Describe your platform.
SRI: The soul of my platform is One Georgia State. Prior to January 2015, we were two separate institutions with our own history, traditions, cultures, and everything else that made us who we were. Today, we stand as one institution, and also as the largest institution in the state of Georgia. Though the connection between Georgia State and Perimeter College goes back several years, it is still a fresh start and an invaluable opportunity for us to create something bigger and better, and also to lead others in the direction of positive change and innovation. We are one, and we can work together to make Georgia State better and unified. The following are the six areas I plan to focus on, that is in addition to all the ideas that will be brought to the table by other members of the SGA administration and the feedback received from the student body.
Academics/ Student Success
- Advocate for improvements to academic advising on all campuses.
- Look into establishing, especially for the Perimeter College campuses, peer mentor programs and special mentorship programs to ensure course completion, student success, and advancement.
- Establishment/ Improvement of a central hub for all resources – a one stop shop where students would be able to find all resources essential for student success.
Health and Wellness
- Establish a campaign to make mental health of students a priority
- Work with the administration to look into the counseling staff and students ratio and ensure that there is enough staff to serve our students.
- Advocate for access to quiet spaces on campus where students can retreat, meditate, reflect, pray, etc.
Student Life
- Work towards implementation of more dining options on all campuses.
- Form a committee, and work with the administration, to assess the feasibility of implementing transportation services between the Perimeter Campuses, and the Atlanta Campus.
- Advocate for expansion of on-campus housing, on the Atlanta Campus.
- Continue to advocate for a 24-hour study space on the Atlanta Campus.
- Increase student involvement across all campuses.
- Increase transparency of SGA and communication with students.
Campus Safety and Sexual Assault
- Continue to work with administration and campus police to make all of our campuses safer
- Push for a campus safety app
- Make addressing campus sexual assault a priority.
Campus Sustainability
- Expand sustainability efforts on all campuses.
- Institutionalize a decrease in waste produced by student and campus events.
- Advocate for water bottle filling stations on all campuses to reduce waste.
University-Wide Spirit
- Increase turn out at Athletic events.
- Establish University-Wide traditions.
- Advocate for an inclusive atmosphere for our Panthers.
What issues do you think are big on campus right now that you’re planning to address?
SRI: Across the Georgia State campuses, campus safety is a major concern. But, taking into consideration the armed robberies and shooting(s) near campus, it is perhaps the biggest issue on the Atlanta Campus. The current SGA administration, along with President Becker and the campus police have taken timely measures to put the situations under control and have essentially doubled the security on campus. These measures are a great step, but it is essential to continue to build on this foundation that has been established to continue to make our campuses safer for our students, faculty, staff, and visitors alike. And, in terms of campus safety on the Perimeter Campuses, since the campuses are located in different parts of Metro Atlanta area, each have their own unique issues. The respective administration and campus police have taken efforts to address those issues, but the efforts need to be streamlined. Like, for example, an “Active Shooter Drill” was conducted in Clarkston and Dunwoody campuses, but it wasn’t conducted on the other three Perimeter campuses and I believe that it is essential that it is conducted on all campuses and the same goes to looking into making sure that the campus areas, esp. the parking lots, are well lit in the evening hours. Things like this might be little, but they play a major role in prevention and preparation efforts for situations that threaten the safety of our students. I also plan on working with the administration and campus police to thoroughly assess the campus safety situation on all of our campuses, through data analyzation, forums, and with campus safety walks, and take necessary measures to address the issues we find. Additionally, the real possibility of HB 859 (Campus Carry Legislation) becoming a law requires for campus safety to be made a top priority. Secondly, national statistics show that one in five women and one in sixteen men are sexually assaulted in college. Specifically the Atlanta campus, given its location and it being a residential campus, is more prone to sexual assaults. At Georgia State, we have not taken the all necessary/essential efforts to raise awareness about this major issue. We need to take efforts to establish preventive measures, initiate discussion, educate students, and create additional resources and programs, and join the national movement in putting an end to campus sexual assault. Being the largest university in Georgia, and one of the largest in the nation, we have the ability to have an impact on a large scale of students and we need to utilize that. This issue is very personal to me, and I will continue the work I started at the Perimeter College, Newton Campus, through the “It’s On Us” campaign to change the culture of sexual assault university-wide. And, thirdly, student involvement and engagement is a major issue across all campuses. Georgia State offers so many wonderful opportunities for students, and clubs/organizations/departments put out events and carry out initiatives to engage students, but we need to make all students knowledgeable of these opportunities and work towards getting more students to utilize these opportunities. Collaboration, communication, and transparency is key to achieving this.
