to work with the [University Counseling Center] and different research departments around the University to create paid mental health screenings for students, with the intent that the data collected could be used in studies. I believe that students would be more likely to seek help for their mental health issues if there was an incentive, and although these screenings might not result in a diagnosis or a form of treatment, participating in these studies would at least begin the mental health discussion in these students’ lives. I’ve seen this program at three other colleges, and it’s been a resounding success.

As SA president, I will strengthen and redefine the relationships between student groups and the administration. As important as the SA’s role is in acting as a liaison between campus organizations and the administration, I believe it’s equally important that these groups of students are able to effectively and efficiently communicate their wants and concerns directly to the administration. I will accomplish this by organizing and facilitating meetings between these organizations and the administration, and by continuing our town hall series.

I will work toward a more diverse campus. I think that it’s important that incoming and potential students are able to ask questions and hear the voices of diverse students when coming to [BU], so I’d like to create [diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)] panels during admitted students day and freshman orientation. It has also come to my attention during my time as chief of staff that many students celebrate and observe holidays that are not recognized by the University. I plan on creating a form that students can fill out to get the day off without the repercussions of missing school-related work.

4. How does your background influence what you are able to offer the campus community?

I possess [three] unique attributes that allow me to bring a unique perspective to the [SA]. First, I am a female person of color, so I, firsthand, have experienced the prejudices and inequalities present on [campus]. I’ve had to learn to advocate for myself, and this means I can advocate for anyone who feels that their voice isn’t being heard on the [BU] campus, no matter who they are. Second, unlike many people in the [SA], I was not involved in the organization my freshman year. Because of this, I know just how unaware the student body is of the SA. I understand what actions the SA could have taken my freshman year to make me more aware of them, and I plan [to put] those actions into motion as president. Finally, I have served as the president’s right-hand man, so I fully understand the position and its responsibilities. I know how to best utilize the president’s position to enact positive change, and I know that I’m up to the challenge.

5. What is your favorite restaurant in Binghamton? 

My favorite restaurant in Binghamton is Parlor City Vegan! As a vegetarian that doesn’t eat cheese, I love to go there because there isn’t a single item on the menu that I can’t eat!

1. Why did you decide to run for this SA E-Board position? 

Even though I really enjoyed my first year being part of [SA Programming Board (SAPB)], I felt like we could do a better job of making minorities feel more comfortable at our events. In fact, I have plenty of times noticed students showing up at our events, look around and end up leaving for whatever reason it may be. Even though I understand that Binghamton University is a [predominantly white institution], I think that as the primary event organizer on campus, it is our job to make sure that all communities on campus feel comfortable at our events.

2. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or career plans for the future? 

My name is Siriki Doumbia, and I am from Ivory Coast, West Africa. Currently, I am a senior majoring in business administration. When I’m not studying or working, I actively participate in various campus organizations and committees like SAPB, [the] African Student Organization and the [School of Management] Dean’s Student Advisory Committee just to name a few. Beyond academics and extracurriculars, I have a passion for sports, particularly soccer and basketball.

3. Describe your platform in a succinct way. 

My campaign is centered around three core principles — diversity, inclusivity and trust. I am convinced that by prioritizing these principles, we can create events that appeal to and engage everyone on campus. Furthermore, I aim to leverage my existing connections to collaborate more closely with minority organizations, fostering stronger partnerships and amplifying diverse voices. Lastly, while I was collecting the 250 signatures required to get on the ballot, a recurring theme I encountered was the lack of trust students had toward SAPB. I am committed to rebuilding this trust by diligently addressing student concerns and hosting events that resonate with their preferences and interests.

4. How does your background influence what you are able to offer the campus community? 

I come from a family where my parents had to take risks and move out of their comfort zones to be able to provide a better life for my siblings and me. So, growing up in that environment, we were always taught to make a positive impact wherever we found ourselves. By running for this position, I hope to inspire individuals from similar backgrounds to actively participate in the [SA], where we can collectively drive positive change.

5. What is your favorite restaurant in Binghamton? 

Though I don’t eat out that often, I love wings, and my favorite place to get wings from in Binghamton is The Old Union Hotel.

1. Why did you decide to run for this SA E-Board position? 

Working as an assistant for the current VPF has been an amazing experience and really opened my eyes to the inner workings of the [SA]. I have been able to witness all of the hard work organizations go through to provide an impactful campus community. I am running for this position because I want to be able to support student groups, so they can continue bringing unique events and new ideas to campus. I believe I will be able to leverage my experience in the VPF office to introduce feasible and meaningful improvements to our community.

2. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or career plans for the future? 

My name is Caitlin, and I am a junior studying accounting with a concentration in finance. I have had the opportunity to work under the current VPF for the past two years and serve as the head assistant. On campus, I am the vice president for internal development of the Finance Society, the Communication Services Sector Head of the Binghamton Investment Fund and the vice president of development for the [PricewaterhouseCoopers] Scholars Program. This summer I am interning in investment banking at Evercore in the Equity Capital Markets group. I enjoy baking, crocheting and watching “The Great British Baking Show” in my free time!

3. Describe your platform in a succinct way.

My platform is centered around four pillars — approachability, responsibility, efficiency and transparency.

My biggest goal if elected VPF is to help take the financial burden off of organization members by finding an alternative payment method for in-store purchases. Additionally, I will work to provide an online modular treasurer training accessible throughout the year, while maintaining in-person training allowing the choice that best suits students. On top of that, I will prioritize making myself easily accessible to student groups and will place a focus on improving [Off Campus College Transport] communication regarding routes and ETA SPOT.

4. How does your background influence what you are able to offer the campus community? 

In my Finance Society [E-Board] role, I led the process of becoming SA chartered and am currently going through budget applications. I believe experiencing the chartering process and being treasurer trained provides me with a deeper understanding of the support organizations need from the [SA]. I also believe my experience as an assistant within the VPF office provides me with a deeper knowledge base that I can draw upon to help student groups.

Last year I was a general assistant, where I would look over vouchers and answer general questions. I have also been the travel and contracts assistant this year in addition to head assistant. Each role has allowed me to become very familiar with the Financial Policies and Procedures and the dedication required from the VPF.

5. What is your favorite restaurant in Binghamton?

Definitely Thai Time. Half-price sushi is a regular occurrence with my roommates!

1. Why did you decide to run for this SA E-Board position?

I decided to run for this SA E-Board position because I am passionate about making changes on campus for students’ success and well-being. My experience working within this office has revealed how much it can achieve. I want to bring events to campus that promote peer connections, foster inclusivity, support student mental and physical health, teach life skills and more. I believe with my proficiency in management [and] delegation skills coupled with my analytical problem solving, I can bring effective change to campus with utmost efficiency.

2. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or career plans for the future?

I’m a junior mechanical engineering student. I’m from Massapequa, Long Island. I am very dedicated to making change on campus which leads me to be a member of the Mechanical Engineering Student Advisory Committee, Student Association Congress — Student Life and Academics Committee and Elections and Judiciary Committee — and the current vice president of Student Success office. I was team lead of the Baja Driver Controls team that contributed to building an off-road buggy for Binghamton Motorsports. That passion for motorsports came from my dad, who introduced me and my brother to kart-driving, dirt bikes and Formula One at a young age.

I really like high-adrenaline activities like motorsports, theme parks, haunted houses and even learning to scuba dive. My calmer hobbies consist of painting, baking and relaxing with my cat, Charles. My career plans are not solidified, as I have a large range of interests, but as of now I aspire to work in project management and combine my engineering background with business skills.

3. Describe your platform in a succinct way.

My platform consists of an inclusive journey, upperclassmen connections, life skills, efficiency and being straightforward. My campaign is focused on collective empowerment and inclusivity aimed to improve student life. One key aspect is creating connections with upperclassmen to provide valuable insights to navigating campus life. Additionally, my platform proposes initiatives like cooking classes and life skill workshops to help the student body adjust to living on their own.

