[Note: The following endorsements are based off a consensus of the 2015-2016 Scout editorial board. Staff members who have social relationships with candidates were excluded from the endorsement process.]
The student body elections in 2013-2014 were sadly lacking in candidates. This year, however, is a welcome change from last, with every candidate running against at least one opponent.
With falling admission rates, rising tuition and many administrative changes, Student Body Officers will have to be able to adjust to change and advocate for students throughout their terms.
Based on individual interviews, comments at Wednesday’s debate and the votes of The Scout staff, we have chosen to endorse the following candidates.
President of the Student Body
Jason Blumenthal is the incumbent candidate and has served the student body well this year, supporting numerous resolutions. We are confident he can continue developing Student Senate in a second term as president.
Blumenthal has guided Student Senate, all while building strong relationships with administrators and community members. With the uncertainties likely to surround campus next year, we believe the President of the Student Body needs to be someone that students, administrators, faculty and community members are familiar with already.
Still, Blumenthal needs to work on communicating the administration’s viewpoints to students in a way that can relate to them. Although he advocates for students on committees and with administrators, he speaks more from an administrator’s perspective when talking to students.
Sarah Handler has been an effective Speaker of the Assembly and has worked to recruit student senators. Her idea to encourage students to take pride in current programs at Bradley would work. Additionally, Handler has worked toward sustainability efforts on campus since her freshman year and has very specific ideas to bring to Student Senate next year.
However, while we believe her main goal, sustainability, is important to society, it is not a primary concern of the students at this time. Handler’s goals for the presidency are somewhat misaligned with students’ goals, and it seems it is more about her own experience as president and not student experiences.
Overall, Student Senate needs a president that knows the job and can sideline their personal agendas for student needs. Blumenthal has shown he can do that this year and has said he will continue to do so.
Speaker of the Assembly:
Both Charlie Cohen and Olga Krapivner possess good qualities as potential Speaker. Cohen has multiple contacts throughout the university and extensive experience with parliamentary procedure. Krapivner has experience on Student Senate and has learned about student concerns through that.
Although we feel each of these three candidates can serve the students well, we chose to endorse Sojourner White for Speaker of the Assembly. White has a wide campus experience as a Student Admissions Representative, peer mentor and resident advisor that will be useful as Speaker. Through her involvement with these programs and more, she has shown she is dedicated to students on campus. We think White has a perspective the other candidates lack, and has been missing from the Student Senate executive board for some time.
White has plans to fill Senate seats, specifically by reaching out to students living in residence halls. She also wants to emphasize global leadership on campus as well as improve the Student Speak Up open forum so students attendees wanting to speak have the opportunity to do so.
Secretary of the Finances:
Current Secretary of the Finances Hunter Vaughn will serve well returning with his many experiences in finance on campus through his treasurer positions on the Interfraternity Council (IFC), Global Business Association, Lambda Chi Alpha, Powder Ski and Snowboard Club and Student Activities Budget Review Committee.
With his knowledge of ethics and control systems, the senior accounting major will hold his fellow senators and students accountable as he did when he was treasurer for his fraternity. Vaughn said he plans to become even more involved with the cabinet members’ budgets so very little money is wasted.
Sophomore Brian Ivancich is a well-versed candidate and has important student concerns in mind, but the Secretary of Finances this year should ideally have experience with Student Senate finances.
Vaughn’s understanding of how to improve upon existing financial procedures for Student Senate far exceeds Ivancich’s.
Secretary of the Assembly:
Although experience is needed for some positions, there is also room for fresh eyes in other positions. We believe freshman Allie Hoffman will provide that as Secretary of the Assembly.
Hoffman’s opponent, sophomore Ashley Borja, would also fit as Secretary of the Assembly; however, when presented with unexpected questions and concerns, Borja’s responses show a limited understanding of major student concerns.
The secretary’s job is primarily to record the minutes and communicate with the student senators. And while we believe Hoffman and Borja are capable, we urge these candidates to do more to stay in tune with student concerns outside Student Senate meetings, an area in which they are both lacking.
