Letter to the Editor: We Are All On The Same Team

If I were asked to comment on the recent TBL article about the SGA elections, I would say the following:

“Nobody, absolutely nobody, benefits from a lack of participation in SGA elections. What many students do not understand, is that you are electing students to represent you. SGA senators have a seat at the table for many decisions made by faculty, staff, and administration. If you want to be a part of that decision making, if you want to be in the room voicing concerns of the students you represent, you must put in the hard work and take the initial step: get your name on the ballot. After reaching out to student organizations and their advisors, sending multiple emails to the entire student body, and asking the administration to point students our way, I truly don’t know what else could have been done to improve participation.

I understand that the qualifications to become SGA President is limiting to students. I understand that there are universities out there who allow anyone to run for SGA President. But let me tell you this, being in this leadership role is a full-time job that has no salary. It requires your attention each and every day and is not something that can just be taken on as a resume builder. It requires extensive knowledge of university practices. It is rewarding, but not without great challenges. An amendment to the SGA constitution was made and unanimously approved by the Senate several years ago to include these qualifications precisely for these reasons.

Lastly, I have been in the room for many SGA interview rounds. I have had friends interview and be denied. Those interview sessions take hours. We get a small snapshot of who you are and take it extremely seriously that we are selecting YOUR representation. We are selecting students who will hold the organization in their grasp one day, and we need to ensure they will make the same moral decisions. Is it ideal to select your representation through interviews? Absolutely not. The ideal scenario is this: we have so many people want to run for a position on the senate that students must vote based on the platforms everyone is running on and each senate seat is filled with a passionate student ready to make a difference.

I wanted to make these clarifications because I feel that all too often, this organization that I care deeply about, this organization that has made a powerful impact on the student body, is tarnished by the spread of false information. All students are entitled to their opinion. But all students are also entitled to an SGA President that will stand by this organization, as it is my job to do so. I cannot emphasize enough that we are all on the same team and have the same goal: ensure that we are doing everything we can to leave FSU better than how we found it.”

The opinions stated in this letter are my personal opinions and not the opinions of the organization.

Sincerely,

Jenna Puffinburger

SGA President