Efficiency is prioritized as I want to commit to promptly addressing issues and implementing solutions without delay. Open and straightforward communication through social media polling and events will gather student feedback to ensure transparency and responsiveness of the office. Ultimately, my platform aims to create an environment where students are healthy, heard, supported and empowered to be successful.

4. How does your background influence what you are able to offer the campus community? 

My background in engineering combined with my experiences working in the VPSS office and [Student Life Academics] Committee have equipped me with valuable skills and perspectives that I believe will benefit the campus community. Through engineering I’ve learned to be a problem-solver, use many different technologies and manage projects. Through my SA government experience, I have learned to program events and make changes that affect students’ lives.

I always try to think of the things that I have struggled with and learned from, and how I could help someone overcome similar challenges. For example, I struggled a lot in freshman year from anxiety that came from adjusting to the new environment. Through the VPSS office, I was able to host an event called “Tips and Tricks with Upperclassmen” to try and answer any questions held by the new freshmen.

I also think it’s important to have healthy food on campus and take pride in the cooking classes that I organized and taught through the office. I believe that with a straightforward and open communication system, I can use the experience I have to effectively address students’ needs and advocate for positive change.

5. What is your favorite restaurant in Binghamton? 

My favorite restaurant in Binghamton is either Lost Dog [Cafe and Lounge] or Red Chili. From Lost Dog, I order the rigatoni ala vodka with tuna steak added. This is the best pasta in Binghamton, and I would highly recommend trying it if you haven’t already. From Red Chili, I order sesame tofu and crab Rangoon. I believe I’ve tried all of the Chinese food places in Binghamton, and this place is my top pick. I was desperate for good Chinese food when I first came here, and Red Chili reminds me the most of places near home.

1. Why did you decide to run for this SA E-Board position? 

I think the VPSS is the best position. It is not too bureaucratic, like the [vice president for finance], [executive vice president] and [vice president for programming], but it is not too much in the spotlight like the president or [vice president for multicultural affairs]. It is an advocate position that few know about and has no real guidelines, and so you do as you please. With this freedom, I have been able to tackle so many varying issues, from sexual health to civic engagement, and I find that thrilling — exhausting to a disgusting degree, as well — but mostly thrilling. If I am being perfectly honest, there are times where I am filled with such passion that I find it hard to do anything else — which is why I am a bit behind in my studies. Lastly, I just want to come up with creative solutions to difficult problems, and that is the VPSS position entirely and nothing else.

2. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or career plans for the future? 

I like reading. [I am] currently reading Happy City, a book about making better urban environments. It is such a great book that sometimes I have to put it down because I get a rush of ideas. I love that feeling — being filled with a flush of ideas on how to make the world a better place. It is the best. I actually have a list of every book I have read since junior year of high school and one sentence describing what I learned from the book. I try my best to volunteer, though to be perfectly honest, I do not volunteer as much as I used to.

Unsurprisingly, I want to go into public service, whether nonprofit or government. Based on my aptitude [for] problem-solving, I may go into a consultant type of role, but I am not absolutely sure. I am a bit lost in that way, but I am sure I will find something.

3. Describe your platform in a succinct way. 

Better serve the health needs of students — create more fun, build safe places, address suicide and expand access to Plan B statewide.

More money for clubs — find more grants, sponsorships, ambassadorship and make the process easier.

Get students to be civic — fun civic events and good civic jobs.

4. How does your background influence what you are able to offer the campus community? 

I have been a boring SA member for a long time, and I have not spent that time dillydallying. Every year I advocated for something and learned from that. I have built important relationships with stakeholders across the University as well. What this means is that I know how the SA and University works, so when I see a problem, I can more efficiently address that problem. I know how to prepare a pitch, what to research and who to contact. This is vital because ideas die unless you know how to implement them. My ideas wont die — I know how to implement them.

5. What is your favorite restaurant in Binghamton? 

Red Lobster down Vestal Road. A very close friend of mine graduated last semester, but before he left we went to that Red Lobster. It was an amazing lunch, and it made me realize I should have prioritized my limited time with him. It was a sad thought, but I think it has helped me grow, and I now make more effort to spend time with loved ones. The food was OK.

1. Why did you decide to run for this SA E-Board position? 

I decided to run for president to continue serving the student body, as I have since freshman year. I know that there are many issues, both internal and external, that the [SA] faces. I have quite literally seen it all throughout my tenure here, and I believe this makes me uniquely qualified to get the job done.

2. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or career plans for the future? 

I was born in [New York City] to a Croatian immigrant family from the island of Rab. I moved to Long Island, where I graduated from New Hyde Park Memorial High School. I hope to couple my accounting degree with a J.D. and attend law school after I graduate from here. I’ve been a soccer player my entire life, and a die-hard supporter of Liverpool F.C. Unfortunately, I have also had to suffer with the curse of being a Jets, Mets and Knicks fan, which has given me immeasurable anxiety and stress.

3. Describe your platform in a succinct way. 

The platform focuses on four key areas.

Utilizing Congress to implement meaningful changes on campus and strengthen student governance.

Emphasizing mental health by advancing relevant legislation, promoting suicide prevention and ensuring adequate resources and awareness.

Changing internal culture to foster collaboration and transparency within the [SA], including open communication and feedback mechanisms.

Enhancing diversity, equity, inclusion and sustainability by increasing visibility of multicultural groups, reviewing sustainability practices and facilitating ongoing dialogue with multicultural organization leaders.

These initiatives aim to improve governance, student well-being, inclusivity and environmental stewardship on campus.

4. How does your background influence what you are able to offer the campus community? 

Growing up in an immigrant household is difficult. Growing up in a Croatian immigrant household is VERY difficult. There’s a lot of multilingual yelling, broken English, chaos and general confusion, but we always find a way to make things work. I feel like that kind of resilience and fortitude is resonant with most students here at Binghamton [University]. Life throws us many curveballs, especially as college students, but we learn how to become strong and adaptable through it all. I can promise to bring that same adaptability and resourcefulness as president.

5. What is your favorite restaurant in Binghamton? 

My favorite restaurant in Binghamton is the Lost Dog [Cafe and Lounge].

1. Why did you decide to run for this SA E-Board position? 

I decided to run for SA president over the mid-semester break. It was a decision that I had made as a result of last semester and more specifically, how the campus was impacted by mental health campaigns. I was frustrated that it took so much for students to finally have a say over mental health resources, with the creation of the mental health oversight committee. This pushed me into the race. I don’t want to wait until something tragic happens for students to finally have a say in our sexual assault resources — I am a victim of sexual assault — and this is the [forefront] reason as to why I am running for president, and I know that with my experience I can not only get the job done, but have us working together.

2. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or career plans for the future? 

For those who don’t know — I am currently the executive vice president (EVP) of the [SA], overseeing and advising all clubs on administrative matters. Since coming to campus I have been heavily involved in the SA, serving in it for [three] years as a [College-in-the-Woods representative], then Congress leadership and now EVP. I also have advocated for Binghamton in [state] conferences such as [SUNY Student Association] and even traveled to Washington D.C to advocate for students and more funding for campus food banks. Apart from SA and [government] things, I go to the gym six days a week — when I am good — and I love to travel the states, when I have the money and time. My plans after college are to continue working in public [or] civil service programs such as nonprofits. [I am] really excited also because I am pursuing my [master of public administration] here at [Binghamton University].

3. Describe your platform in a succinct way. 

Students need to have a say in our sexual assault resources. This is my number one priority as a candidate because it is so personal, not only for me but for so many on this campus. I will develop a sexual oversight resource committee within the SA, made up of SA leadership and members of the sexual assault awareness community to tackle the issue of lack of student voices in this subject as well as funding. I will codify this into our SA Management Policies.

