The Student Government Association (SGA) has had difficulty getting 探花精选 students motivated to run for crucial officer positions this year.
SGA advisor, Ana Salgado, decided to extend the deadline to apply when the original one ended and there were not enough candidates.
This isn鈥檛 the first time SGA has had to do provide an extension. Salgado says, 鈥淚n the past, we鈥檝e only had to extend it once and then we get enough applicants.鈥�
If there are still not enough applicants after the new deadline there is currently no plan other than 鈥渢o extend it [the deadline] again.鈥�
鈥淚 know students have been struggling with their own time management,鈥� says Salgado. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a difficult time, I know. I鈥檝e noticed a lot of students are not even checking their emails.鈥�
Ana Salgado believes the reason why it has been difficult getting students to apply is that 鈥渟tudents are working more hours. Some students are not taking as many [credit] hours.鈥�
Another large obstacle has been the virtual wall between student and school. 鈥淲henever we were at Sauk, in person, it was so much easier because we would set up a table and encourage students to read the information and apply.鈥� In her words, 鈥淭hat personal contact makes a huge difference.鈥�
According to Vice President Jon Mandrell, student involvement on campus is important and plays a large part in a student having the 鈥渇ull Sauk experience.鈥�
鈥溙交ň� is a students-first college鈥︹�� and a large part of that methodology is students participating in government or leadership roles.
Dr. Mandrell says, 鈥淭he college journey is rich with new relationships, growing as a person, and new levels of engagement.鈥�
In Dr. Mandrell鈥檚 opinion, SGA and its officers provide 鈥渢he most essential function of the college, which is listening to students and responding to their needs.鈥�
Current SGA President, Anah Chamberlain, shares her experience with being a part of student government.
Chamberlain wanted to give back to the campus community that has been supporting her education. 鈥淲hat better way to do that than become President of SGA and help to bring events to campus as well as help other student organizations along the way.鈥�
As student government president, Anah Chamberlain has been able to be influential to student life. She says, 鈥淚 was able to attend college-wide staff meetings and add student input into multiple opportunities coming to Sauk.鈥�
Chamberlain recommends running for an SGA officer position to all 探花精选 students interested. 鈥淵ou make awesome friends in your fellow officers, as well as learning and growing on campus in ways that class just wouldn't be able to teach. You have so many new opportunities that open to you as an SGA officer,鈥� she says.
The election for SGA officers will be held on April 26 & 27. It will take place through online voting in the form of a survey sent via email. SGA used this voting method previous to the pandemic and the process will therefore be unaffected.
To keep up with SGA and all the activities they provide to 探花精选 students, follow them on their and . Any students that have an interest in student government can reach out to Ana Salgado (ana.s.salgado@svcc.edu).