Raymond Baccari
News Editor
The elections for both SCG and the classes of 2023 through 2025 are this month. Students have a chance to serve in SCG’s parliament and/or for their graduating class.
Students who want to join parliament have a few days left to file their petition. The initial filing period for joining parliament ends on April 8, 2022.
The declaration period for the current parliament members to run for the E-Board and for the class elections is the week after. That declaration period goes from April 12, 2022 to April 19. All of this is done in SCG’s office located in Student Union 401.
35 signatures are required to be on the ballot in the class elections and to join SCG. Previously the required number of signatures was 25. This change is in accordance with life on campus being somewhat back to normal.
Class elections are run differently this semester compared to last semester in hopes of increasing turnout.
“We have decided this semester to do the elections online. So what’s going to happen is there is going to be a form sent out by the Dean of Students to each class. And then they're going to vote using their RIC email anonymously. It is going to then be tallied, and that’s how the winners are going to be decided,” said SCG President Matthew Thurseon.
“That is going to be happening over the course of three days. That way people don’t just have one day in Don to vote. So we’re hoping that it’s going to result in maximum turnout.”
Those three days of voting are from April 26, 2022 to April 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The importance of student participation in these elections goes far beyond another bullet point on a resume. Tangible change occurs once the students decide to participate in student government. The students who don’t care may see their organization hurt financially if SCG’s funding situation isn’t resolved. The upcoming elections’ relevance is that Sánchez believes SCG needs 19 more members.
Currently the number of members in SCG is below Sánchez’s desired number of 29 out of 56 potential members. Administration has no plans to help SCG with the problems they interpret to be present. SCG’s funding is in a state of uncertainty. Student organizations are indirectly affected by President Sánchez’s unprecedented decision from January to freeze the funding.
SCG issued a formal response to Sánchez, but has not heard back. Boosting the number of parliament members is one of the few options for SCG.