Candidates for Vice President

Name: Jon Chebra
Year: Junior
Hometown: Newtown, Pa.
Major: Political Science
Clubs/Organizations: SGA Student Senate, Chair of the Legislative Affairs Committee; ACS; Institute for New Jersey Politics; Model United Nations.
Why are you running for this position? I am running for SGA Vice President because the student body deserves a dedicated leader who will voice the concerns of all students and be an advocate for change.
What issue(s) is/are most important to you in this election? The two most pressing issues facing students right now are housing and parking.
How do you plan on communicating with all students about the work SGA is doing? Communication with students is a problem in SGA right now. SGA needs to work hard to make sure students know what is going on and what SGA is doing to address their needs. I will urge SGA to put together an e-mail newsletter; launch, update and advertise a new Web site; host town-hall meetings when important issues come up; and change the structure of the Senate to create a better flow of information.
How effectively do you think SGA handled the on-campus housing issue for 2008-2009? SGA worked proactively with the administration through the housing committee to take on this issue. Students on that committee worked hard to find a solution within the framework the University has established. However, SGA needs to continue to work diligently toward finding a permanent solution that ensures we can continue to guarantee housing for all students.

Name: Kenneth Jacobs
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Upper Marlboro, Md.
Major: Journalism
Clubs/Organizations: SGA Finance Board; Olson’s RHA; LDP; Protestant Campus Ministry; President’s Task Force on Tolerance/Diversity.
Why are you running for this position? I am running for SGA Vice President because I feel like there are some big issues that need to be addressed in SGA and I believe that I am the best person who can bring about those changes. In addition to the changes I will make, I also plan on carrying out the rich history of the school and promoting school spirit in the many events we hold every year.
What issue(s) is/are important to you in this election? In this election, the most important issues for me are the way in which the housing situation was handled, academic advising and the issue of diversity.
How effectively do you think SGA handled the on-campus housing issue for 2008-2009? I don’t think that the housing situation was dealt with appropriately. The major issue that was raised when talking about the housing situation is the way that the administration communicated with the students about the changes. Having to hear information like this through the grape vines is not what the students should have to do. The administration should have openly told the students about the re-examination of the policy, students should have been appointed to the committee to discuss housing for the Fall of 2009, and that details will follow once the committee has met and come to a conclusion.

Name: Amanda Lawson
Year: Junior
Hometown: Howell, N.J.
Major: American Studies
Clubs/Organizations: SGA, Community Outreach Chair; Student Life Committee; Resident Advisor; Freshmen Seminar Peer Mentor; Emerging Leaders Facilitator.
Why are you running for this position? I am running for this position because I believe that with the cultural change currently taking place on campus there needs to be strong leadership in SGA. I feel my experience, creativity in problem solving, understanding and dedication to student advocacy matches the type of leadership needed at this time to face pressing issues.
What issue(s) is/are most important to you in this election? There are a few issues I feel are really important in this election. These include change in the social scene, parking and academics.
How effectively do you think SGA handled the on-campus housing issue for 2008-2009? The SGA Executive Board and Cabinet worked alongside Residence Life and the Student Senate in distributing the information and providing feedback. SGA made sure the information was made available to students and that the administration heard their concerns and issues. Additionally, the lack of communication from the administration when the housing policy was changed back to guaranteeing housing to students was addressed by SGA. SGA not only sought out the information to provide clarification to the student body but also expressed the frustration and confusion that was caused by the miscommunication of whether housing was guaranteed or not.