Tears, thanks and lots of references to Disney’s “Frozen” came from the Student Government Association podium Wednesday afternoon as the executive board passed its roles to the successors.
Cardinal Connection, consisting of president Nick Wilkey, vice president Carli Hendershot, secretary Rahissa Engle and treasurer Sidney Staples, was sworn-in Wednesday afternoon as the 2014-2015 executive board of SGA.
Their inauguration came after the slate received the maximum fine amount the night of election and fears of disqualification.
Potential elections code violations were brought against Cardinal Connection after the election, but no violations were found and the slate’s 81-vote-margin victory over Empower held.
Wilkey said his nerves started to kick in before inauguration, when he got the key to his new office in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center on Wednesday afternoon.
He compared SGA to basketball: his executive board is composed of basketball stars and the student body owns the team.
“Our whole goal as a basketball team is to score the baskets,” he said. “The baskets represent our platform and we want to accomplish them by working as a team to score the basket.”
The slate plans to implement big plans like an on-campus food pantry for students and keeping the library open all 24 hours during Finals Week. Other initiatives include a mixer between students and the new president, an emerging leaders retreat and an on-campus student employee appreciation week.
Wilkey said his board has already started working on the food pantry platform point and has a location but cannot disclose it yet.
Wilkey plans to talk to students from IUPUI about how they started and ran their food pantry.
The slate hopes to stay in contact and work together over the summer to get started on other platform points. They also expect to speak with the Arthur Hafner, dean of university libraries, over the summer for their 24-hour library initiative.
“We’ll get a lot of big points accomplished or started,” he said. “We don’t want to come back to the school year and say we haven’t done anything.”
Jennifer Jones-Hall, SGA adviser and director of the Office of Student Life, said Cardinal Connection is already working well together.
“Nick is going to be the driver of that slate, which is very positive because that’s what a president should do,” Jones-Hall said. “I think they will accomplish what they set out to.”
Jones-Hall said she appreciates that Cardinal Connection’s platform has measurable goals like the food pantry.
She said the 24-hour library initiative will be the biggest challenge.
“I hope they don’t lose hope,” she said. “There are some that are so doable and others I hope [they] don’t lose [their] spark if they come back and say no.”
Former president Chloe Anagnos said the slate has no idea what it is walking into. The job is much more challenging than she knew ahead of time, she said.
“You have to take everything with a grain of salt, everything is a learning experience,” she said.
She advised the slate to utilize the Office of Student Life, and to ask their adviser and graduate assistants for help.
“Knowing when to ask for help is the big thing,” Anagnos said. “This year I have asked for more help than I can remember. I think they’ll do fine, I’m not too worried about them.”
Read More
Representation for all
By Jayden Vaughn / 6 hours agoThe LGBTQ+ community is finally getting the comprehensive on-screen representation that it deserves.
Bearcat pitching struggles lead to Muncie Central loss at Delta in Delaware County baseball clash
By David Moore / 20 hours agoAt the end of the evening, it was the Eagles who ended their four-game skid as Delta took the victory against the Bearcats 16-1 in five innings. Delta will be on the road for its next contest against Hoosier Heritage Conference rival Shelbyville April 23 at 6 p.m. Muncie Central will travel to Muncie Burris for its next matchup, also April 23 at 6 p.m.
Spring donation drive
By Amelia Winter / YesterdayBrand-new spring donation drive to help international students at Ball State University.
