If you haven’t been paying too much attention around school lately, you may have nearly missed the SMU Student Senate elections. Coming up this week are the elections for Student Senate, and we here at Her Campus SMU want to keep you in the know of what is happening with the election. Our candidates for Student body president are Blake Rainey and Vivian Fredericks. We’ve profiled both of them and their campaigns, so that you can know exactly what you’re going into this election (plus learn a few fun facts along the way!) Make sure to get out and vote this Wednesday and Thursday for your new student body representatives!
Courtesy of Blake Rainey
HCSMU: What is your major and what year are you?
BR: I am a junior double majoring in management in Cox and management science in Lyle.
HCSMU: How long have you been in Senate?
BR: Three years.
HCSMU: What have you done in Senate before?
BR: My first year I was a general member on the Finance Committee and helped allocate $750,000+ to various campus organizations for many wonderful events. Last year I served as a Cox senator and worked with the University architect, Philip Jabour, to install temporary lighting units around the construction areas of Fondren Library where many light poles had been taken down. This year, I served as chair of the Organizations Committee and assisted in getting many new organizations chartering privileges from the Student Senate. In addition, earlier this year I passed a bill to improve safety procedures at Dedman Rec Center and introduced a bill just recently to extend the deadline to drop courses from five class days to ten.
HCSMU: What do you plan to do as president of Senate?
BR: I have so many issues I plan to tackle as student body president. I want to sit down with the director of Aramark, Todd Robison, and cut the prices of goods down at Mac’s Place to reasonable levels so no one is having to pay $22 for a case of water. I want to meet with the director of RLSH, Troy Behrens, and see how feasible it would be to get two-ply toilet paper in all the residential commons as well as new washers and dryers for those who need them, especially considering that the price of living on campus has increased 4.7% just from last year to this year. In addition, I want to meet with the heads of Fondren and Bridwell libraries and figure out a solution to get back an SMU library that is open for 24 hours a day.
These are just a few of the issues I want to address. Please check out my website redrain2016.com for my complete platform!
HCSMU: What makes you a good candidate?
BR: I am a great candidate for this position because of my substantial experience and qualifications. I have not only been on Senate for so long, but have actively passed legislation and met with various administrators to address so many different issues. I also really care about this University and its students. I am not running for the title, I am running because I sincerely believe I am the most qualified and experienced candidate for the position.
HCSMU: How else are you involved on campus?
BR: I have had the pleasure of working as a resident assistant in Cockrell-McIntosh Commons for the last two years. I am also an active member of the Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity, where I served last semester as Master of Rituals. I am also an executive officer for a new organization, INFORMS, which promotes networking among management science majors.
HCSMU: What is your favorite thing about SMU?
BR: My favorite thing about SMU is the vast amount of opportunities this University provides all its students. If you want to travel the world, SMU can make it happen. If you want the top job offers in fields ranging from electrical engineering to investment banking, a degree from SMU can get you there. But most of all, I love the fact that we are all one big family of Mustangs that can come together for so many different causes, such as to rally against unfair NCAA penalties and cheer on our legendary basketball team.
Fun Facts:
HCSMU: What’s your funniest SMU memory?
BR: My funniest SMU memory took place when I was on a study abroad program in Oxford. A few of my friends from SMU and I traveled to the Netherlands for one weekend. We ended up getting lost in one of the cities late at night and sprinting to the train station so we wouldn’t miss our train back to the hotel. Little did we know, we ran right past the train station and kept running for what felt like an eternity. We eventually made it back to our hotel shocked that we had ran all the way back across the city.
HCSMU: Favorite movie?
BR: “Rush Hour 2”
HCSMU: Favorite song?
BR: Lose Yourself by Eminem
HCSMU: Favorite color?
BR: RED
HCSMU: What animal would your Patronous be?
BR: A Mustang
Courtesy of Vivian Fredericks
HCSMU: What is your major and what year are you?
VF: I’m a sophomore accounting major and musical theatre minor.
HCSMU: How long have you been in Senate?
VF: I have been in Senate for two years now as both a First Year Senator and the Speaker.
HCSMU: What have you done in Senate before?
VF: This year as Speaker, I lead and facilitate all Senate chamber meetings to ensure the chamber rules are followed, plan meeting agendas, and organize legislation to be presented each week. I contact administration, department heads, organization leaders, and students to present at meetings during Speaker’s Podium, an allocated time in our meetings where these individuals let the senators know “What’s going on at SMU” and give us information to relay to the rest of the student body. I also serve as a member of the Executive Committee with the other student body officers and Senate officers to help make decisions about Senate as a whole and assist the other officers with any projects. In addition, I have worked as a member of the New Student Center Task Force and met with campus architects to discuss renovations for Hughes Trigg, assisted with the recruitment of a new Vice President of Student Affairs, met with the Student Body President and the Faculty Senate President to discuss the ad hoc Committee on Diversity and Inclusion in its early stages, and I helped plan Values Week.
