With the spring semester in full swing, students across campus are hard at work studying, writing papers, and getting ready to serve in SGA. On February 26th, all day, there will be a campus-wide election for Florida State’s Executive Branch (Student Body President, Vice President, and Treasurer), Student Senate, Union Board, and Senior Class Council. To those not directly involved in SGA, these terms and titles can seem like a foreign language. However, it is easy enough to explain and do not let a bit of word confusion keep you from voting!
Seemingly a mystery to students outside of SGA, the Student Body Executive Board plays a pivotal role in the representation of students in affecting decisions. Did you know that the Student Body President serves on Florida State University’s Board of Trustees? Did you know that the Student Body Treasurer oversees the expenditures of A & S funds? (Aka the money you pay to the university to fund a number of things just for students.) It is important for students to be not only educated in the positions of SGA and those running for them, but sincerely interested in voting and making sure that their voice is heard in the elections process.
FSU’s Union Board was established to provide students, faculty, staff and guests with activities, programs and services to be offered through the Oglesby Union. The Oglesby Union Board also represents the university community to ensure that facilities, services, and amenities offered by the Oglesby Union Complex meet the needs and interests of students. All those neat programs and events you go to in the Union are all managed by the Union Board! If that is something that you are interested in or you feel you want to have a say in, get voting!
Finally, the Senior Class Council is one of the three class councils here at FSU. The purpose of the class councils is to create unity among the graduating classes as well as pride in students’ own graduating class. Each puts on their own programming geared toward uniting the student body and ensuring that a deep pride runs in each class.
Each division of student government up at the elections ballot serves its purpose on FSU’s campus. Most importantly, however, their chief purpose is serving the students on campus and making sure that whatever need, program, or legislation is met and put into place to further the advancement of our university.
If you are still unsure about what exactly SGA is all about, want more information about the different positions, or want to see the list of candidates, head over to http://sga.fsu.edu/ to learn more! The Student Government Association at FSU is a great place to get involved and have a say in the decisions made on campus. It is an entity by the students and for the students so make sure to vote on February 26th for your student officials either online on the SGA website, on Union Green, or Salley Hall!