This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mass Amherst chapter.
SGA Spring Elections are here! Elections are being held for SGA President, Vice President, and Trustee and voting will take place March 9th-11th on Campus Pulse.
This ticket includes Savannah Van Leuvan-Smith for President, Josh Odam for Vice President, and Lucas Gutterman for Trustee!
Savannah Van Leuvan-Smith – Candidate for President
Savannah is a junior Political Science and Theater double major and is enrolled in the Accelerated Masters program for Political Science. In her third year in SGA, she is currently the Chair of the Diversity and Student Engagement Committee. With her position, she has organized two lobby days at the Statehouse in Boston to engage with legislators and fight for student voice at the Board of Trustee’s level and more funding for the UMass system. She has also worked with the Secretary of Diversity to increase campus awareness of underrepresented minority students. Savannah is one of the two student representatives on the Town-Gown Steering Committee where she works with the officials for the Town of Amherst and top UMass administrators to better the relationship between the University and Town and change the reputation of UMass students. She has also spent the year collaborating with members of the Dean of Student’s Office and the UMass Police Department to address the growing problems of rape culture and sexual assault on campus. Savannah has been actively working to create an anonymous reporting system for sexual assault and has been working to increase the number of Blue Lights. Savannah reps her maroon with pride and loves going to the UMass Hockey and Basketball games. Her favorite UMass moment was when she was part of the Homecoming Parade where she had the honor of being one of five women selected for Homecoming Court from the junior class.
Josh Odam – Candidate for Vice President
Josh is a freshman pursuing a dual-degree in Political Science and Legal Studies. In his first year on the UMass campus, he joined various organization in order to further his campaign for equal access to public higher education. He is currently employed at Student Bridges as one of two Policy Advocacy Coordinators. The mission of Student Bridges is to increase college access and success for underrepresented students by building partnerships with local schools and community organizations; offering college awareness, preparation and success activities. During his tenure at Bridges, he has coordinated successful teach-ins centered on the ideas of shared governance, student power, and access for underrepresented minorities. This semester, Josh has been collaborating with the Student Power Coalition on a campaign to increase first-generation, low-income, and minority student presence by 5% over the next three to five years. During Josh’s first year with Student Government, he currently sits on the Diversity and Student Engagement Committee which oversees matters pertaining to racial climate, affordable education, and student input in the administrative and state level. He has not forgotten about the need for an increase in campus minority demographics to a level on par with the demographics of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Just recently, the Undergraduate Senate unanimously passed his diversity plan which included remodeling the University Strategic Plan, adding a separate section for diversity and increasing the underrepresented population by 5%. A few of his other goals include increasing transparency, cooperation, and coordination between various Registered Student Organizations and the Student Government Association. He has been working with the Undersecretary of Diversity to plan events which help build a rapport between senators and other student leaders. Josh’s plans have been supported by a number of students, faculty, and administrators and he will work to ensure those goals come to fruition if elected.
Lucas Gutterman – Candidate for Trustee
Lucas Rockett Gutterman is a sophomore majoring in Computer Science, and has spent his time at UMass Amherst working with MASSPIRG as a member of the statewide board and campus relations coordinator. By registering students to vote, collecting signatures to qualify the Updated Bottle Bill ballot initiative, working on reducing the rising costs of textbooks and supporting open-source alternatives, He has worked closely with SGA and student leaders to make social change. As a member of the Student Power Coalition (StuPoCo) he has fought for student democratic power at the university level by helping draft a collaborative student response to the Strategic Plan. His work is fueled by his passion regarding environmental justice, queer, race, class, and feminist issues, and the access and affordability of our land-grant university. He carries the skills and mentality that his grassroots activism has taught him in approaching the role of Student Trustee. He will focus on action, coalition building, and actively listening and reaching out to the constituencies that he’s fighting for. For example, many students feel powerless in the face of long-term building plans and the daily annoyance of construction projects causing unexpected detours. His common sense solution is an opt-in notification service informing students how construction will affect the ways they navigate the campus. It’s of prime importance that the Trustee is a well timed, thoughtful student advocate, and a voice of dissent in a space that can be hostile to student input. His campus activism has trained him to fight for student voice on the Board of Trustee in this manner and his major gives him a perspective aligned with the average UMass student.
Alexa: Why do you want to be representatives of the Student Government?
Savannah: I really care about the students at UMass and want to see changes implemented that are best for students. Of all of the other candidates, I am the best at working with administrators to actually get the student voice heard. I know that with my experience, I would be a great voice for students at a university policy level. Everything I’ve done up to this point has been for the students at UMass, and I would love to keep working to improve student life as President.
Josh: I believe one has to enter the system in order to bring about lasting change. Since arriving on the UMass campus last August, I have encountered issues and concerns which cannot be solved within a semester. My work with
Student Bridges and tenure in Senate has already helped me build a rapport with administrators and faculty. This relationship can be strengthened if elected to the office of Vice President. I have three full years to work on campus so I am in the best position to successfully enact meaningful change before I graduate.
Lucas: I have spent my three semesters on campus working with MASSPIRG and other student activist group to fight for social change. The role of student trustee will allow me to continue this work and expand in areas that directly affect students while being in a position to voice these concerns directly to decision makers. I want to amplify the voices of the wonderful student leaders I have met through my work and continue to reach out to students whose experiences are not yet being heard.
Alexa: What is the #1 reason students should vote for you?
