This year is a big election year. And I’m not just referring to November’s U.S. presidential contest. As you may already know, there is a different race going on right here on campus this week – elections to pick the next Mercyhurst Student Government (MSG) president, vice president and treasurer. This race is so important to the school and to each of the students who are represented by MSG.

It is your chance to decide which candidates you want to be your voice at Mercyhurst. It is also personally important because this year I am running for MSG vice president on a ticket with my fellow junior class senator Richard Molloy, who is running to be your student government president for the 2012-13 school year.

While our platform has several plans for specific projects we’d work hard to institute on campus next year, our main goal is to make sure that we listen to the students’ ideas.

Above all, we want to connect the students with MSG so they know what exactly the organization is doing for them.
To make this a reality, we will implement simple ideas like drastically updating the MSG website to make it more user friendly and by posting weekly bulletins around campus to keep students informed on recent progress on projects and of upcoming goals. We want to create a centralized bulletin board in the Union so students can easily check who their senators are and contact them with any ideas they may have to improve the school. We will also require senators to carry out at least one project or event per term to directly serve their constituencies.

Further, we will explore all possible means for updating the Rec Center, including adding a second floor or an indoor track. We would also like to renovate the upperclassmen housing areas by installing new furniture, especially beds and couches. By working with the Office of Residence Life, we can ensure that maintenance issues are taken care of promptly and pre-move-in inspections are done more thoroughly.

In addition to all of this, Molloy and I promise to work hard to create and develop a greater sense of Laker spirit around campus, so all students feel welcome and comfortable here and have an outlet to show off their passion for Mercyhurst.

To do this, we can work with student groups and the newly appointed Laker Spirit Coordinator to hold MSG pre-and post-game day events to increase student presence at games. Similarly, we will also plan events at both the beginning and end of the year for upperclassmen, such as block parties or cookouts.

Molloy and I have proven leadership experience and are ready and able to lead MSG so that your concerns and ideas are heard. Molloy is the chair of Welcome Week. He is also a member of LCP and an Ambassador. I also have demonstrated leadership experience, serving as an RA for two years in Warde Hall and as a committee chair of the Ambassador Club. As junior class senators, we have both proven to be successful leaders on MSG.

Molloy and I are excited to be running for the positions of MSG president and vice president, and hope that you will consider voting for us. We would be grateful for the opportunity to work for you, the students, next year. Make sure that you take the time to vote in this election. It’s your chance to be heard.