We need a president’s council. I will not be the president of the campus alone. If elected, I will codify a working president’s council, made up of cultural organization leaders from across the campus, as well as community council leaders, to ensure that when I speak to University administration, your voices will not only be heard, but my decisions will be made up of yours too. This will be a constitutional responsibility of the president when I am in office.

4. How does your background influence what you are able to offer the campus community? 

I am a [first-generation] student who experienced homelessness at a very young age. Being from a low-income background has entirely shaped my way of life on campus and off. I survived poverty because of government assistance and family, without it I simply wouldn’t be here telling you this now. I can offer a unique understanding of this campus. I have [and] continue to struggle with experiences so many of us are sometimes ashamed of talking about. This is our shared story and with it we learn so much. I am able to offer you a one-on-one relationship, built on trust and understanding. I can also promise you that your struggles will be my struggles. This is something that our next president needs to have, because continuing this sense of trust is crucial for not only our success but also for our mental health.

5. What is your favorite restaurant in Binghamton? 

This is a hard one — me and my boyfriend love to try new things! I would have to say either Spice of India or McDonald’s. I can name so many times where it was like 10 p.m. and I drove up to the McDonald’s [drive-thru] and used our rewards to get free food. Listen I know it’s not the best, but girl is it cheap. As for Spice of India, what can I say? Their food is out of this world on a whole other level. I am a huge fan of Indian food, and this place somehow just gets me to spend way more than what I got in my pocket.

The SA Congress is the legislative branch of the SA and is made up of 35 representatives from each residential community. According to Chance Fiorisi, the current chair of the Internal Affairs Committee and a sophomore majoring in political science, the speaker’s responsibility is to preside over all Congress meetings and designate a chair for each congressional committee to help govern the SA. Serving as the head of the Congress, the speaker is also a non-voting member of the E-Board, advocating for policy changes to make improvements on campus that help students.

Following the election result, Ribaric replaced Alexandria Chun, a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law that served as the previous speaker of Congress. As Ribaric, a sophomore majoring in accounting, takes on his new role, he leaves behind his role as head of the Elections and Judiciary Committee. Ribaric currently oversees all SA E-Board elections and works with the Graduate Student Organization (GSO) to organize BU Council Representative elections.

Fiorisi, also the incoming SA executive vice president (EVP), expressed excitement in Ribaric’s appointment.

“I have known [Ribaric] for two years now, [and] he is an excellent choice for speaker,” Fiorisi wrote in an email. “He is a strong advocate for challenging ideas and compromise. As Elections and Judiciary Committee chair, he oversaw a [fair and transparent] election, which I ran in. [We] have a shared connection, and I am happy to see him serve as the next speaker of Congress.”

Rita Zheng, a sophomore double-majoring in philosophy, politics and law and Asian and Asian American studies, expressed confidence in Ribaric’s ability as speaker of Congress.

“I had the pleasure of serving in the Elections and Judiciary Committee, which [Ribaric] chaired, and it was overall a great experience,” Zheng wrote in an email. “The other members of the Committee and I looked forward to [Elections and Judiciary] every week. I am confident that [Ribaric] will do a great job as the new speaker.”

The SA Congress meets biweekly on Tuesdays, with committee meetings occurring on the off weeks. Congress meetings are open to all students, who are encouraged to attend. Students are also able to run to become Congress representatives at the start of each fall semester.

Laurie Kern, a sophomore majoring in environmental science, said that she was considering joining the SA.

“This is my first-time hearing about these election results, and it’s really impressive that he won with an unanimous vote,” Kern said. “I’ve been thinking about joining the [SA], so it’s good to know that the decision to choose a speaker was a collective decision.”

Black Solidarity Day falls annually on the first Monday of November, just before Election Day. According to Nia Johnson — the Student Association (SA) president heading the effort in collaboration with the Black Student Union (BSU) and “top level administrators” as well as a senior majoring in human development — the memorial day was created in 1969 by Carlos E. Russell, an activist and historian. She explained that its purpose is for the Black community and its allies to reflect on their progress, find solutions to inequality and “create a more equitable future” for Black people.

Johnson described the impact that adding the day to the academic calendar could potentially have for the Black community at BU.

“It will show Black students that our culture and our history matters in a higher academia setting,” Johnson wrote in an email. “I also believe that this is a step that BU can take to show Black students ‘we see you all, we hear you all and this is our step toward fostering a more culturally competent campus.’ The only Black holiday recognized on the academic calendar is Juneteenth, [but] there is a difference between acknowledging a holiday during the summer sessions and acknowledging a holiday during the fall semester.”

She elaborated, explaining that during the summer, students are not necessarily paying attention to the academic calendar unless they are enrolled in a summer class. In the fall however, having an intentional day off from classes would have an impact on a larger group of students. Johnson emphasized that, as a result, there may be more conversation surrounding Black Solidarity Day and that the campus community should find ways to better recognize it.

“The [BSU] has always held programming during Black Solidarity Day,” Johnson wrote. “On campus throughout the spine, black flags are planted to honor all Black people who lost their lives to police brutality. Then in the evening we start in the [University Union] and listen to Black creatives share their work, reflect on the day and march around campus honoring those who lost their lives to brutality and share our stories.”

Johnson added that the University should make an effort to encourage professors and students to attend these events and suggested that the BSU use their programming to put together a campus-wide event in collaboration with other offices. She concluded by saying she would like to use this day as a way to continue to foster discussions on systemic inequalities — which can be improved through campus-wide recognition of the day.

The hope, according to Johnson, is that BU formally acknowledges Black Solidarity Day by the 2024-25 academic year. As she is graduating, she will be passing this initiative off to Elisheva Ezor, the incoming SA president and a junior double-majoring in mathematics and business administration.

Erin Neenan, a junior majoring in graphic design, spoke about the impacts and next steps of the including this day on the calendar.

“I think it would help provide the [campus] community with awareness on these issues,” Neenan said. “However, I also feel that there needs to be literal and direct action involved, in addition to establishing a single day on a calendar.”

Andrea Settembrini, a freshman majoring in biology, agreed with Neenan and stated the importance of learning from a diverse set of perspectives.

“I think we should stand in solidarity with Black people and uplift their voices,” Settembrini said. “As a white person myself, I think we should learn to better understand others’ experiences.”

The initiative, called SA Advocates, was created by BU’s Student Association (SA) so students facing conduct hearings can have representation to assist them through the process. This assistance is provided by students who applied with the intent of being a supportive alternative to an attorney, according to the SA website. The group is overseen by the vice president for student success (VPSS).

According to the SA Advocates’ Facebook page, which was created in 2017, the program’s objective is to ensure due process and fair resolutions during the conduct process when there are code violations or conflicts. The initiative aims to ensure that students know their rights and acknowledge rules during hearings.

Kara Chadwell, the director of the SA Advocates and a junior double-majoring in human development and philosophy, politics and law, gave more insight into the program’s motivations.

“The [Student] Advocates program was created to ensure students had fair representation through every stage of the conduct process,” Chadwell wrote in an email. “The main goal of the program is to provide students with an outlet, to inform students of their rights and reach as many students as possible to ensure they know that they are entitled to representation under the Code of Conduct.”

Chadwell explained that students always had the right to counsel according to University policy, and that this inspired the creation of a program that provides students with said representation. The SA Advocates make representation free for students who are unable to pay for an attorney. Luca Cassidy, the chief of staff to the VPSS and a sophomore majoring in economics, added that preventing students from incriminating themselves was a major goal.

Regarding the internal structure of the program, Chadwell explained that the SA Advocates typically has one or two directors taken through the VPSS’ office, each overseeing five to 10 advocates. The advocates undergo training before taking any cases. Once training is completed, the student advocates have the ability to take cases when they are presented.

Cassidy, also the incoming VPSS, added that he planned to work alongside the SA Advocate head, explaining that promotion of the program would be essential so students know their options if they are in trouble. Chadwell added to this, saying that in the future, the program hopes to take on more cases when students start to become more aware of their rights.