Savannah: I have been a member of the Student Government Association for three years which gives me the knowledge to best be able to support students. I have had positions as a Senator, a member of the Executive Cabinet, and as a Chair. All three of these positions have given me the information I need to best support students. Any time a student comes into the SGA office, I am the first one to answer their question and in the event that I am not able to answer I know exactly where to get the information to help them.
Josh: As an African-American student, I have experienced many institutional and cultural barriers which need to be overcome. Student Bridges has enlightened me on the issue of the lack of access and success in higher education for underrepresented groups. I will continue my work to ensure all students have an equal opportunity to succeed at UMass.
Lucas: My role as the Campus Relations Coordinator for the UMass Amherst chapter of MASSPIRG has given me the training and practical experience to instigate campaigns to win change. I have established relationships with other student leaders and groups so I can build coalitions in my role as student representative of the undergraduate and graduate student body. I will be a sensible advocate, working to support students in an environment that can be hostile to student input without antagonizing established board members.
Alexa: Savannah, what has been your most noteworthy accomplishment as the Chair of the Diversity and Student Engagement Committee and how does that reflect on your ability to lead as President?
Savannah: Last fall, I lead my committee in planning Advocacy Day for the 5 Student Votes campaign. Currently, only two of the five student trustees have voting power. We were able to turn out over 100 students to the Boston statehouse to advocate for these bills. The event required coordination with multiple campus organizations and with leaders from the other UMass campuses. I was able to motivate students to come out and fight for student voice. In speaking with legislators about the bills, I was able to frame ideas that are good for students into ideas that are good for the State. Being able to collaborate with other organizations, create interest and drive in the student body, and interact with administrators and state officials effectively are all key skills that are required of a president; I have honed these skills through my work as Chair of the Diversity and Student Engagement Committee.
Alexa: Josh, how do you think your involvement with Student Bridges might help you to be a successful Vice President?
Josh: Serving as Policy Advocacy Coordinator for Student Bridges, especially working on the diversity plan, has made me into a more methodical leader. In creating this plan, there were many intricate and minute details regarding ethnicity statistics which, if overlooked, would have discredited all of my efforts. My time in Student Bridges has shown me the importance of pipeline programs in underserved communities. Student Bridges is a pipeline agency who is dedicated to increasing college access and success for underrepresented students. They achieve this through mentoring programs, college tours, and advocating for reform of higher education policies. The office of Vice President will provide an avenue to the administration so these services can be readily available to all who need them.
Alexa: Lucas, how has your involvement with the MASSPIRG provided you with the necessary skill set to become to next Student Trustee?
Lucas: MASSPIRG follows a very well defined model of fighting and winning social change which has been instilled in me through many training retreats, and in the field. While it is important for the Student Trustee be a powerful student advocate who can push back against decisions that negatively affect students, the most effective way to develop long-term student power is through building coalitions and relationships with established trustees. I will research my fellow Board of Trustee members to determine which partnerships could be developed between their outside projects and student organizations. Building a working relationship with established members is the best way to make sure that my input is taken seriously and not dismissed when important student affairs issues arise.
Alexa: How do you plan to increase diversity?
Josh: My plan to increase diversity include is three-fold. First, we will redefine diversity as African American, Latino-Hispanic, Pacific Islander, Native American, first-generation students, gender and sexual minorities, and students of lower socioeconomic status. Currently, students from out of state are counted as diversity. Secondly, I will remodel the University of Massachusetts Amherst Strategic Plan to include a separate section for diversity and underrepresentation. Finally, I will call for a guaranteed increase of at least 5% of each underrepresented community within the next 3-5 years. This plan was passed unanimously in the Undergraduate Senate, endorsed by the Faculty Senate and sponsored by Vice Chancellor Enku Gelaye, the Center for Multicultural Advancement and Student Success and other administrator. I am meeting with Chancellor Subbaswamy in two weeks to push this plan forward.
Alexa: How will you take control over construction?
Lucas: We support the modernization and addition of new buildings, however it is important for students to know how construction will affect their ability to get around campus. I will advocate for an op-in alert system will report when and where construction will be taking place so students are not frustrated by obstacles in the way they get to classes. The current Student Trustees have successfully fought for a on Forum on Student Life in the Board of Trustees in which students will be able to speak freely and share the impact that construction has on their UMass experience directly with the Board. I will actively recruit students with unique experiences to these meetings.
Alexa: How will you provide students with more access to student space?
Savannah: My sophomore year, I worked with Student Activities and Involvement to help RSOs with this very issue and know the many roadblocks that both students and RSOs face when trying to access the Campus Center, Student Union, academic space, and other locations on campus. I have a multi-faceted plan to increase student access to these spaces. In the Campus Center, I will work with the facilities office to create an initiative that opens up the rooms to students during the hours the building is open. I will ensure that the Student Union space that SGA controls is best allocated to student groups. I will also be an advocate for students to decrease the amount of time it takes to book academic space.
Alexa: What is the first and most important change you wish to make after you take office?
Savannah: Our first responsibility after the elections will be to hire a cabinet. Most years, the cabinet ends up being composed of previous SGA members. We will actively recruit student leaders who have not had direct SGA experience. We will ensure that all students are made aware of the cabinet applications and will work to hire a cabinet of interested individuals that truly represent the student body.
Be sure to VOTE March 9th-11th on Campus Pulse!
