Hey everyone! Happy September!
As we begin the second week of classes on campus, I think it’s high time I posted a few of my goals for the academic year ahead while I’m in office. These are more all-encompassing than what you’ll find in the “platform tracker” section, and include a number of projects that – while I may have inherited from my predecessor(s) – I’ve grown to be as passionate about them through my work on them over the summer as if they were my own! I break my role as Student Body President into a number of categories…
1. Communication – internal AND external
• work to update Jake, Abby (Chief of Staff), Cabinet, Student Senate, and SGA’s advisors regularly on anything and everything that we’re working on
• work with Ava (Public Relations Director) to have daily updates for the student body on FaceBook and Twitter, and weekly updates on our blog and in the K-State Collegian
• prepare each Friday for my weekly radio interview on KMAN 1350 AM
2. Leading Forward – there are a variety of initiatives that are discussed within SGA each year, and a few that I want to make measurable progress on this year
• work to improve mass transit in Manhattan and better educate the student body on the already-existing aTa bus system
• work to write a “Bill of Rights” addressing the relationship between student tenants and citizen landlords in the city of Manhattan
• advocate STRONGLY for no more cuts (this year) to higher education funding in Kansas
3. Diversity/inclusion – K-State’s student body has a strong amount of diversity – we should promote that and work to have a more inclusive atmosphere on campus
• recruit populations of students who are historically underrepresented in SGA to apply for committee positions and the intern program
• work to ensure that all student groups have adequate space in the renovated Student Union of the future
4. Platform – work with Chance Berndt (Executive Initiatives Director), Jake, and Abby to make our platform a reality; see “platform tracker” section
5. Committees – I serve on almost too many committees to count: the Faculty Senate Committee on University Planning, the University Calendar Committee, the President’s Advisory Committee, and the Rec Services Council, to name a few
• prepare for each and every committee meeting I go to beforehand
• make sure I’m representing the voice of students accurately by asking for their input on key issues throughout the year
6. Cabinet
• work as a team to accomplish our goals for the year – we can accomplish more as a team than we ever can as individuals
• facilitate relationships on Cabinet and make sure its members are growing professionally at the same time
7. Ongoing/Inherited Projects – SGA holds a number of regular events each year, and from Day 1, I’ve inherited a few ongoing initiatives from those before me
• do my best to represent the interests of students on projects like the Union expansion and the South Lot at the Rec, and see them through to completion
• promote the opportunities for student and community initiatives to receive funding through City University Fund, and help the Governmental Relations committee develop their proposal
• work with Eric Haun (State Relations Director) to hold a successful Pizza and Politics, State Higher Education Day, and Cats in the Capital
8. Student Advisory Committee/Board of Regents – Kansas’s “Student Advisory Committee” meets monthly and is composed of student leaders from each of the six 4-year Regents schools in Kansas
• work with the Student Body Presidents, VPs, and State Relations Directors at the other five Board of Regents institutions to advocate on behalf of college students and the issues that affect us
9. General/CEO – as SBP, I’m the Chief Executive Officer of K-State SGA, and so I should guide the organization while always being available and willing to hear student concerns
• be an active part of the K-State 2025 plan
• review the structure of the Office of Student Activities and Services (OSAS) as it relates to SGA during this year’s Privilege Fee committee review of OSAS
• utilize Student Body President’s Advisory Board to hear feedback and “pulse” of student body (and act upon what I learn)
10. Daily – I believe the job of SBP is manageable only if I work hard each and every day – I only have a year in office, and so there really aren’t any “days off”
• structure daily schedule to ensure that I’m getting the most done with my time
11. Transitioning On
• work to prepare a detailed transition document for whoever comes after me by beginning it NOW, rather than at the end of my term
There are my goals! No shortage of items to spend my time on; however, if there’s something that you think SGA (and I) should spend time addressing this year that I didn’t mention above, let me know ( elis@ksu.edu )! Time to get back to work…
Eli