Questions:
1.Describe your platform.
2.What are some hot issues on campus you’d address first as president of SGA?
3.SGA senate meetings have often urged senators to attend more events, and become more involved, what are some ways you’d push for senator attendance/involvement?
4.What about student attendance? SGA events often peak at a student attendance of 5-6, how do you plan to increase that number?
5.Why do you think you’re the best candidate for this position?
BRIANA STANLEY
Platform
I chose Student Government because as I progress in life I see all that it’s done for me, not only academically but mentally. Being a servant leader is something I aspire to be. It’s imperative that we as SGA, continue to be the voice of the students. My college career started with SGA and I hope that I can continue to progress and make a difference for the students.
My platform is simple and complex at the same, I find that most Atlanta and Perimeter students are commuters, making it difficult for campus involvement. I want to target what the students actually came here for, which is to better themselves. Increasing career services and making it more accessible to all campus can encourage their growth and development. Building and networking is so imperative for the student’s success that I feel we should stress it on all campuses. The safety of students will always be the first priority, increasing campus safety on all campus and offering self- defense and safety education will further the progress we are moving toward.
A problem on many Perimeter campuses is technology, a lot of the basic necessities we need are not met when it comes technology. Whether we need to look into new equipment or just improve upkeep it’s something that needs to be taken care of. And finally, I know many students struggle with the availability of classes on their campuses. Implementing satellite classes all campuses would ensure that they don’t have to travel far for their education.
What are some hot issues on campus you’d address first as president of SGA?
Serving as Executive Vice President on Decatur, I see that there is still a division between the Atlanta and Perimeter campuses. Personally, I would like to bridge that gap by encouraging students from both sides to come together and gain a better understanding. The gap stems from different things from the culture of our campuses to the tuition each student pays. It’s important to maintain tradition but not be segregated in the way we view each other. I’d bridge that gap by implementing more events where the Atlanta and Perimeter students can mix and mingle.
SGA senate meetings have often urged senators to attend more events, and become more involved, what are some ways you’d push for senator attendance/involvement?
Encouragement is key, I feel that if you let people know how important they are to a cause they’ll experience higher performance rates. Each person matters to a cause, it takes one to start movement but it takes many to persevere. Letting a person know that they can make a difference, would really increase attendance. Positive reinforcement has always encouraged the masses.
What about student attendance? SGA events often peak at a student attendance of 5-6, how do you plan to increase that number?
I’ve learned that when you promote the importance of an event that it could work in your favor. As well as making more events that the students will actually benefit from. Refreshments also do a great job in bringing more students in.
Why do you think you’re the best candidate for this position?
My background in politics and student development makes me an amazing candidate. I want to keep our students happy in order to increase enrollment and make the world a more educated and better place. Serving as Executive Vice President now, I have a deeper understanding of the issues our University already faces. That paired with my willingness to succeed makes me the perfect candidate.
COREY GRAY
Platform
I have compiled a list of pressing issues and concerns for our GSU community, and to resolve these issues, we must work TOGETHER.
T – Transform and explore avenues to increase student services, including more dining and parking options
O – Offer convenient resources for the transfer and transient students process
G – Guarantee transparent leadership through our website and mobile office hours
E – Endorse promotion of academic programs and initiatives
T – Trump the stigma of mental health illness, disorder, and stress with the Counseling and Testing Center
H – Halt on sexual assault in collaboration with GSUPD
E – Expand visibility by actively participating in campus-wide programs and athletic events
R – Render communal services to commuter students
What are some hot issues on campus you’d address first as president of SGA?
Two prominent issues on campus I would first address as President of the Student Government Association are transparency and togetherness. I would address transparency through mobile office hours, where once a week, I will spend five hours on one of our campuses. During those hours, I will make myself available to hear the needs and concerns of each student on their individual campus. Also, I will expand visibility by facilitating SGA’s participation in large-scale events on every campus. Together, We will accomplish this by increasing and sustaining our relationship with Spotlight Programs Board on the Atlanta campus and the Campus Activities Boards on the Perimeter campuses.
With togetherness, my first order of business is to work TOGETHER, hence my platform. In my list of promises, I look forward to collaborating with GSUPD to increase bystander intervention to put a halt to sexual assault university-wide and the Counseling and Testing Center to relieve stress for our students and to trump the stigma of mental health disorder and illness in my first 100 days.
SGA senate meetings have often urged senators to attend more events, and become more involved, what are some ways you’d push for senator attendance/involvement?
I would advocate for more Senator attendance and involvement by urging for additional senate development. One recent addition to our Atlanta Senate meetings that I admire are our senate development sessions, where we divide into groups, led by executive board members, and discuss the updates of that committee and how they operate. I would like to implement this on a larger-scale where within the university-wide Senate meetings, Senators will break off into groups and discuss the updates from each campus and will be led by their respective executive board members. I will also give our Senate the opportunity to voice their opinions, concerns, and critiques of our administration, so we are all holding each other accountable. I would also stress the importance of “accountability” and “transparency” and create a definition for both terms in collaboration with our legislative body.
What about student attendance? SGA events often peak at a student attendance of 5-6, how do you plan to increase that number?
I would first leave the programming aspect of advocation to Spotlights Programs Board and the Campus Activities Boards while collaborating with them to hear and interact with our student body. I would also create a special task force comprised of student leaders from each campus, appointed by the Executive Vice Presidents, where we will discuss ways to increase every student’s collegiate experience and get more students engaged in the political process.
Why do you think you’re the best candidate for this position?