Nicole Luparello, a junior majoring in biology, raised some concerns about the program.

“I think it sounds like a good idea,” Luparello said. “It might make people skeptical because of [the advocates’] experience and qualification. I feel like there should be a way to ensure they are qualified.”

Sam Lefton, a junior majoring in psychology, said she feels the initiative could be supportive for students who make use of it..

“It sounds like it would be a useful resource to have,” Lefton said. “If it’s proving beneficial for those who [are] involved in it, then we should continue on with it.”

In a recent resolution, Congress stated that fire inspections conducted by Residential Life operations assistants should only occur between noon and 5 p.m. Previously, fire inspections were completed by resident assistants (RA). Many students have complained about the new operations assistants, according to the resolution, who come during hours when students are away from their dorms or asleep.

With the removal of RAs and the instatement of operations assistants — who may be less familiar with dorm residents’ schedules — a time block for inspections was created to ensure consistency and privacy for students, according to the bill.

Luca Cassidy, a representative from Hinman College and a sophomore majoring in economics, explained his reasoning for authoring the resolution.

“I heard many stories of fire inspectors who come at times when everyone is asleep, bang on their doors and then force their way into the room if no one answers,” Cassidy wrote in an email. “They are allowed to do this because it is for fire inspections, but it still feels wrong and such instances never happened in the past when RAs and [Resident] Directors carried out such inspections.”

The bill states that while the SA recognizes the importance of fire inspections as a safety measure, it should not be an invasive process. Because of this, fire inspections should only occur between the stated times, according to the resolution.

Jason Capo, a junior majoring in history, explained possible issues that might arise with the time change.

“Sure, this gives students more time to prepare for fire inspection, but it could lead to fire hazards,” Capo said. “This might mean students have more time to hide fire hazards in their room as they have a better idea of when inspections happen. This ruins the entire point of fire inspection.”

The Residential Life operations assistants’ schedule may be affected if the bill is heeded by administration, as the bill shortens the time allocated for fire inspection. Cassidy explained how this issue would be overcome.

“Time would most definitely be lost because of the cut hours and fire inspections might take another day,” Cassidy wrote. “But I am sure most students would [rather] have more days of fire inspections than [wake] up to a stranger with a checklist in their room.”

By allocating more days for fire inspections, operations assistants can maintain the new schedule for inspection operations.

Despite passing the resolution, the SA still needs permission from Binghamton University’s administration to put it into effect. Cassidy explained how the SA plans to make the resolution heard.

“Upper E-board plans to bring the resolution up with upper administration,” Cassidy wrote. “If there are any complications, I am perfectly fine with meeting them myself and discussing how we can reach an agreement.”

Luis Mendoza, a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law explained why he thinks this change will be beneficial.

“Preserving privacy allows for better relationships between [Residential] Life and students,” Mendoza said. “With greater transparency regarding fire inspections, students would be more trusting of them, and it’ll only lead to safer practices in campus dorms.”

Over the years, there has been a growing number of clubs attempting to complete the chartering process, which is overseen by the SA’s Internal Affairs (IA) Committee. The IA Committee had kept a list of clubs that needed to be contacted, and also kept track of which ones needed provisional charters. With multiple deadlines created, as well as constant communication between clubs and IA, the 42-club backlog has been cleared.

Chance Fiorisi, the IA chair, the executive vice president (EVP) elect and a sophomore majoring in political science, described how the current committee worked through the backlog.

“I laid out a clear and concise list of clubs and dates that we would need to see by which dates before budget season deadlines came, and how much commitment the committee would have to put in,” Fiorisi wrote in an email. “With the help of my committee, each week we would meet with three to six clubs every Wednesday, which would sometimes keep our meetings lasting till 9 p.m.”

Fiorisi explained how the inaction of previous years had led the backlog to grow to 42 organizations.

“For three years, IA has slowly been building an [increasingly] larger list of clubs that needed to be seen and discussed,” Fiorisi wrote. “The IA committee was not properly checked or vetted by Congress leadership, and the chair was absent for this kind of accountability. When it came to this year, the IA chair resigned at the beginning of the fall semester.”

According to the SA website, the student club chartering process involves specific steps. It begins when the person who wishes to start a club sends a message to charter@binghamtonsa.org to set up an appointment. They would then meet with the EVP assistant, who would discuss the process and give the applicant a link to the charter process form. The EVP requires multiple forms to be approved by its office, some of which include a constitution and a signature sheet.

Afterward, the documents are sent to the IA committee, who would set up a meeting with the person who wishes to start the club and give them the opportunity to defend why the organization deserves the charter. After the request is approved, the applicant would meet with the EVP’s office for further steps.

According to Fiorisi, in prior years, groups would still go through the process of doing the paperwork and presentation, but there was an additional step of returning a year later to give an updated presentation to the IA committee. This year, Fiorisi wrote legislation that removed the one-year provisional status and replaced it with a meeting with the EVP instead.

One student who recently went through the chartering process is Skyla Rivera, a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law. She said she was wary of the backlog before it was cleared.

“I had heard that there was a backup in the chartering process and was a bit nervous as to how long it would’ve taken to receive an answer about our charter membership,” Rivera said. “However, every part of the chartering process was organized and done with amazing time management, so my nerves were put to rest fairly quickly.”

Many students shared Rivera’s sentiment, with varying ideas on how chartering more clubs can change student life at Binghamton University.

Eric Wisnom, a senior majoring in environmental science, suggested clearing the backlog could lead to more clubs being founded.

“It sounds great,” Wisnom said. “It sounds like a lot of people are able to move forward in pursuing things outside their academics. Diverse interest will always be a good thing.”

Sebastian Senande, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, emphasized that the SA should prioritize the chartering of clubs.

“It should be more of a priority for the school to recognize them,” Senande said. “It’s an opportunity for students to diversify what they do other than academics. I think the sooner the school can recognize more organizations, it gives students more to do.”

The route, established as a “special charter,” will allow campus shuttle vehicles owned by OCCT — Binghamton University’s student-run bus service — to operate outside its regularly serviced areas. Support for the charter originated with BU’s Sustainability Hub, a “physical and virtual space that … seeks to support the long-term cultivation of a campus-wide culture where sustainability efforts are valued, recognized and easily accessible,” according to its website.

Student groups that sponsored the charter include the Food Co-Op, Zero Hour Binghamton, Students for Ethical Living and Food, the Binghamton Policy Project and the New York Public Interest Research Group.

Daniel Croce, chairman and chief financial officer of OCCT, the current vice president for finance and a junior majoring in business administration, provided background on the initiative.

“I was first approached by a working group consisting of the Food Co-Op, the SUNY [Student Assembly] and the Student Culinary Council regarding the desire to add a permanent route to the farmers market,” Croce wrote in an email. “I loved the idea but understood that the constraints of the location of the market being outside of the regular servicing area for OCCT made that very difficult. That’s when we developed the idea of operating a special charter, [which] I authorized for the director of OCCT, and we moved forward with a ‘test run’ of a charter for the month of April.”

According to a timesheet provided by Croce, the farmers market shuttle will make four trips every half-hour from the University Union, starting at 11 a.m. and continuing until 12:30 p.m. The last departure from the market will be 1 p.m.

Located on Binghamton’s Upper Front Street, the market lists “[connecting] farmers with consumers on a personal level … to advance local agriculture in the Southern Tier’’ as a goal on its website. The market is associated with Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) — a program that partners with local, state and federal government agencies to connect local communities with Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Human Ecology.

Amanda Poodiack, the CCE’s market manager, explained the process behind its establishment.

“In February 2009, the Broome County Government and its partners began to develop a concept plan and explore the feasibility of creating a regional farmers market in Broome County,” Poodiack wrote in an email. “Because of Binghamton’s ideal location and vast interconnected highway network, it was the perfect place to establish a regional market that will benefit the region’s farmers, residents and neighboring communities. After a two-year period, the groundbreaking on the market building began in October 2015.”

