Calling all Minutewomen! The UMass Student Government Association elections are here: from Feb. 20 to Feb. 23, you have the chance to effect change in student leadership at UMass. I encourage you to get out there (or stay in) and vote in the upcoming elections — after all, the SGA exists to serve you.
Here’s some info you should know about the SGA. There’s a legally binding trustee document that holds that the SGA is the official governing body of the student body at UMass. It’s our direct link to the administration, so administrators hear our opinions through the SGA.
The SGA, like the United States government, has three bodies. The executive branch includes the president, vice president and their cabinet. Our current president is Anthony Vitale (the first ever to be president for two terms)! He attends many student events, and was even the convocation speaker for the Class of 2021.
There’s also the legislative branch, which is composed of 60 senators from all of the classes. Last but not least is the judiciary branch, which has seven justices and an attorney general. There are lots of students in the SGA and anyone can get involved!
With so many people working hard around the clock, the SGA accomplishes a lot for the student body. One of its biggest jobs is allocating over $3 million from our student activities fee that goes to student groups on campus. The organization also creates projects to help the student body: it has created a rental system for students who don’t want to buy iClickers, it initiated a petition to encourage the PVTA to use more zero-emission electric vehicles, and it has also taken the lead on renovating the Student Union so that when it’s finished, students will have control over booking locations for meetings and events.
All of us actively choose to be here as students of UMass, so we deserve to have an amazing experience during the time we’re on this campus. These students are your link to the UMass administration. If you have an issue — about a class, club sport, an event you want to do or anything else — tell a senator or another SGA representative and they will listen so they can help resolve your issue.
Your vote matters. In fact, many SGA elections have been won within a 10-vote margin.
Luckily, voting is super easy — just log on to Campus Pulse and select the link on the front page. In one easy ballot, you can vote for all of the candidates! If you want your voice to be heard, get out there and pick the best students to represent you. The SGA is here to serve you, so vote for those you believe will best represent your interests!