I am the best candidate for this position because I know what it takes to unite a student body. I understand what it takes to be selfless, and I am aware what is needed to motivate a group of people to ignite change for the betterment of our students. My track record of sponsored and written legislation, diverse campus involvement, and compassion and willingness to be a leader for every student from Atlanta to Newton proves that I have what it takes to serve our great university as President. However, I am not here to proclaim that I am better than any other individual because this position is not about me. This campaign is about you. Each and every one of you, attending this university with dreams of being provided the collegiate resources to start a life of significance and happiness post grad. This campaign is not built on future broken promises from a student leader who just wants the recognition. This platform is a list of promises that can only come to fruition if we get beyond our individual thoughts, and submit to the collective action as one student body. One person can do so much, but if we all strive to make a difference, we will create a revolution. In 4-10 years, the students who come to Georgia State will not remember our names, but all that we accomplish will be left for them to experience. Let’s change the present because of the past and for the future! If elected, this position will not be my position. It will be our position. We are stronger, together.
ANTHONY NGUYEN
Platform
To excel Georgia State Forward. As President, I will ensure that all communities that define our diverse institution are considered in the conversations that affect us – Perimeter students, undergraduate, grad, commuter, non-traditional – the list goes on. Together we will:
FIRE-UP school spirit & campus involvement by increasing Perimeter participation,
advocate for “Plaza Time” on all 6 campuses, and to increase student organization funding
OPTIMIZE Academic Advisement & Financial Aid efficiency for a more rapid and effective experience for both PC and Downtown students
REVITALIZE the student-administration relationship by creating more avenues to reach President Dr. Becker and the administration, & to advocate for a stronger student voice in
university decision-making processes.
WORK to advance sustainability efforts on all campuses to promote a healthier environment
ASSURE that campus safety concerns are addressed by building a positive relationship w/ GSUPD
RESPECT the backgrounds of ALL students and advocate against discriminatory policies
DIVERSIFY campus culture through collaboration & empowerment of Black, AAPI, Latinx, religious and multicultural organizations
What are some hot issues on campus you’d address first as president of SGA?
As President, the issues I will take on head-first are the ones that affect students most frequently, such as financial aid and academic advisement concerns. We’ve had problems before the merger, but with now over 50,000 students with the consolidation w/ GPC, we cannot afford to have our students suffer from long lines, hours of waiting, and lack of service when they really need it. We need to address the disconnect between students and the administration; if we do not have a strong foundation early on, and if students are not taken seriously in the conversations that matter, then our work to improve the student experience will be difficult. We need to ensure the administration is accessible, attentive and fostering the change we seek. We need to integrate Perimeter students in the Georgia State experience to the extent of us Downtown students; that means in campus life and resource availability AND accessibility. PC students have access to our offices and departments, but the inconvenience of not having a branch or reciprocate office at the PC campuses is detrimental and unfair. We need to discern what the PC campuses need. The concern I feel most compelled to address is the concern of students not being aware of what SGA can do for them. If students don’t know we exist or are aware of the resources we can provide them, then SGA isn’t doing its job; we can’t voice what we can’t hear. As President, I will ensure that all students understand our role as Student Government Association so they can access us as much as they need, and that this SGA is held accountable by our students. I will set forth a university-wide campaign to get students acquainted with SGA.
SGA senate meetings have often urged senators to attend more events, and become more involved, what are some ways you’d push for senator attendance/involvement?
Getting senators, students and SGA more engaged is dependent on how much the student body knows about SGA. If students do not know SGA exists, then senators will not know the concerns of the student body nor will they have the incentive to keep engaged. The tangible solution to increase senator involvement is to ensure the student body knows what SGA is, who their senators are, and what resources we can provide them. If we expand our outreach and ensure every student of all 6 campuses to know what SGA is, then senators will have more reason to go to events, to write more legislation, and to embody the change they wish to seek. As President, I will lead a university-wide campaign to ensure that every student knows who we are as the Student Government Association. Another way to keep senators engaged is to hold them accountable to their campaign promises and goals. Senator involvement tends to waiver as time goes on as SGA loses sight on the why: “Why are we here? Why did I run for SGA? Why did the student body elect me?”. As President, I will keep my senators engaged and accountable by keeping track of their campaign promises to develop the overall “SGA Legislative Agenda/Vision” of the goals we seek to accomplish in the 2017-2018 term. If we know what our vision is, we can seek it through.
What about student attendance? SGA events often peak at a student attendance of 5-6, how do you plan to increase that number?
How we keep our senators engaged is how we catalyze our students as well. Everything is tied together by the simple fact that Student Government Association wouldn’t exist without the students. If students know of SGA and believe in our power to address their issues, they will stand up, speak out, and come forward with their concerns so that we can address them. If students are aware that we can connect them to the officials or resources pertinent to their issues, they will come out to our events and use us as their medium. As President, I will also ensure that we outreach to students so they know we are not sitting idle. We will have a proactive rather than reactive ethic by raising the student voice through more forums, surveys, and calls of action to get our students engaged and present in SGA/university affairs.
Why do you think you’re the best candidate for this position?
I am the candidate that will drive forth the change this university needs and to excel Georgia State Forward. The role of President is to represent all students, and that includes each soul of the 50,000+ that comprise Georgia State University. Throughout my years at Georgia State, I have served in the Student Government Association under 4 SGA Presidents, held the positions of Senator, VP of Public Relations, and Communications Director, and have worked first-hand with all faces of Georgia State – Perimeter students, minorities, commuter, displaced, homeless, and the list goes on. The experiences, relationships and understanding I’ve gained throughout this process is what defines me as the best candidate to take on the concerns of the student body. You will be included in the conversations that matter, your potential will be maximized as a Georgia State Panther, and you will be heard because I am ready. I am prepared. I will drive your Georgia State Experience Forward.