The concept of OCCT service to the farmers market is not a new idea. A petition started online four years ago accrued over 500 signatures, demonstrating student interest, according to Victoria Barics, the general manager of the Food Co-Op and a senior double-majoring in psychology and philosophy, politics and law. Barics further emphasized the need for collaboration between interested organizations.

“While some organizations had sponsored individual trips to the farmers market, they were expensive trips to fund, so we decided that working collaboratively would make for an easier and more effective effort,” Barics wrote in an email. “This initiative was very important [as it] gives students a chance to access locally sourced [and fresh] foods. As the Food Co-Op is centered on being a sustainable option for students on campus, we are excited to extend our resources to allow the opportunity for these values to live even outside of [it].”

Sydney Licata, the president of Plant Based Binghamton — a club “dedicated to providing education and resources for vegans and students interested in plant-based lifestyles” — and a senior majoring in geological sciences, said she supported the initiative.

“The farmers market is a great resource that everyone should have access to, but many students don’t have their own cars and rely on the buses for transportation,” Licata wrote. “This will provide all students with the opportunity to purchase sustainable, locally grown food.”

Last night’s Student Association (SA) Congress meeting saw the confirmation of Nora Monasheri, a senior majoring in business administration, as the BU Council Representative-elect. This confirmation follows a string of grievances and revotes that occurred after the initial election for the position on Sunday, March 12. The position serves as a liaison between the student body and University administration, and is elected by the voting bodies of both the SA and the Graduate Student Organization (GSO).

According to Christopher Ribarić, the chair of the Elections and Judiciary Committee and a sophomore majoring in accounting, the process of conducting the BU Council Representative election is more complex due to coordinating with the GSO.

“This makes running the election slightly more tedious, as you have to be in constant contact with your [GSO] counterparts and make sure that they are abiding by the rules of the Joint Committees that are set up for this particular race,” Ribarić wrote in an email.

Monasheri won the seat in a three-person race. Running against Victoria Barics, a senior double-majoring in psychology and philosophy, politics and law, as well as Sophia Yazdi, a freshman majoring in economics, Monasheri secured 1,034 first-place votes. Barics came in second with 731 first-place votes, while Yazdi trailed behind at 416.

Monasheri described her experience campaigning, praising the candidates she competed against.

“While I won, [Yazdi] and [Barics] are both amazing candidates inside and out, and I know that they have the brightest futures ahead of them,” Monasheri wrote. “The experience while running was super fun, and I was able to connect with so many students. This is just the beginning. Civic engagement is important, and I’m glad that more students this year were able to get involved and learn more about my platform.”

One of the major delays in determining a winner came from the GSO’s election. Ribarić explained that all races containing multiple candidates must implement a ranked-choice voting system, however, when GSO conducted their election, the organization ended up implementing regular voting instead. This discrepancy led to GSO holding a revote on March 23 and 24.

The rationale behind the decision was described by Pradeep Kumar Ramesh, the chief elections officer for the GSO and a second-year graduate student pursuing a masters in computer science.

“Regarding the use of a ranked-choice voting system, we had initially planned to use this system for the election,” Ramesh wrote in an email. “However, in last year’s election, we faced some technical issues with the system. Since the election was held on a Sunday, there would be no technical support available to address any issues that may have arisen with the ranked-choice voting system. Therefore, we had to make the difficult decision to use a regular voting form instead.”

For future elections, Ribarić called upon the GSO to implement an overseer for their elections and operations.

“We at the SA are very fortunate to have the presence of someone like Matt Johnson, our assistant director,” Ribarić wrote. “He has helped not only guide me, but various other members of Congress and SA [Executive Boards]. Unfortunately, the [GSO] does not have someone like this, which means that they don’t have a person to go to when rules and situations become confusing and unclear. I believe if the [GSO] created a position dedicated to the role [Johnson] plays for us, we would never have an issue such as this one arise again.”

With all of the election results officialized, next year’s SA E-Board can begin their processes of training for their roles and taking on responsibilities.

Now confirmed in her new role, Monasheri gave her thanks to the Joint Elections and Judiciary Committee.

“Even with the delays in results due to the GSO reelection and a grievance, the wait was so worth it,” Monasheri said. “Rules are rules and the decision for GSO to redo elections was important to fully abide by the elections code and their bylaws. Also, I’d like to recognize the Election and Judiciary Board for their extra diligence in the entire process. Running elections like this isn’t easy, but they were clear and kept us in the loop every step of the way.”

According to the SA Constitution, under Article II, Section E, all meetings are required to be open for public attendance. Additionally, in the “Congress Minutes & Legislation” section of their website, the SA states that minutes and legislation will be posted by the “third regular meeting” after the meeting they are initially from. However, meeting places have consistently not been publicized throughout the entirety of this year, and the latter half of the fall semester’s minutes were only uploaded to the SA website last week.

Last year, the SA had its meeting location, Lecture Hall 9, listed on the main page of its website, but this year that location is not listed — and neither is its new location, Lecture Hall 7, which Congress had switched to partially through the fall semester.

Nia Johnson, the president of the SA and a senior majoring in human development, explained that she does not believe this lack of transparency between the SA and the student body was intentional, though she agreed that there has been an overall lack of communication.

“[Neither] Congress, nor the Executive Board, goes out of their way to keep our meeting locations private,” Johnson wrote in an email. “When students approach me I gladly tell them ‘Congress is on Tuesday ([with the] specific date) at 7 p.m. in Lecture Hall 7,’ and invite them to join Congress as well. Our speaker also ends each meeting with, ‘Invite your friends and peers to Congress,’ so I do think the bottom line is that we rely too much on word of mouth. I do believe though that we as an organization can do better with broadcasting when Congress is meeting and using our resources such as ‘SA Line’ to let students know.”

Minutes are taken at every single meeting by a minute taker, Johnson proceeded to clarify. However, she added that the person who updates the SA website will only do it at the “discretion of the page owner.” As the SA president, it is her duty to ensure that throughout each semester the office hours of the E-Board and staff members in charge of each office is submitted to the staff member so that they can be updated on the website.

Johnson explained why the process behind posting meeting minutes may periodically fail.

“The same goes for the speaker of Congress — it is their duty to send the meeting minutes to our staff member in order for the website to be updated,” Johnson wrote. “If none of this is done, the staff member cannot update the website, seeing how it is not their top priority since they have tens of other tasks they must complete in order for the SA to support, not only the students but the company as well.”

SA meeting locations and times will begin to be sent out via SA Line as well as through the SA’s Instagram story when Congress is gathering, Johnson wrote.

Johnson described why she believes that transparency as a whole between a student body government and the student body themselves is important for the Binghamton University community.

“Transparency is key in order for there to be a strong sense of trust among students on campus,” Johnson wrote. “It is best to allow students to know the information if they can rather than keep it a secret and leave students wondering.”

As stated by the SA Constitution, Article II, Section F, not only are students allowed to attend public sessions, but they are also allowed to make public comments. Amari Pavati, a freshman majoring in classics, Greek and Latin, explained his thoughts about the need for transparency between the SA and BU students.

“For clubs, SA is the decision maker for funding so transparency holds them accountable,” Pavati said. “For everyone else, they’re elected officials chosen by the student body, so they have a responsibility to be transparent.”

Jo Keenan, a freshman majoring in integrative neuroscience, expressed their opinion on why the publicity of meetings can be helpful.

“I think this is important for the same reason why transparency between any government and the body its governing is important,” Keenan said. “It’s important to know you are being accurately and fairly represented and that what you want is what the people who are representing you are advocating for.”

On Feb. 7, 2022, SA Representative Rita Zheng, a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law, introduced a bill highlighting the cultural significance of the Lunar New Year to many Asian Americans. The bill, which was backed by a diverse selection of student-run groups, including the Asian Student Union, called on BU to designate the first day of the Lunar New Year as a day off for students to observe. The SA Congress unanimously passed the bill two months later.

