After three years with the same president, the Student Government Association will soon have a new leader. Michael Dobbs, junior from Winchester, Ky., is the lone candidate for the SGA presidency.
“I am nervous to be following in the footsteps of a three-term president because after three years, he likely had the routine pretty well figured out,” Dobbs said. “Coming in fresh, it will be both nerve-racking and exciting to see how everything works.”
He said the first thing he would like to accomplish is a stronger interest in SGA and more involvement within the organization.
“While being the only candidate for president is great and all, students should be clamoring for this position,” Dobbs said. “I love the Murray community so much and want so bad to help it be all that it can be. I know everyone won’t have the same passion, and not everyone should. But, I would like to see more students interested in SGA and what it does.”
He said he doesn’t think students realize how powerful an organization like SGA can be and that it is the vehicle for student concerns and suggestions to the administration of Murray State.
The two candidates running for vice president of SGA are Aida De La Fuente, junior from Louisville, Ky., and Grant Grissom, graduate student from Hickman, Ky. The vice president of SGA also serves as the president of the Campus Activities Board.
De la Fuente said she has developed a vast love for Murray State since she became a student here.
De La Fuente said since one of vice president’s main roles is to delegate the CAB meetings, her experience in the organization will be beneficial to her if she gets elected.
“Like my slogan says: Mi casa es su casa; my home is your home,” De La Fuente said. “Murray State is our home for the three, four or five-plus years that it is, and I want to make it the best years I can. I want the student body to love the school as much as I do, and make the best college memories they can.”
De La Fuente said she wants to be able to be someone the school can look up to, lean on and approach.
“SGA is called the Student Government Association for a reason – the students are the center of their attention,” she said. “Through my campaign I hope to be able to effectively show the students how important they are. Whether they are a Greek, athletes, international or agricultural students they should all know they are a direct reflection of the success of this University.”
Grissom said his main reasons for desiring this position are due to his experience with the inner workings of the organization.
“I want to encourage student participation through membership drives and advertisement for CAB chair positions and for general CABbie positions,” Grissom said. “My second main goal is to increase membership within the CAB in order to make sure it does its job as well as possible.”
He said Murray State is diverse in terms of interests and he wants the activities that CAB puts on to match this diverse array of interests.
“I want to know what all students want to see, not just a single group,” Grissom said. “If elected, I would make it a point to go around to multiple student organization presidents, all the while asking for input on what types of events they would like to see the CAB put on.”
The other elected positions include secretary, treasurer, Residential College Association president, at-large senate positions and senators for the different education colleges.
The two students running for secretary are Austin Gee, freshman from Pembroke, Ky., and Ava Jackie, junior from Pewee, Ky. Jackie is the incumbent secretary.
The two students running for treasurer are Jared Bone, freshman from Louisville, Ky., and Luke King, junior from Burkesville, Ky.
Natalie Sapp, the previously announced candidate for the RCA president, is no longer in the running for the position due to missing a mandatory candidate meeting.
Thirteen students are running for eight at-large Senate positions.
Senator positions for the colleges of education, humanities and fine arts, Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business, Jesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology, HSOA and nursing will also be voted on.
Voting begins 12:01 a.m. April 14 and ends 11:59 p.m. April 15.
Results will be announced at All Campus Sing on April 16.
Story by Meghann Anderson, News Editor