VISION
The Student Association should focus on issues that matter to students:
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Academics and Career - ultimately, we are here for a degree that will lead to a meaningful job
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Wellbeing and DEI - we deserve to experience belonging, community, and support during our time at Rice, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, ability, or socioeconomic status
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Sustainability - years of student advocacy precipitated administration's recent climate goals, and survey of all students data indicates this is a growing priority for a generation increasingly experiencing climate anxiety
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Why should you vote for me?
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My focus on people rather than specific areas of advocacy or projects makes me more effective at supporting students with a wide variety of interests (as demonstrated in my role as Internal Vice President, supporting 9 committees across various areas of advocacy). My significant people and project management experience while at Rice has given me essential skills for holding the largest organization on campus accountable and maximizing its efficiency and effectiveness. My servant leadership perspective drives me to try to make sure all who chose to engage with the SA feel seen, heard, and known and helps me be approachable , which is important given the historically low levels of engagement. This includes an emphasis on developing and equipping others, elevating the voices of those who have historically been underrepresented, and creating a space where everyone feels comfortable voicing their perspective, even if it diverges from the popular view. Additionally, as a Fall 2019 matriculant, my understanding of the pre-COVID campus and SA is crucial context as we imagine our post-COVID future (especially the culture of care!).
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Together, we will create an accountable, accessible SA that leaves a legacy by embodying these core values:
Transparency.
Clear and organized communication is essential for an effective organization! What is the purpose of having the Student Association if the majority of the student body doesn’t know what we are working on? I will work with the External Vice President and Secretary to ensure the Rice community is aware of what happens in the SA - if you don’t know what’s on the agenda, how will you know when we will be discussing a topic on which you want to give input? I will work to make the Senate space more accessible to those who do not hold a leadership position in the SA because it is important to me that everyone feels comfortable making their voice heard. It is also important that the various cohorts across the organization are easily able to view each other’s work to compare notes, as well as engage with other areas of the SA. Hence, I will be strongly encouraging all SA members to be active in the SA slack, and for more SA leaders to attend college senate meetings. We need to be in the loop on each other’s activities so we can find opportunities for collaboration!
Connection.
Silos are the enemy of synergy; the success of the SA is dependent on the connections its members have with each other, administration, and the rest of the student body. The more familiar members of the SA are with each other, the more effectively they will work together and make an impact with their projects. Similarly, members of the SA need to have strong, positive relationships with members of administration and a passion for working together to achieve the same goals: the wellbeing and experience of students at Rice. Finally, there are often groups on campus that can handle things better than we can or are already working to resolve issues we identify. Rather than duplicating others’ efforts, the SA works with those administrative and student groups to achieve our goals. This looks like inviting students and administrators to lead discussions during senate and encouraging those who do not hold formal positions in the SA to lead SA projects, which empowers them to utilize the SA’s resources and lines of communication to expand their advocacy.
Empowerment.
My vision for Student Association is to be a tool for empowering the whole Rice community to advocate for the changes they want see across campus. This means utilizing college presidents, senators, new student representatives, committees, and faculty committee student representatives to both educate the student body on ongoing projects and support students when they have ideas. It is important for all members of the organization to be on the same page, so they can point students in the direction of the people who are in the best position to help them, and to ensure all SA leaders are equipped for having ICNU (I see in you) conversations, to be a positive voice that highlights the abilities and skills they see in others to take on greater ownership and leadership in their campus experience.