As a First Year Senator, I served as a member of the New Student Center Task Force in its initial phases of research and traveled to Baylor University, University of Southern California, and Loyola Marymount University to meet with their student body officers and tour their student centers. I took notes and photos of each university’s best practices to bring back recommendations to enhance and redesign Hughes Trigg. Our Task Force recommendations were formally presented to the Board of Trustees for consideration. I also worked with other First Year senators and Dining Services to make changes to sanitation, dining hall lines, and food offerings. Additionally, I served as a member of the Finance Committee and worked with other senators to allocate hundreds of thousands of dollars to 200+ student chartered organizations on campus.
HCSMU: What do you plan to do as President of Senate?
VF: I plan to tackle issues on all areas of campus from dining, to safety, senate accessibility, residential life, school spirit, and more. To highlight a few of these that are especially near and dear to me, I want to make sure SMU students receive a new student center. Our center no longer meets the needs of the students as it should. Instead of going to just grab a coffee and get your mail, this building should serve as a true hangout space for all students and have more room for student organization workspace. This project was recently paused due to issues with funding, so I want to work with the student center committee chair, administration, and the other senators to restart this initiative.
As a top rated university in a major city known for having great food, people should look forward to their dining experience instead of feeling that they need to leave campus for alternatives. I want to increase dining hall hours, food served at off-peak times, the variety of options that are available (for example, I think it’s crazy that we don’t even have berries in our fruit selection), and look into the quality of food that is being served. My friends at other universities have told me about meal swaps, where you can eat at one of the on campus restaurants in substitution of a meal swipe. I definitely think this is something we should look into bringing to our campus.
SMU students should be able to feel safe and secure anywhere at any time on our campus. While overall we have a relatively safe environment, there’s room for improvement. With frequently changing construction projects, I want to increase communication between students and administration regarding changes in walk routes and access to building entrances. Lighting should also become a priority in construction projects to make sure that alternative walk routes are well-lit at night. I want to promote the health center and the resources that are available so that students truly know where to go and who they can reach out to in a time of crisis. The blue emergency lights around campus have been known to not work when students call for help, so I want to coordinate with SMU PD to have a system for testing these devices periodically and reporting when they are not working.
I’d like to complete the initiative of a new central calendar and events website for all SMU students. This will sync the calendars of all schools, organizations, and other groups into one website so that students can look in one place and know everything that is going on around campus. This is an opportunity to unify the student body, increase participation at all events and take advantage of the great things happening at SMU.
With my platform, I hope to continue building upon our tradition of excellence and improving our university to truly be the best!
HCSMU: What makes you a good candidate?
VF: My experience and passion distinguish me as the most qualified candidate for this position. I’ve always been the type of person to take a stand, assume responsibility, and lead initiatives to make an impact and affect change. Being a member of the Executive Committee in my role as Speaker is a huge asset in running for this position because I know the inner workings of the Senate chamber, Senate administration, and I have worked closely with the current student body president on a day to day basis and know what it takes to get things done. From day one on this campus, I have sought out opportunities to be involved and have an impact through Senate, Student Foundation, and my sorority. Prior to coming to SMU, I served as a senator and the student body president of the largest graduating class in the nation with 1500+ students from diverse and varying backgrounds, helping plan large scale events such as prom, graduation, spirit initiatives, service projects and community outreach programs. I genuinely care about this university and the student experience. I want to give back to the institution that has created the most incredible opportunities for me.
HCSMU: How else are you involved on campus?
VF: I’m currently serving as the Sing Song Director and Family Weekend Chair for my sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta. I’m also a musical theatre minor and will be a part of the 24-hour musical this semester. Previously, I have served as a general member of Student Foundation and as a Mustang Corral guide.
HCSMU: What is your favorite thing about SMU?
VF: I’m a big fan of SMU spirit and traditions, such as the Boulevards, Homecoming, and Celebration of Lights. I also love 24-Hour Musical and Brown Bag dance performances.
Fun Facts:
HCSMU: What’s your funniest SMU memory?
VF: During our Hunt Scholar retreat, some of my friends and I got separated from the rest of our group hiking on a mountain in Taos and it started raining. We were slipping and falling all over the place and listening to Taylor Swift as motivation to get us back to campus- it was hilarious.
HCSMU: Favorite movie?
VF: I’m stuck between “The Great Gatsby” and “Pride and Prejudice.” I love the fashion and I’m also a hopeless romantic. Bridesmaids is another favorite of mine if I need a good laugh.
HCSMU: Favorite song?
VF: My favorite song is definitely “Since U Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson. I’ve been her biggest fan since she first won American Idol and I love singing her songs.
HCSMU: Favorite color?
VF: Red
HCSMU: What animal would your Patronous be?
VF: I would be a cheetah because they’re fierce, fast, and majestic.
Vote online this Wednesday from 12:01 a.m. through Thursday at 5 p.m. Cast your votes here!