A recent spike in the amount of quad-lingerers, the resurrected vibrant pink flowers on the trees outside of Colton Chapel, and students shedding their thick, fuzzy sweatpants for denim mini-skirts and shorts all indicate one thing: spring. While summer plans are starting to occupy space in Laf students’ brains, some important things for next fall are already getting squared away. Next semester’s courses are soon being selected, most housing assignments have been distributed, and for Student Government, next year’s Executive Board is starting to come together. Current junior Fraynette “Fray” Familia was recently elected president, succeeding senior Connor Burwell after he graduates in May.
This has been a pivotal year for Student Government. The organization underwent substantial member growth, nearly tripling in size and bringing new committees into being, like Equity and Inclusion and Athletic Affairs. Efforts from all committees, particularly the new ones, have already brought new and exciting changes to campus. Take, for instance, the Athletic Affairs Committee’s central role in teaming Lafayette up with the LANTA bus service. They have now granted students access to explore the Lehigh Valley on shuttles with ID swipes. Inspired by its growth, Student Government has put forth great efforts to establish a more impactful and well-known presence on campus.
President-elect Fray Familia, as expressed in an interview for The Lafayette and throughout her campaign, aims to lead with special attention to inclusion. Fray is not the only new elected leader for Student Government, however, as by the time this article is published, the new Executive Board will have been elected as well. Five of the eleven executive board positions ran unopposed – Vice President, Treasurer, Public Relations and Marketing Director, Student Services Director, and Sustainability Director–and voting took place on Monday, April 15th. Voting in the Student Government Election is as simple as opening an email and submitting a vote, which is likely why the presidential election had a solid turnout of more than fifty percent of the student body. This, of course, may also be attributed to new aspects of social media that can be used for advertising. Many student candidates, aside from covering every bulletin board on campus with posters, took advantage of Instagram stories to advocate for themselves and their platforms. Fray even made a Snapchat Geotag for Election Day that Snap users could see as a fun reminder to vote in the election.
While this year’s election season may have wrapped up, and the chair interview process is already underway. Don’t be afraid to approach your friends on Stu Gov with any questions and concerns that might arise on campus, they want to help. If advocacy and leadership pique your interest, certainly consider applying for a position on Student Government next semester. Of course, as a former chair and current committee director, I’m a little biased towards the positives of Student Government. With that said, it is a truly great way to get involved on campus, interact with some interesting people you might not have otherwise encountered, and be an advocate for yourself and your peers.