Letter to the Editor: Spring elections offer students opportunity to play a role in university life

The Student Government Association (SGA) will hold Spring Elections for all executive cabinet positions, including the office of the president, vice president, Honor Council president, Inter-Club Association president, diversity and unity coordinator, Academic Affairs Committee chairperson and the office of Judicial Review Board (JRB) president and vice president. Voting begins on Feb. 17 and ends on Feb. 20.

This year, the SGA has worked together to address many of the issues that are of primary student concern, such as the reallocation process. For the first time that we know of, students are able to work as full members of a committee of this scope, controlling the future of the University of Mary Washington.

The Senate has worked to represent the students by passing legislation, while the Honor Council and JRB allow students to have control over the judicial process and uphold the traditions of honor at UMW.

The executive cabinet of the SGA deals with every issue on campus, and is the highest elected student body on campus. We represent all students and do the best that we can to ensure life for everyone on campus is as easy as possible. We take UMW problems and create SGA solutions. This year, you can be a part of this team.

Starting next week, nominations will be open for all positions, and every student has an opportunity to run for office. Before running for any office, every student should consider what they want to achieve.

It’s been my philosophy that, by leading the student body, we should be serving. The goal should be to help every student as much as we can. Students said they wanted a better relationship with the community, so we worked hard to ensure the community noticed the hard work students were doing.

When you put students first, amazing things can happen. As I have always said, I believe in the power of ordinary students to do extraordinary things.

By leading, you can do extraordinary things. Consider it; together we can all help change UMW.

Information sessions will be held on Feb. 11 and 12 with nominations on Feb. 13 in Monroe 116.

Jeremy S. Thompson is president of the Student Government Association.