SG President: Deon Jones
Deon Jones is no stranger to AU politics. He’s been a former SG senator and member of the Committee to Review University Spending, and is the current student representative on the Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3D. And hopefully, he will take on one more position.
For his experience, his charisma and his commitment to molding SG into the diverse student body it now represents, The Eagle endorses Deon Jones for SG president.
Two years ago, Nate Bronstein demonstrated the power of a charismatic SG president. His enthusiasm and admirable school spirit inspired a diverse portion of the student body to join the SG, effectively counter the Westboro Baptist Protests and even attend athletic events.
We don’t expect Jones to go shirtless and don a cape anytime soon. But his charisma is undeniable and his passion for diversifying the SG crowd beyond the usual suspects is contagious.
He recognizes that the SG has teetered toward becoming “a club for a few students who want to play politics.” With this attitude and way with words, it’s not hard to envision Jones actively engaging students on a daily basis.
Paired with his charisma and enthusiasm are his clear and realizable objectives. Jones aims to reach out actively to minority students as SG president, transforming the Ethnic and Cultural Coalition into an advocacy department resembling Women’s Initiative and reaching out to students with disabilities or who are transgender. With an increasingly diverse student body, this type of outreach will be key to keeping the SG relevant. Clearly, there’s substance with Jones’ style.
Through his service in the ANC, Jones has cultivated relationships with many AU administrators. These should serve him well as he navigates our University’s bureaucracy. Recognizing these tight bonds to the administration, we can understand those with concerns that Jones might be too cozy with AU officials. But Jones knows that it is the students that will elect him to the presidency. And, as SG president, it is the students he will have to represent.
When Jones’ speaks about representing student needs, he doesn’t use the same complacent and trite tones used by many cradle-to-the-grave SGers. There is still an inherent drive in this candidate to see the SG change. And we think this is needed.
While we and other members of the student body are excited to see Jones’ willingness to incorporate different ideas and perspectives into SG, The Eagle would remind Jones that he will still need to work with the Senate and others in the SG to accomplish his goals. The key will be striking a balance between integrating new faces into the fold while not alienating the old guard. A difficult task, to be sure. But it can be done, and Jones’ has the diligence needed to do it.
With this in mind, we urge our fellow students to give Deon Jones their votes for SG president.
SG Vice President: Palak Gosar
The Eagle endorses Palak Gosar for Student Government vice president. We believe his experience as fundraising director and treasurer for the College Democrats and his leadership in the University Center give him the strong organizational skills necessary for the position.
Also, as president of the South Asian Student Association, Gosar oversaw a number of large events and represented the University to outside vendors with aplomb.
He worked with current VP Liz Richards to maximize attendance at the Founder’s Day Ball.
And, though Gosar is a Student Government insider, we do not believe his experience hinders his ability to think outside the box and improve University events. In fact, Gosar offers novel ideas for increasing opportunities for small student organizations to grow, giving them access to Student Government resources and clout.
The Eagle sees Gosar’s experience working with Student Activities and other administrators as a distinct advantage for students. He is creative and receptive to student needs—but his experience gives him the ability to turn his ideas into practical results. Furthermore, in our conversations with Gosar, he was receptive to criticism and forthcoming about his flaws.
Some have raised concerns about Gosar’s close relationships with current SG incumbents. The Eagle does not believe these relationships prevent him from remaining critical of SG’s past and making practical improvements for students.
SG Secretary: Kevin Sutherland
While Kevin Sutherland is the only ballot choice for SG secretary, The Eagle endorses Sutherland for SG secretary. We believe his work unifying the branding of all SG-related entities and success in improving SG’s website both solidly qualify him for re-election.
We believe Sutherland has the technical knowledge and experience, not to mention a strong record during his first term, to continue to improve the day-to-day functions of Student Government.
He handles criticism well and has proposed a number of improvements to the student events promotion apparatus.
He has been honest and forthcoming with The Eagle about past communication problems and other flaws and has listed increased media outreach as a top priority.
While concerns about AUSG Jobs Board fraud are still fresh in the minds of many, Sutherland proposed posting a notification on the site to ensure students are aware of possible scams.
We applaud these pledged improvements and hope to see Sutherland take action immediately.
SG Comptroller: Eric Reath
While Eric Reath is the only ballot choice for SG comptroller, this does not detract from his qualification. He has performed his job admirably since being appointed comptroller last spring and should be elected to a second term.
Throughout his tenure, he has also demonstrated consistent transparency, always willing to talk to Eagle reporters, explain the budget sheet or elucidate various funding mechanisms.
Moreover, Reath recognizes that the comptroller is the only undergraduate student with a seat on the University Budget Committee. Accordingly, he has incorporated an advocacy element into his platform, pledging to fight against any proposed tuition increases. ? E