Lunar New Year originated in China more than 3,000 years ago to celebrate the beginning of a new year on the ancient Chinese Calendar, according to the National Geographic Society. The holiday is traditionally a 15-day-long festival where families and friends join together to celebrate by sharing meals, attending parades and a variety of other important rituals. Today, Lunar New Year is celebrated by many Eastern and Southeastern Asian cultures.

Zheng said she was motivated to write the legislation after a friend had approached her about the issue toward the end of the fall semester.

“At that point, I didn’t even realize that we weren’t getting a day off for Lunar New Year, because growing up in the City, Lunar New Year has been recognized as a holiday in public schools for a while now,” Zheng wrote in an email. “It only felt natural for me to start working on the legislation from then on. Since I knew I wouldn’t be able to pass the legislation before Lunar New Year this year, I took it as an opportunity to gather support from student organizations.”

On March 17, 2023, Avery Benzaken, the BU council representative and a second-year graduate student pursuing a masters in business administration, presented the bill at a meeting of BU Council members, in an effort to make the board aware of the SA’s wish to designate Lunar New Year as a day off for students.

Benzaken explained the importance of excusing students from class on culturally significant holidays.

“The students that came to SA Congress with the bill have expressed the cultural significance of Lunar New Year to them, especially that it is a holiday that is celebrated by being with your family,” Benzaken wrote in an email. “That is the main reason why it is so important that students be given the day off, the importance of family in the celebration. As a Jewish student, I can relate from the High Holidays — Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur — which are also celebrated by being with your family, eating holiday meals together and attending services at home, so I understand why it is so important to the students that celebrate Lunar Year.”

Zheng explained why she believes it is important for BU’s president and provost to move forward with the designation of the first day of Lunar New Year as a day off for students.

“This would be a big step for the University in recognizing the presence of its Asian and Asian American students and their concerns in a predominantly white institution,” Zheng wrote. “I’m surprised [BU] hasn’t granted Lunar New Year off already, since Asian students make up about 16 percent of the student population at Binghamton, which is more than 2,000 students. The student population of Asians is also the second largest racial or ethnic group.”

Those who support the recognition of Lunar New Year on campus believe that it would answer the needs of a diverse body of students. The bill’s text specifically highlights the role that the SA’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee plays in this process. The committee is tasked with the development and promotion of initiatives that would further campus-wide cultural inclusivity.

In addition to what the designation of Lunar New Year would mean for the student body at large, Benzaken also highlighted what the implementation of this bill means to him as a BU student.

“Most importantly, it means that our administration has an open mind and open heart to the things that are important to students, and that change does not come from the top-down, but rather from the students themselves,” Benzaken wrote. “All of our students have a right to feel included and valued.”

This year’s SA elections saw only two races contested — president and vice president for multicultural affairs (VPMA). A total of 2,039 students participated in voting, a slight increase from 1,941 the year prior, but still far below voter turnout in the years before 2020.

In the presidential race, Elisheva Ezor, a junior double-majoring in mathematics and business administration, achieved a dominating performance. Ezor received 764 first-choice votes, more than double her closest opponent — Anindya Debnath, a junior double-majoring in economics and political science, who serves as the current vice president for student success (VPSS).

This marks the second year in a row that an SA E-Board incumbent has been defeated in a presidential race.

The other contested race — VPMA — saw Khalimah Choi, a junior double-majoring in economics and integrative neuroscience, claim victory. Choi received 472 first-choice votes in the first round, but the three-way race was close. Krizia Yao, a sophomore majoring in human development, received 412 first-choice votes, and Adejo Ibrahim, a sophomore majoring in economics, received 393.

In the four uncontested E-Board positions, each candidate won their race. Luca Cassidy, a sophomore majoring in economics, was elected VPSS, Chance Fiorisi, a sophomore majoring in political science, was elected executive vice president (EVP) and Sydney Ferreira, a junior majoring in anthropology, will be the new vice president for programming (VPP). Joining the three is Daniel Croce, a junior majoring in business administration, who won his bid for reelection as vice president for finance (VPF).

Cassidy said he hopes to see a more contested race going forward, as one of the unopposed candidates himself.

“The election went well for me and I will not lie that I was overjoyed I ran unopposed, but I plan to encourage more students from across different spaces on campus to get involved in SA next year,” Cassidy wrote in an email. “I do not want to see a single unopposed election next year.”

In the 2016-17 election, SA voter turnout was 2,735, followed by 3,063 in 2017-18 and 2,855 in 2018-19. Turnout saw a massive decrease to 2,062 in 2019-20, since which it has yet to fully recover.

While results were unofficially announced on March 14, a host of grievances and administrative procedures slowed the process of official certification, according to Christopher Ribarić, the chair of the Elections and Judiciary committee and a sophomore majoring in accounting.

Some candidates, like Fiorisi, felt that the delays were necessary — despite the inconvenience.

“It’s unfortunate news, but we need to make sure that moving forward, our election officers, SA and the [Graduate Student Organization (GSO)], are in constant and direct communication,” Fiorisi wrote in an email. “It is unacceptable for that line of communication to be lacking in any way. Let’s not allow it to get there.”

The GSO manages the election for BU Council Representative, which will be redone on March 24. The organization had mistakenly not used ranked-choice voting in their portion of the election, according to Ribarić.

With the election for SA E-Board squared away, President-Elect Ezor said she is looking forward to getting started.

“I am really excited to get to know what the student body is looking for in a president and also to implement my initiatives — but also [to] really understand what the role of president is and all of the possibilities so that I can get the most out of it,” Ezor said.

On March 14, the SA Congress voted to pass the implementation of the On-Campus Accessibility Reporting System Bill. If heeded by the University, the bill will provide students with a way to suggest improvements to Physical Facilities through an online form. The bill was written with disabled students in mind, so that inaccessible conditions such as broken elevators, ramps or door buttons could be reported and fixed more efficiently.

Luca Cassidy, an SA Congress member who worked on this bill and a sophomore majoring in economics, described an interaction that moved him to look into the issue of on-campus accessibility.

“At a meeting on [the] Binghamton [University] campus with the Chancellor of the SUNY System, [John B. King, Jr.], and student leaders, a student noted that most of the disability buttons did not work and joked that, ‘If you’re disabled, you shouldn’t come to [BU].” Cassidy wrote in an email. ”Afterward, some students noted that this was an informal joke to make, but I remember thinking, ‘But he’s right.’ This joke is what inspired me to investigate the issue.”

The new reporting system will be introduced after spring break. Sophia Yazdi, an SA Congress member who was involved with drafting the bill and a freshman majoring in economics, explained how the rollout of this new reporting system will work.

“To start, QR codes would be placed on doors in the [University] Union as a pilot program,” Yazdi wrote in an email. “Based on this initial implementation, we will be able to assess what is working properly, what could be improved and how students are responding to the system of reporting. Several working ideas for work orders to be submitted to Physical Facilities include via email, an app on students’ phones or a link to the work order portal.”

The new version of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was updated in 2010, included new “Standards for Accessible Design,” which mandated that all new construction in both public and private schools and universities remove barriers to accessibility by installing ramps, making curb cuts and arranging furniture so that people who use mobility aids can easily pass through public spaces. Door buttons are a part of these requirements, with the ADA National Network stating that, “At least 60 percent of public entrances in newly built facilities must be accessible to individuals who use wheelchairs or have mobility impairments.”

SA Congress members drafted the bill in collaboration with Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) and the newly formed Disabled Students Union (DSU). The DSU was created to “offer a space for community, discuss current issues and advocate for improvements on the [University] campus,” according to its Instagram account.

Selina Chan, a freshman majoring in mathematics, described some issues she has had with the door buttons, particularly those inside the University Union.

