The Student Government Association (SGA) recently held its elections, and a new president and vice president have been elected, as well as the senatorial council. The official results were announced at their election party on Monday, April 6.
An SGA debate was held on Thursday, March 26, which gave students the chance to ask questions and candidates the chance to speak about their platforms. To see more from the debate, check out the Guardian Gallery here.
The presidential candidate was Eimaan Virani and the vice presidential candidate was Myah Dražetić. The senatorial candidates included Ella Wilson for the Lake Campus Senator, Ethan Widiker for the Commuter Senator and Mylie Green for the College of Health Education and Human Services Senator. All candidates were elected and officially sworn in as the new SGA council.
President Eimaan Virani had lots to share about why she was passionate about student government.
“Growing up, I was part of student government in elementary school, middle school and high school. Ultimately, I just really enjoyed seeing issues on campus and then actually being able to talk to people to fix those things,” Virani said.
Virani previously served as the vice president of SGA, with it being the first on-campus organization she joined.
Myah Dražetić, the new vice president of SGA, also serves as the President of the Abilities Club and hopes to help bring more change and advocacy for disabled students through her position.
“I am hoping to help close the gap between accessibility barriers that not everyone may see. [WSU] is an extremely accessible and diverse school, but there are still many issues that need to be addressed for our students with disabilities, and I hope to do just that,” Dražetić said. “Knowing that there is someone in that room advocating for those students is a must, and I am very grateful for the opportunity.”
The current representatives believe outreach has been an issue for SGA in the past, and plan to make that a big focus of their role on campus moving forward. Members have open office hours for students to voice their concerns, and SGA encourages them to do so.
SGA exists to support students through addressing issues, but also through supporting other campus organizations. They have funding to help collaborate with events and projects, but often, students are not aware of the resources available to them.
“SGA introduces [WSU]’s own resources like the Raider Food Pantry, textbook support, health and wellness, advocacy and more, but we also provide an outlet for people to come and tell us their concerns. Given our direct line to faculty, it is extremely important for students to know that we are here to help make their concerns heard and addressed,” Dražetić said.
The new and returning members of SGA are passionate and excited about the upcoming year and the changes they plan to bring. Be sure to reach out to your representatives if you have any questions about campus.
“We are committed to promoting student participation in the overall policy and decision-making processes of the University, enhancing the quality and scope of education at the University, and promoting the general welfare of the student body,” the SGA mission statement reads.