The SGA president will be responsible for Georgia State’s now six campuses. What will you do to make sure you’re on top of all six campuses, and keep up with all the responsibilities that come along?
SRI: Teamwork is the key to staying on top of all six campuses and to ensuring that I am representing each and every one of our students and voicing their concerns. Under this new SGA structure, there are 6 Executive Vice Presidents – one per campus. We, the President of SGA and the 6 EVPs, will work as a team to keep the SGA running efficiently. Each EVP is the highest SGA official on their respective campuses, and will be taking care of issues on their respective campuses. Hence, maintaining a close relationship with the six Executive Vice Presidents will be the key to staying on top of the happenings at all of the six campuses. Other than meeting with them during our scheduled monthly University-Wide Executive Cabinet meetings, I would have EVPs send in weekly reports of the happenings on their respective campuses and would make myself available to meet with them whenever they need assistance or if there is an issue/ concern on their campus that needs immediate attention. Other than this, maintaining a strong relationship with the administration will ensure that the campus issues and concerns of students reaches the appropriate person and necessary action is taken in a timely manner. Since I already have an established relationship with the members of the administration, especially Dr. Becker and Dr. Lyons, I will have the ability to function efficiently and to deliver results. Additionally, I also plan on personally visiting all the campuses and organizing “Snack and Chat with the SGA President” events while I am there to interact with the students and make myself accessible to them. Being responsible for six campuses, and a student body of over 50,000 students is a big job and it will come with a lot of responsibility. Through my experience as SGA President for two terms and being involved in several other clubs and organizations, I have mastered the art of prioritizing and balancing between classes and my responsibilities. At the same time, for someone who is committed to serving the students, the responsibilities that come along with this job will become a part of life.
Why do you think you’re the best representative of the Georgia State student body?
SRI: I believe that I would be the best representative of the Georgia State University Student Body because of my commitment to serving the students. I initially joined SGA as Secretary, and I am currently serving my second term as SGA President of the Newton Campus. Over the past year, I have also served as the sole student representative of the Perimeter College on the Consolidation Implementation Committee – where we reviewed, discussed, and approved recommendations from operational working groups. I have worked closely with the administration(s) and several faculty/staff in the CIC and in other committees/subcommittees to ensure that the voices of our students were heard and taken into account in the decision-making process. We especially fought an uphill battle to ensure that Perimeter College students will be represented equally in this new SGA structure. Additionally, I hold multiple student leadership positions on campus, and I have served on both system level and national level task forces on the future of higher education and college affordability, respectively. Since Oct of 2014, I have also been the spread head of the “It’s On Us” Sexual Assault Awareness campaign at the Perimeter College working to raise awareness about campus sexual assault, to initiate discussion, and to lead other efforts. The SGA administration that I have had the pleasure to lead has also implemented multiple initiatives to improve student life and we have been successful in increasing student involvement on our campus – we were recognized as the “Organization of the Year” at the Celebration of Excellence in 2015. I represent our students and our institution heartily and proudly, and I go lengths to voice their concerns. SGA is more than a student organization to me, and I know the magnitude of positive impact SGA can have on our students and our university community. Especially considering the consolidation and that our student body is now over 50,000 strong – the SGA needs someone with experience, someone who is a team player, someone who the students and the administration can depend on, a person that would represent each and every one of our students and voice their concerns, and a person who will put 110% forward. My years in SGA and the work I have done stands as a living proof that I fit that description. I believe that experience makes me day one ready to serve as the representative of our students and my commitment to serve them makes me the best representative of our students.
What do you think it means to be a Panther and how have you showed your voters that you are one?
SRI: Being one of the most diverse universities in the nation, we all come from different backgrounds, and from various walks of life, but the one thing we all surely have in common is that we are panthers. Being a panther is not just about the name, or how much spirit we have, or our beloved mascot. It is about pride and care for our university and the community it creates. The ultimate way to show one is a panther is by investing in cultivating a better future for the future generations of panthers. From my first semester at Perimeter College till today, I have always looked for ways to get involved on campus, to give back, and to work towards making our college better for future students. The commitment I have to go above and beyond, how deeply I care for the school, how hard I work for the betterment of others, and the love I have for Georgia State demonstrates that I am a panther and it will lead future panthers to invest in the future of our university and the community it creates.