“Some of the door buttons don’t work and don’t keep the doors open for long enough,” Chan said in an interview. “I struggle using them sometimes, and I would imagine that if you use a mobility aid these maintenance issues would make it much harder to move around campus.”

Plans are currently in place to discuss this bill with other student groups and offices on campus, including the BU Council. Yazdi explained why she feels accessibility is important in higher education.

“Advocating for students through SUNY SA led me to think more about accessibility on campus, and in tandem with hearing from students at [BU] about a lack of physical accessibility, I was inspired to draft a bill to increase student input on accessibility features on campus,” Yazdi wrote. “All students should have equal access to opportunities and places on campus, and it is important that the University ensure that the needs of all students are taken into account to promote student success.”

The campus-wide election took place Sunday, March 12 through B-Engaged, where students were presented with a ranked-choice ballot. Alongside BU council representative, the positions to be determined were president, executive vice president (EVP), vice president for multicultural affairs (VPMA), vice president for finance (VPF), vice president for student success (VPSS) and vice president for programming (VPP).

The main challenges faced by the joint Elections and Judiciary Committee in managing the election were related to various “administrative procedures,” according to Christopher Ribarić, the chair of the committee and a sophomore majoring in accounting.

“In the past, this website has been buggy and prone to crashing,” Ribarić wrote in an email. “Luckily this year we didn’t have too many issues. Working in an election with so many moving parts such as the [Graduate Student Organization (GSO)], [Judicial Board (J-Board)] and the candidates has also been difficult, as everyone needs to be on the same page when it comes to grievances, voting tabulations and the like. Thankfully, the issues that we encountered are nearing resolution.”

While results were originally planned to be confirmed at Tuesday’s SA congress meeting, Ribarić said the process of hearing and managing grievances from candidates has caused the announcement to be pushed back. Ribarić explained that the BU council representative race has seen the most delays due to the complexities of coordinating with the GSO, as graduate students also vote for the position.

“Finding a time that works for everyone is difficult, as we need a certain amount of people present from each body for decisions to be made,” Ribarić wrote. “The grievances filed to these committees also concern potential Election Day violations, which may result in punishments that affect the results, which is why the BU council representative election is the only race that does not have any projected results as we need to wait for the grievances to be closed for us to move forward.”

Although the certified executive board results are slated for release by the end of the week, unofficial results were provided and are expected to remain the same.

Coming out on top of the five-person presidential field was Elisheva Ezor, a junior double-majoring in business administration and mathematics. Ezor, a newcomer to the SA, gave her thanks to the joint Elections and Judiciary Committee for their work in the election. She did, however, express concerns with information barriers she encountered in the process.

“I had to go out and really talk to people, and I think it could be really cool to see the Elections Board for next year, and maybe I’ll get involved with this, come out with more resources,” Ezor said. “Not just factual information, but maybe also an interview with somebody who has really gone through the process and their advice. Because, on paper, getting an endorsement is so much different from that process.”

The other contested executive board race this year was for VPMA. It is projected that Khalimah Choi Owens, the current advising head office director to the VPMA and a junior double-majoring in economics and integrative neuroscience, won the role in the three-candidate race. Meanwhile, EVP, VPSS, VPF and VPP saw single-candidate races where each candidate secured their respective role.

Chance Fiorisi, the EVP-elect and a sophomore majoring in political science, described how joint campaigning played a role in his approach to the election cycle.

“If I did not have the ability to endorse and support my personal preferences for SA president and VPMA, then I feel as if I would have been less inclined to engage in the campaign itself since I was running unopposed,” Fiorisi wrote. “So, I do appreciate the fact that I was able to give support to my fellow candidates!”

As this election cycle has mostly come to a close, Ribarić said his biggest takeaway was the high enthusiasm among students for leadership positions.

“We have had great candidates campaign and share their visions for a better University, and I am grateful for all of their hard work and cooperation throughout the process,” Ribarić wrote. “Admittedly, no process is perfect and this one is no exception. If J-Board was at full capacity, things would have been easier on them at this stage, as now we are in the period where grievances are falling on them.”

The SA Congress is the legislative branch of the SA, through which the president and other elected students serve as the representative body for undergraduates at BU. The organization consists of the Internal Affairs (IA) Committee, Student Life and Academics (SLA) Committee, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, Finance Committee and the Elections and Judiciary (E&J) Committee. The primary role of the parliamentarian is to ensure that organizational and procedural rules are followed in all committee and SA Congress meetings.

According to Alexandria Chun, the speaker of SA Congress and a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, the parliamentarian appointment was conducted after conversations were had with the most active SA representatives who were deemed eligible for the position. The role necessitates a thorough understanding of parliamentary procedure, as well as the ability and time to execute the many duties assigned to the office.

Chun expressed her belief that Mesnick has excelled in each of these regards. Additionally, Chun said that representatives and SA leadership recommended Mesnick after she asked for advice in choosing someone fit to be a parliamentarian.

“Ilana is a hard worker who is extremely committed to the SA,” Chun wrote in an email. “She has sat on all committees but Finance and has previously served as E&J Vice Chair, IA Vice Chair and SLA Vice Chair. As I frequently travel to Albany to fulfill my other role of president of the SUNY Student Assembly, I had to choose someone who I know would connect with the [representatives] and remain approachable and knowledgeable if an emergency at the capital arose, and I had to depart Binghamton on short notice.”

Mesnick, a junior double-majoring in Spanish and philosophy, politics and law, said it is crucial for the nominee who fills this role to have extensive knowledge of Robert’s Rules and Orders, a manual of parliamentary procedure that governs organizations with boards of directors, in order to advise the legislative process and keep order in the Congress.

“I am honored to be appointed as parliamentarian, as I have a strong passion for the SA and want to help Congress with maintaining order,” Mesnick wrote in an email.

Before her appointment as parliamentarian, Mesnick served as an SA Congress representative for three years and as vice chair on multiple committees. She expressed excitement toward her continued involvement and taking on her new leadership role.

When asked about her plans and ideas for the SA moving forward, Mesnick said she plans to serve as a supportive member who can help younger Congress members achieve their legislative goals.

“I believe that this role will allow me to impart knowledge of the SA and also of writing legislation on younger representatives who can benefit from it in the long run,” Mesnick wrote. “I think being parliamentarian will further allow me to serve as a mentor for others and help them develop their passion for SA Congress as well.”

According to Chun, this is something that Mesnick has embodied during her short time in her new role in the SA Congress.

“At SA Congress we are committed to equal and equitable representation as well as maintaining inclusivity,” Chun wrote. “Ilana has already been wonderful in her role as parliamentarian, and I have the strongest and utmost confidence in her continued success.”

Held in Old Union Hall, the debate allowed the 15 candidates on the ballot to make a final case for their candidacy. Of the seven elected SA positions, four — executive vice president (EVP), vice president for finance (VPF), vice president for student success (VPSS) and vice president for programming (VPP) — saw an uncontested field. The candidates were allotted time for opening and concluding remarks, as well as time to answer questions from moderators and audience members and rebut assertions from opponents.

The most popular race was for SA President — the chair of the E-Board and the functional head of the SA. In their opening remarks, the five candidates made distinct appeals to the student body. Logan Blakeslee, the first to present and a junior double-majoring in history and political science, described his vision for the future of the SA.

“What I want to do fundamentally, is to steer the [SA] into a heightened role of activism,” Blakeslee said. “One that we have not previously seen, but one that I think we are in dire need of.”

Blakeslee criticized Binghamton University’s Parking Services for charging students ticket appeals fees, also criticizing Sodexo for allegedly serving pork in foods labeled halal, kosher and vegan in the Appalachian Collegiate Center, College-in-the-Woods Dining Center and Hinman Dining Hall.

Anindya Debnath, the current VPSS and a sophomore double-majoring in economics and political science, listed his titles at BU, which include faculty senator and board member of the Campus Citizens Review Board (CCRB). Debnath’s presidential platform included more funding for the University Counseling Center (UCC) and new grants for student organizations.

