If elected, one SGA campaign intends to build on the accomplishments of the current SGA administration in working to improve student life.
Representing the Action campaign, John Rader and Anna York are running for SGA president and vice-president, and said they believe their commitment to working hard now for a better future is manifested in their campaign title.
“John and I chose the name Action because we feel that necessary action needs to be taken right now for many of the current issues facing UT,” York said.
If elected, they will work with a policy they developed called the Five Step Action Plan, which seeks to address key issues students face daily.
The first step is to use their experience as leaders at the University of Tennessee to create new policies and improve student life.
“Our party as a whole represents students who have had leadership experience in SGA and in other organizations across campus,” said York, who currently is a student representative on the Board of Trustees.
York and Rader have held numerous leadership positions at UT. Both have served on the Freshman Council and in SGA Student Affairs and are Baker Scholars. Rader is the SGA government affairs director and the program director for the Interfraternity Council. York’s leadership roles include being Student Senate secretary and the member development chairperson of Delta Delta Delta.
“In my tenure at UT, I have worked tirelessly to make every aspect of campus better. And over the next year, I hope to be in the position to expand my work for the betterment of all students,” Rader said.
The second step in the Action Plan is to promote diversity at UT by creating a Senate Diversity Committee that would monitor and encourage diversity issues on campus.
The third step is to better student life on campus.
“We would like to add alternative classes to campus, put benches at the ‘T’ stops and develop a plan with the administration to aid in the retention of students,” York said.
Rader and York want to help clean up the “eyesores” of campus, especially areas in and around the Hill. Planting more flowers around buildings and holding the administration accountable for littering are some ways they said they would act to promote their fourth step of campus beautification.
Their fifth step would reflect a unity of purpose among campus organizations.
“We would like to bring together student organizations from across campus through improved communication and allowing for more collaboration and progress on improving UT for the students,” York said.
Rader and York have other policy points in addition to the above five-step plan. But no matter the issue, they said their experiences make them the best two candidates to implement these goals and to promote a healthier campus experience for their peers.
“I believe that a life without some degree of public service is to some degree a life that is not fully lived,” said York, who, as the youngest delegate from Tennessee at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, said she knew she had to be involved in student government at UT.
The Action candidates said they intend to build on the current SGA administration’s accomplishments.
“This year’s SGA has done a wonderful job in tackling the issues that are currently facing UT students, and John and I feel that we have the experience to continue this fight and make UT better for all students,” York said.
