Senate Elections

By Kyle Lawson

This week the elections for the executive positions of Student Senate will be held from Wednesday March 28 to Friday March 30. Students can vote in the College Union Building or online. The Gettysburg student has a lot of power to change aspects of the way the school is run. This year election procedures were changed so that now Seniors senate positions will be elected in the fall as well a the Junior class officers will be elected individually for each semester in order to allow those who want to Study Abroad the opportunity to still serve on Senate. Another amendment has been brought up in regards to the Senate budget. The proposed amendment change would make the Senate budget open to the students. Every vote counts and those elected this week will be debating and deciding what happens on this campus. So go out and vote.

The Candidates For Executive Positions:

President

Alex Bigler:
Experience: Alex Bigler has been on Senate for the past three years, during two of which she held executive positions. She is this years Club Liaison and has worked hard to make sure that clubs have their voices heard in Senate. Also, she has worked to amend the learning portfolio, by pointing out the confusing nature and working closely with faculty and students, it has been struck down as a rewuirement for current classes. She has also worked hard in several other positions on campus, and is involved with Residence Life aand GRAB activities.
Platform: Alex wants to make Senate meetings more student friendly, promote awareness of senate activities, more school spirit and activities for the student body, more communication between the students, faculty, and administration, better Town Gown relations, more communication about how the Student Activities Fee is being used.

Joe Gurreri:
Experience: Joe Gurreri has served two terms on senate. He is the President of Lambda Chi Alpha, and the President of the class of 2008. He is a supervisor of Intramural Sports for Campus Rec., a member of the Campus Activities Board, and a two-time Orientation Leader.
Platform: Joe hopes to lead efficient meetings, promoting campus awareness of what activities and events are going on, increasing school spirit, and increasing the support of clubs not only financially, but in actively participating in their events. He believe that through his involvement in a variety of organizations that he has a good idea of what is important to Gettysburg College students.

Vice President (unopposed)

Hugh McStravick:
Experience: Hugh McStravick has served as class president, and is involved in any number of activities from the Student Conduct Review Board to Habitat for Humantity.
Platform: Hugh would like to see the Clubs process become better advertised and easier to understand. He would like to see changes to the meal plans and dining options on campus. As well as to see Senate take a more active role around campus instead of just being financially involved. He has many ideas and many goals for the year, and hopes that the other elected officers are willing to help implement some of these changes.

Treasurer

Owen Carthart: Experience: Owen is currently Student Senate Treasurer, was the Freshman Senator on the Budget Management Committee, former Presiding Officer of Class of 2009 Class Council, former Class of 2009 Vice President, Representative to the Gettysburg College Endowment Committee Chairman, Budget Management Committee, former Representative to the Shaler Area Board of Director on Finance Committee, and former Representative to Christ Lutheran Church Budget and Endowment Committees. Platform: Owen wants to make all Senate accounts and all Senate Club accounts rollover accounts instead of disappearing into the college general fund at the end of the fiscal year. He hopes to work with financial services so that clubs are able to access money more quickly and easily. He would like to publish literature and have workshops with club presidents and treasurers once a semester on how to access club accounts. His hope is to make it possible for clubs to access money without using check requests. Finally, Owen wants to make senate more accountable for its spending. By de-classifying the Student Senate Budget. Students will be able to find out what other clubs, and what Senate is spending its money on.

Maggie McEneney:
Experience: Maggie has served on student senate for the past two years, and both times, she was a member of the Budget Management Committee. She is very familiar with the budget process and was very excited to work with the new freedom of the Student Activity Fee.
Platform: Maggie feels that it is extremely important to link clubs together. As treasurer, she want to bring clubs together and encourage them to share resources. She is interested in bringing a student sober driver program to campus and in this way will contribute to the schools’ advancement and programs.

Secretary

Beth Leamy:
Experience: Beth Leamy is a first year who was elected this year as a Senator. She has served on two committees this year, the Budget Management Committee and the Alcohol Policy Review Advisory Board. While on the Budget Committee she took the minutes for every meeting detailing what clubs asked for and how much money was given. She is also a member of the Campus Activities Board and will be serving as the Vice President of Finance for the 2007-2008 school year.
Platform: Beth hopes to help make senate more cohesive and help senate better connect to the student body. Her experience on the Budget Management Committee this past year has helped her prepare for taking minutes during meetings.

Chad Lingenfelder:
Experience: Chad Lingenfelder has served as the Treasurer for the Class of 2008 as well as a Senator for the past three years. He has been an Intramural Recreation Official, and is a member of the Campus Activity Board. He has co-organized events like Casino Night, Midnight Madness, the Attic Happy Hour, as well as different activities at Spring Fest. He has also co-sponsored the funding for a number of clubs including the Boxing club, and the Hockey club
Platform: Chad has discussed with the administration plans to renovate and build new dorms on campus, expand student facilities, and access to improved parking. Future plans, and ideas include talking to the administration about more student friendly alcohol policy, and trying to lower the foreign language requirement.