The next candidate was Elisheva Ezor, a junior double-majoring in mathematics and business administration, who communicated her approach to the presidency.

“There are so many different types of students on this campus, and you have to look at the perspectives, opinions and needs that all of those students have,” Ezor said. “In order, as president, to represent all those voices and come up with initiatives that are that representative, you need to know how to listen.”

Galileo Savage, a junior majoring in political science, opened next with his ideas for a potential first-term.

“I plan to implement two-credit courses for [Off Campus College Transport] training to combat the shortage of drivers and make sure that travel to classes and work is fluent for individuals that live off campus,” Savage said. “Next, I plan to incorporate driver’s education in collaboration with Adaptive Driving Services. I will [also] implement town hall meetings, held bimonthly with [professional] staff, administration, directors and [Residential] Life.”

The last presidential candidate was Ben So, a junior double-majoring in history and philosophy, politics and law, who appeared on Zoom from studying abroad in South Korea. So’s platform included bringing a new perspective to the SA to increase awareness and accountability, quickly filling the SA Judicial Board and updating how a president communicates with the student body.

An audience member addressed all five candidates during the questioning period, asserting that only one engaged with the Black Student Union (BSU) during recent Black History Month events, and asked how each would support the Black community in office. The responses ranged from referencing past experiences advocating for communities of color in various roles at BU, past leadership coordinating events and promises to learn and listen if elected.

The contest for BU Council Representative saw three candidates share their respective experiences and their ideas for the position. The person elected serves as the voice of the student body on the BU Council, which “reviews budget requests, makes regulations for student conduct, supervises student housing and safety, names buildings and grounds and reviews plans for improvement.”

The candidates largely agreed on holding office hours and being active on social media to increase accessibility, though they diverged on ideas of age and experience. Nora Monasheri, a senior majoring in business administration, expressed the importance of the time each candidate has spent at BU.

“I think it’s important to notice who has been here, done the most [and] who has a large outreach, especially for off-campus students,” Monasheri said. “I live off-campus, and it’s a great experience to get to see the best of both worlds. Make sure that you’re choosing a person that has the time at [BU].”

In response, Victoria Barics, a senior double-majoring in psychology and philosophy, politics and law, listed her leadership experience and emphasized her service to prospective students through the Admissions Department and as a resident assistant (RA), as well as serving on the E-Boards for Support Empathy Empowerment Kindness (SEEK), the Food Co-Op and several other organizations.

The last candidate, Sophia Yazdi, a freshman majoring in economics, highlighted her relative youth as a possible advantage.

“One thing that separates me from the other candidates here is that I am a freshman,” Yazdi said. “That might make some people doubt my level of experience, but being a freshman allows me to come onto this campus and see it with new eyes. I’m going to be fully immersed [on campus] — rather than being done with my time here, I’m just beginning.”

The vice president for multicultural affairs (VPMA) segment also featured three candidates, who largely agreed on substance and possible initiatives. In her opening statement, Khalimah Choi Owens, a junior double-majoring in economics and integrative neuroscience, introduced her vision of a more unified multicultural community.

“My three driving pillars of my campaign are communication, collaboration and community,” Choi Owens said. “I aim to create stronger, more unified outreach, collaboration and mutual support across cultural organizations by implementing a unified email newsletter that will spotlight all upcoming multicultural events.”

The other two candidates — Adejo Ibrahim, a sophomore majoring in economics, and Krizia Yao, a sophomore majoring in human development — echoed the idea of stronger relationships between different groups, lamenting the separation that exists between cultural groups at BU. Proposed ideas included socials for E-Boards and food-focused events that would showcase different cultural traditions and heritages.

For vice president for finance (VPF) — a position responsible for setting financial policy and approving all SA expenditures — the current officeholder, Daniel Croce, a junior majoring in business administration, ran unopposed for reelection. Croce, also the chairman of OCCT, cast his second term as an expansion of his initial platform, which included transparency, clarity, efficiency and advocacy.

Croce listed several accomplishments of his first term, including “overhauling” the office, providing Amazon tax-exempt status for SA groups and finalizing the pilot program for next semester’s Venmo payment alternative “for the first time in SA history.”

The sole candidate for executive vice president (EVP) — an office responsible for overseeing the administration of SA-chartered groups and operating the B-Engaged platform — was Chance Fiorisi, the president of the College Democrats and a sophomore majoring in political science. Fiorisi criticized the length and ambiguity of the current club-chartering process, and laid out a plan to increase transparency and involve himself in modernizing the office.

Sydney Ferreira, a junior majoring in anthropology, introduced her platform for vice president for programming (VPP) — which oversees the Student Association Programming Board (SAPB), the events branch of the SA. She affirmed the desire to make events more accessible and inclusive, and to introduce more ways for officials to receive feedback after events.

In response to an audience question challenging the lack of diversity at the fall 2022 Yung Gravy concert, Ferreira discussed her ideas going forward.

“I really respect, appreciate and admire all of the efforts placed so far, but I think we can’t say that [BU] is inclusive until things like that stop happening,” Ferreira said. “I am really passionate about making these connections with people who are often underrepresented, so tabling [and] going to different events that I am not always aware of will be important to me.”

The candidate for vice president for student success (VPSS), Luca Cassidy, a sophomore double-majoring in economics and sociology, was not present at the debate for medical reasons.

Christopher Ribarić, chair of the SA Elections and Judiciary Committee, emphasized the importance of open debate of ideas in student government.

“It’s important for students to hear from the candidates so they can better understand what they bring to the table,” Ribarić wrote in an email. “Each candidate had their own unique platforms and ideas for how to make the University a better place. It is now up to the students to decide which platforms they believe will make that change.”

1. Tell us a bit about yourself — any clubs, hobbies or career plans for the future?

“My name is Krizia Yao, but most people call me Kay! I am a resident assistant (RA) in [College-in-the-Woods] Onondaga and cultural chair for the Philippine-American League. My hobbies tap into my creative side like experimenting with eye makeup, nail art, and crocheting! Another passion of mine is music, as a music minor who plays the alto saxophone. As for future plans, I aim to work in the nonprofit sector — focusing on low-income and/or LGBTQ youth. Being a first-gen low-income queer woman of color, I understand how important nonprofit work is in one’s youth and hope to pay it forward. ”

2. Why did you decide to run for this SA E-Board position?

“Being on E-Board for the Philippine-American League and an active member of other cultural organizations, I understand how impactful organizations are in uniting students and providing a home away from home. At a predominantly white institution such as [BU], they celebrate people of color as opposed to isolating them. My main goal is to diversify cultural organizations on campus. I’ve noticed how separately different organizations operate and want to be a stepping stone towards further connection. It can be hard to keep track of what’s going on with over 100 cultural organizations at [BU]. I hope to make exploring the cultural community more accessible and convenient.”

3. What is your platform?

“I want to push a general sense of togetherness amongst cultural communities on campus through promotion, communication, and multicultural collaboration. I aim to increase club exposure via monthly graphics of signature events and film overview videos of each organization, along with updating information for B-Engaged. I also hope to streamline communication amongst organizations and [their] general body members through an open discord server. Additionally, I plan to incentivize general body attendance for cultural events while encouraging executive boards to bond and host collaborative events. However, these are just a few of my plans, the rest will be up on my instagram page @kriziaforvpma!”

4. Why should students vote for you?

“Being one of the most demanding chairs for my organization, I possess professional and interpersonal skills that make me well-equipped for this position. In choreographing, performing and executing our largest event that showcases over 100 performers, I understand how to organize, lead and be part of a team. I have the passion, drive, and vision to enhance campus inclusivity. Being cultural chair for the Philippine-American League led me to my second family. I want to encourage others to find this kind of rare connection. We should run towards discomfort, break out of our bubbles, and explore what’s out there.”