At FSU, Student Government Association (SGA) elections are never boring. From parties dissolving to new ones emerging in their place, and secret societies and alliances, there’s always something to talk about. FSU’s self-proclaimed “gossip girl,” fsugoddess, has taken to dissecting the drama behind one of the most powerful campus organizations on her Instagram.
Now that election season has finally arrived, Her Campus at FSU reached out to the admins behind fsugoddess to ask a bigger question: from resume controversies to secret society whispers, what’s really shaping this year’s SGA election?
Her Campus (HC): A lot of FSU students see SGA elections as irrelevant. Why should the average FSU student care?
FSU Goddess: For every single credit hour that you take at FSU, about $13 goes toward Activity & Service Fees, and guess who controls the distribution of our own tuition money? The SGA. This money is used to fund SGA projects, Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), Campus Recreation, the Student Union, and more. This funding is helpful for many things, from travel costs to a conference, to initiatives for student benefit like free MCAT study materials, but beyond budgeting, SGA is one of the only formal connections to University Administration. This is where representation and making sure that senators reflect the views of the student body accurately become important.
For example, when the university quietly removed the option for LGBTQ+ friendly housing, student senators passed a Senate Proclamation, publicly asserting the student opinion to administration, which many believe to be a factor that led to its reinstatement. Additionally, the Student Body President (SBP) is the only student who sits on the Board of Trustees and he currently represents the students of all the state universities in Florida on the Board of Governors. We should care because the decisions that they make have a direct impact on the way campus functions.
HC: Do party labels at FSU actually reflect ideological differences, or are they more based on social networks and campus affiliations?
FSU Goddess: No, the party labels aren’t really about ideological differences. Typically, people choose which party to run with based on what they know of their history, typical platform points, and their perception on campus. I think there are some ways we see ideological differences. When it still existed, Surge’s platform was typically more progressive, but also harder to achieve. Especially considering most of Legacy’s current affiliates used to be involved with Forward, I think it’s safe to claim that the main ideological difference present at this point is whether or not they’re willing to associate with Burning Spear.
HC: Greek life has historically backed Forward. How much influence do you think Greek life at FSU has over campus elections and politics?
FSU Goddess: Unfortunately, Greek life has a lot of sway over campus elections and politics. This is especially true when voter turnout is low, which it has been in recent years. I assume this is simply because of outreach. Most of the chapters on campus have at least one member who’s involved with a party internally, in SGA, or running. That visibility is important for them. For most people, when they know someone in their chapter is involved in one of the parties, voting down the ballot is an easy decision.
HC: There have been allegations that Legacy is backed by FSU’s secret society, Burning Spear. What’s your perspective on that narrative, and why is it a concern for students?
FSU Goddess: Legacy has publicly denied the claims that they’re supported by Burning Spear, but I’m not convinced. I’ve been told explicitly by inside sources within SGA and the parties that Legacy was created because Burning Spear didn’t want to associate with Forward anymore, and then there’s the evidence of what’s happening publicly. Carson Dale, the current SBP, who was previously affiliated with Forward and is a member of Burning Spear, switched parties to campaign for Legacy.
There was also the leaked Burning Spear initiation manual that outlined how members aren’t allowed to publicly oppose each other, and in fact, are required to support one another. So, when the SBP switches to a brand-new party, it should naturally raise some questions. We also know that Legacy’s SBP candidate, Ian Seibert, is a member; there are photos on his Instagram of him wearing a Burning Spear pin. When asked at the Executive Debate on Friday, he confirmed this verbally for the first time.
The idea of Burning Spear’s grip on FSU should scare you. There’s no scenario in which it benefits the student body to have a secret shadow organization pulling strings at FSU. We might know they exist, but we don’t know what they want to accomplish, nor do we know why. I mean, they literally compare themselves to the mafia in the leaked manual. If Legacy is being supported by Burning Spear, I think it’s safe to say we can’t trust anything they suggest.
HC: There have also been claims that some candidates within Legacy have embellished or falsified parts of their resumes. Why does that matter in a student election?
FSU Goddess: Most students have very little idea of what makes someone a good candidate for an SGA position. When they’re running, we have two things to go off of when deciding who to vote for: a candidate’s platform and their qualifications, but a platform is simply an ideal. Qualifications show us tangible evidence of a person’s capabilities. The fact is, Legacy’s candidates blatantly falsified parts of their resumes with embellished and untrue assessments of their leadership. This purposeful misrepresentation of their qualifications will no doubt lead to students voting based on false information.
HC: What does accountability realistically look like within SGA?
FSU Goddess: Accountability is about transparency and action. We want to know what’s happening behind closed doors. We want to know not just what decisions are being made, but why, and we want to see the leaders of our student body as accessible and responsive representatives who are willing to own up to their own mistakes and actively seek feedback from the student body. If concerns are raised, we expect responses; if challenges arise, we expect honesty. True accountability builds trust.
HC: Legacy is the only party with a woman candidate on its Big 3 slate. On your page, you’ve criticized the campaign’s approach as “political marketing.” What specifically about the way they’re presenting her feels strategic, and what does authentic representation look like in your opinion?
FSU Goddess: To me, as someone with a baseline level of SGA knowledge, Sela Teplin is the only truly electable member of Legacy’s “Big 3” slate. Her experience with the Jewish Student Union (JSU) directly aligns with one of the main jobs of the Student Body Vice President, which is overseeing the SGA agencies, and yet, despite her resume running circles around her running mates’, it doesn’t feel like the biggest talking point. In fact, the main thing that is emphasized, in my opinion, is her being the only woman on the Big 3 slate, but not only that, they need to specify that she’s a Panhellenic woman.
This is important, especially within the context of the influence of Greek life on SGA elections. We can also see it in the way they promoted her event, “Service with Sela,” which was specifically listed as being held at the “Alpha Chi Omega, Kappa Alpha Theta, Tri Delta lawns,” rather than with an address, which is what they did for Ian Seibert’s event, even though it was held outside the Kappa Alpha house. At the Executive Debate last Friday, she mentioned her membership in Alpha Chi Omega before she touched on her experience in JSU. She’s an incredibly qualified candidate, but that’s why it’s so frustrating that Legacy seems to view her job on the slate as “the woman.”
Legacy politically markets her to draw in the votes of both Panhellenic women and other women across campus who want to see themselves represented in SGA. Of course, I’m not saying that she would be a bad Vice President, I’m just bringing into question what this political marketing says about Legacy. When her representation in SGA is emphasized more as a marketing strategy, it’s not the feminism that we think it is. She’s the most qualified person on the ticket, so why is that not the headline?
HC: Before casting their vote, what should FSU students actually research about a candidate or party?
FSU Goddess: Before voting, make sure you have all the facts. Review the candidates running, look at the political parties, read through their platforms and qualifications, and, now more than ever before, check your facts.
So, What now?
Even if some view SGA as just another campus organization, it’s essential to remember that its decisions have tangible impacts on funding, policies, and representation at FSU. Accounts like fsugoddess have created a space for students to engage with the conversations and controversies surrounding SGA elections.
Still, the results of any election depend less on Instagram commentary and more on students choosing to actively participate. SGA elections at FSU will be held March 2 and 3 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and ultimately, the decisions surrounding campus politics rest with those who vote!
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