Liberty SGA readies for election

Candidates to compete for position of student body president for upcoming year

The year 2016 has been, and will continue to be, full of elections. There will continue to be primaries and caucuses, with no election more important than the presidential election taking place in November. By the end of this year, U.S. citizens will have practically voted for everything, even the local dogcatcher.

All elections, whether nation-wide or local, have great impact. However, there is one other upcoming election that could potentially provide an instant impact on Liberty students.

Liberty University’s Student Government Association (SGA) will be hosting its 2016 student body presidential election in April. According to current SGA Student Body President Quincy Thompson, this election could affect Liberty as a whole.

“This election has the potential to change the direction of SGA and the student body our organization represents,” Thompson said.

According to Thompson, the SGA is driven by its mission to serve students. Every decision, vote and verdict is designated to make Liberty a better school for the student body.

“Student concerns and issues drive SGA,” Thompson said. “If it were not for student issues, SGA would not have any reason to exist. This year, SGA has … capitalized on learning more about what students are concerned about.”

Thompson also added that SGA hosts a meeting called Campus Chat in the Jerry Falwell Library for students and student representatives. On the first Monday of every month, Campus Chat stands as an opportunity for students to tell their representatives what they like, dislike, want changed and want kept.

“We have created surveys about issues like parking, dining and campus security and are working on proposals to address these issues that students care about,” Thompson said.

SGA serves as the representative voice for students. However, according to Thompson, the SGA’s president deals directly with administration, presenting the desires and concerns of the student body.

“SGA’s student body president works on behalf of the student body and SGA as an organization with university administrators to help better the student experience at Liberty,” Thompson said. “The student body president can discuss pressing matters regarding anything related to needs and concerns of students and work with the leadership of the university to address these needs.”

Thompson has been SGA student body president for two years. As his tenure comes to a close, he looks forward to seeing his replacement come into the role. Despite soon graduating from Liberty, he encouraged students to vote because of how valuable the right is.

“As in any election, the right to vote is a unique and valued freedom of our society,” Thompson said.

Since the election is not until April 1, students will receive ample opportunities to get to know each candidate. Candidate orientation takes place March 9. Social media campaigning begins the very next day and will continue until Thursday, March 31, which is also the day of the SGA presidential debate.

The SGA is partnering with The Liberty Champion in hosting the debate in DeMoss Hall 4040 at 7:00 p.m. Liberty Champion staff members have also been set to assist in moderating, with a plan to replicate the format of the Republican and Democratic national debates. According to Thompson, the intent of the debate is to position candidates against each other and show students the potential strengths and
weaknesses of each candidate.

This will all lead to April 1: Election Day. Students can vote through the voting portal available through the splash page from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Students have the opportunity to choose what type of voice they want to represent them in the coming year,” Thompson said. “It is important for students to vote for SGA’s student body president because that individual can help determine and shape the type of experience they have here at Liberty as a student.”

Haywood is the editor-in-chief.