Five slates will vie for next year's student body presidential and vice presidential positions for the next three weeks. Each slate, which includes a presidential candidate and his or her running mate, submitted petitions for positions Feb. 22. The student body will vote for each slate March 27 through March 28. The following lists each slate's background information, involvement and platform stances. Tickets are listed in alphabetical order.
Presidential Candidate Anik Chaudhry and Vice Presidential Candidate Ben Cederoth
Background Information: Chaudhry is a first-year information systems and analytics major. Cederoth is a first-year accounting major.
Involvement: Chaudhry competes on Miami's policy debate time and won the Ohio State Championship for Lincoln Douglas Debate, which involves talking about governmental policies. He is a member of Dorsey Hall community council, serving as a corridor and community service representative. Cederoth is a corridor representative in Dorsey Hall.
Platform: Chaudhry and Cederoth believe that student engagement is lacking across campus. They plan on expanding the government in playing a bigger role in the daily lives of students on campus.
In addition, the two contend that there are many day-to-day issues that can easily be fixed through simple improvement of technology. Chaudhry said that there many open source sections of software that can notify students when a bus is nearby or tell one how long the wait is for Miami Door-to-Door so he or she can know whether or not to make a reservation.
"We believe that implementing these systems into Miami University at a low cost will improve the daily lives of students," Chaudry said.
Chaudhry and Cederoth hope to increase their experience throughout the campaigning process.
"There has been concern in regards to my experience and ability to lead because I'm a first-year," Chaudhry said. "The only justifiable concern that has been voiced in regards to running for student body president is that I do not have as wide a range of contacts as other candidates. Connections are formed through personal contact with the various groups on campus, which is what I am doing throughout the campaigning process."
Presidential Candidate Calvin Davis and Vice Presidential Candidate Brooke Shirley
Background Information: Davis is a junior marketing major. Shirley is a junior triple majoring in political science, black world studies and sports studies for the pre-law program.
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Involvement: Davis is the current president for Miami's National Pan-Hellenic Council and is an off-campus senator for ASG. In ASG, he participates in the funding and audit committees and is a member of the Oxford Tenant's Organization. He has served as secretary of the NHPC and secretary and treasurer of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Shirley is president of the Miami University Gospel Singers and is press and publicity chair for the Miami chapter NAACP.
Platform: Davis and Shirley said they believe real change will take place only if the campus can come together as whole.
"We are asking students to dare to believe in themselves, and to realize that they have the ability to create change in this community," Davis said.
Davis explained that his platform is advocating an increase in safety on campus, which includes passing the Medical Amnesty Bill.
"We feel like the safety of the students on campus is something that everyone can rally behind," he said. "[Medical Amnesty] passed in ASG but the entire campus needs to be aware and support this program if we expect the administration to listen so we don't continue to punish people who make the right moral decision, no matter the situation."
In addition, Davis and Shirley are campaigning for reevaluation of the Door-to-Door system, which may include adding a second bus or supplementing it with a student-run system.
Presidential Candidate Forrest McGuire and Vice Presidential Candidate Lot Kwarteng
Background Information: McGuire is a senior management and leadership major. Kwarteng is a junior political science and entrepreneurship major.
Involvement: McGuire is the president of the Havighurst Community Council, and current chief of staff for ASG. He has served at president of Chi Psi fraternity. As chief of staff, McGuire has co-authored legislation such as the Medical Amnesty Bill, attended Student Affair Council meetings, interviewed students for the student trustee position and appointed nearly 100 undergraduates to various university committees. He is also an active member of the Academic Policy Committee. Kwarteng is a current Student Trustee, a member of the Academic Advising Council, and is a member of the Professional Development Faculty Learning Community.
Platform: McGuire and Kwarteng's platform is founded upon the catchphrase "It's Your Degree, Take Ownership of It."
"The phrase invokes a sense of ownership and pride that we want students to posses," McGuire said. "In essence we are asking students to demand more out of their Miami experience."
Their platform includes support for the medical amnesty legislation, which they argue will increase student safety overall. They will also push for the enhancement of academic advising, with encompasses the release of more digital DARS and a website that will provide a one-stop shop for all academic resources. Additionally, they want to increase professional development in the College of Arts and Sciences by collaborating with faculty, career services and other university entities to ensure that students develop the necessary skills needed to thrive in the labor market.McGuire urged students to consider what is best for Miami's future when voting this election.
"When students consider their options for student body president and vice-president we want them to think about which candidates are best able to represent them in the formation of policies that will define Miami," he said.
Presidential Candidate Charlie Schreiber and Vice Presidential Candidate Courtney Bernard
Background Inf ormation: Schreiber is a junior political science major with a history minor. Bernard is a senior journalism and strategic communications double major.
Involvement: Schreiber is involved in Men's Glee Club and holds the position of public relations chair for Pi Kappa Phi. Bernard is a tour guide for the Office of Admissions and an undergraduate assistant for COM 143: Introduction to Media. She is vice president of intellectual development for her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, and has held that position for three years. In addition, she is VP of fundraising and philanthropy for Miami University's chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).
Platform: Schreiber said that his and Bernard's platform is based on four S's.
"Our stances revolve around scholarship, social, safety and sustainability," he said.
Additionally, he and Bernard believe it is important to continue the agenda of the past and see value in creating new policies. They plan to make first-year advising and the Resident Assistant Program more student-centered with a greater focus on health and wellness. In addition, they hope to enhance the student advising process.
"I'm not a member of ASG, but I am able to bring fresh ideas to the table," Schreiber said. "I am a close friend with the current and the past presidents of student senate, Peter Dougherty and Tom Kirkham, and I have been able to understand the workings and accomplishments of ASG. And as a member of so many different organizations, I am able to connect with the wide diversity of students on campus."
Presidential Candidate Max Swartz and Vice Presidential Candidate Alexander Nixon
Background Information: Swartz is a senior biochemistry and biological physics double major. Nixon is a senior diplomacy and global politics major with a history minor.
Involvement: Swartz conducts undergraduate research in the physics department, is a supplemental instructor for a CHM 142 course and is an off-campus senator for ASG. He has participated in Campus Activities Council since his freshman year and was a member of CAC's Global Fusion Board. In addition, he was treasurer of Hillel: Association of Jewish Students. Nixon is president of the Miami Forensics Society and is a national junior representative to the executive council of the National Forensics Association. He was treasurer for Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha honors fraternity and served on the finance committee for the scholar leader community.
Platform: Swartz and Nixon are advocating the idea that Miami is a total experience, and that not one student is wholly defined by the group he or she belongs to or is limited by the status quo. Three key issues they are campaigning: (1) Making course evaluations, which are public information, accessible online when registering for courses. (2) A longer period for online web drops from courses. (3) Community service academic credit as part of the changing Miami Plan. In addition, Swartz said that he will be involved with the placement of the renovated Emergency Call Boxes.
"I am orchestrating a committee of undergraduates to offer input on the placement of the new Emergency Phone Kiosks being installed by IT Services and MUPD," he said.
He emphasized that his involvement with ASG has inspired him to continue with student politics.
"The potential that ASG has to catalyze meaningful change is what has captured my interest in furthering my involvement in student government," he said.
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