Election Guide 2008
Issue date: 4/14/08 Section: News
Campus Action Party:
The facts:
CAP only has one candidate running, Dominic Capparelli.
Capparelli is a sophomore communications major from the south side of Chicago and is running for Student Body President.
Director of Student Life Ceci Brinker said this is the first year an independent party has run in the spring elections.
Experience:
Capparelli said even though he does not have as much Student Government experience as some other candidates, he is involved in many neighborhood civic organizations and helped his uncle, Jim Capparelli, campaign for the U.S. Congress.
"I decided to run for Student Government after noticing that the current administration has lost sight of the fact that Student Government should work for the students, not against them," Capparelli said. "I hope to change this by leading a Student Government the students of Eastern Illinois can be proud of."
Goals:
¬-Extending Panther Bus hours on weekend.
-Improving campus safety by adding more lights.
¬-Working closely with University Board to provide a broader range of activities.
How will you make Student Government matter to Eastern students?
"I believe that student government really doesn't matter to many students right now, because the current administration spends little time trying to figure out what the students want, and instead push their own agendas," Capparelli said. "I hope to implement an open door policy in which all students will be given an equal opportunity to have their opinions be heard. I believe that once Student Government builds a solid connection with the students of Eastern Illinois, the campus as a whole will improve and student government will be something every student can be proud of."
Students Wanting Action Today:
The facts:
-Bobbie Mitchell is running for Student Body President.
-Eric Wilber is running for student executive vice president.
-Kevin Lee is running for student vice president for business affairs.
-Jackie Alexander is running for student vice president for academic affairs.
-Patrick W. Hood is running for student vice president for student affairs.
Experience:
Mitchell was appointed to the Student Senate for the first time this semester and was Student Body President for two years at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson. Wilber is a member of Apportionment Board, a non-senator on the External Relations and Tuition & Fee Review Committees and is the student representative for the Charleston City Council.
Goals:
-Increase Student Government's visibility.
-Increase Student Government's relationship with registered student organizations.
-The party has created a plan that would take a select group of freshmen, nominated by the Resident Assistants, and train them with current leaders of RSOs so the younger students would be exposed to leadership qualities and upon graduation from the program would be able to take leadership positions within RSOs.
-Increase student presence in Springfield by lobbying several times a year and meeting with key figures and by making the student trustee position more visible.
How will you make student government matter to Eastern students?
"In order to make Student Government matter to students, it needs to take up what the students want it to," Wilber said. "For too long, student government hasn't represented the majority of students, and interest in it has decreased. We need a change; we need action. When elected to this office, I will make sure that the students once again have a voice, and that their voice is heard to the administration, the City of Charleston and the State of Illinois.
Student United Party:
The facts:
-Levi Bulgar is running for Student Body President.
-Tiffany Turner is running for student vice president for business affairs.
-Alison Kostelich is running for student vice president for academic affairs.
-Sean Wyrobek is running for student vice president for student affairs.
Experience:
Bulgar has been a member of Student Government since his sophomore year. He began as a senate member on the Housing Committee and served for a year as student vice president for business affairs. Bulgar is currently serving as student executive vice president.
Kostelich is the current vice president for academic affairs.
Goals:
-Increase school spirit by creating campus symbols students can rally behind and working with various organizations within student life.
-Increase campus safety by highlighting current safety measures already in place and hosting student panels to receive feedback about campus safety.
-Increase Student Representation by reaching out to various organizations on campus and recruiting members for the more than 60 appointments that are made to boards and groups across Eastern's campus by the Student Government executive board.
What does SUP want to accomplish?
"Our motto has always been "Giving the Students What They Want" and we plan on continuing that philosophy within the next academic year," Bulgar said. "We plan to work to increase voter Registration, address the issue of campus Safety, increase school spirit, inform students of where their money is going and promote the continued interactions of students and faculty outside the classroom."
United Party of Students:
The facts:
-Eric Hiltner is running for Student Body President.
-Chris Kromphardt is running for student vice president for academic affairs.
-Ryan Kerch is running for student vice president for student affairs.
Experience:
Hiltner, Kromphardt and Kerch are all Student senate members. Kerch is on the RSO funding committee.
Goals:
-Expand First Night into a bigger operation to incorporate more RSOs into Student Government. Following First Night, UPS plans to have those participating RSOs more involved with Student Government. Since they're already organized, then it should be easier to get opinions from a wide array of different groups of students.
-Build accountability into officers and senators jobs descriptions to actually fulfill their job descriptions and obligations that they've agreed to.
-Make progress toward RSO funding.
-Extend hours at Mary J. Booth Library.
What is your overall goal for the year?
For Student Government to find its place within the university and what it should actually be doing to help the students of Eastern.
The facts:
CAP only has one candidate running, Dominic Capparelli.
Capparelli is a sophomore communications major from the south side of Chicago and is running for Student Body President.
Director of Student Life Ceci Brinker said this is the first year an independent party has run in the spring elections.
Experience:
Capparelli said even though he does not have as much Student Government experience as some other candidates, he is involved in many neighborhood civic organizations and helped his uncle, Jim Capparelli, campaign for the U.S. Congress.
"I decided to run for Student Government after noticing that the current administration has lost sight of the fact that Student Government should work for the students, not against them," Capparelli said. "I hope to change this by leading a Student Government the students of Eastern Illinois can be proud of."
Goals:
¬-Extending Panther Bus hours on weekend.
-Improving campus safety by adding more lights.
¬-Working closely with University Board to provide a broader range of activities.
How will you make Student Government matter to Eastern students?
"I believe that student government really doesn't matter to many students right now, because the current administration spends little time trying to figure out what the students want, and instead push their own agendas," Capparelli said. "I hope to implement an open door policy in which all students will be given an equal opportunity to have their opinions be heard. I believe that once Student Government builds a solid connection with the students of Eastern Illinois, the campus as a whole will improve and student government will be something every student can be proud of."
Students Wanting Action Today:
The facts:
-Bobbie Mitchell is running for Student Body President.
-Eric Wilber is running for student executive vice president.
-Kevin Lee is running for student vice president for business affairs.
-Jackie Alexander is running for student vice president for academic affairs.
-Patrick W. Hood is running for student vice president for student affairs.
Experience:
Mitchell was appointed to the Student Senate for the first time this semester and was Student Body President for two years at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson. Wilber is a member of Apportionment Board, a non-senator on the External Relations and Tuition & Fee Review Committees and is the student representative for the Charleston City Council.
Goals:
-Increase Student Government's visibility.
-Increase Student Government's relationship with registered student organizations.
-The party has created a plan that would take a select group of freshmen, nominated by the Resident Assistants, and train them with current leaders of RSOs so the younger students would be exposed to leadership qualities and upon graduation from the program would be able to take leadership positions within RSOs.
-Increase student presence in Springfield by lobbying several times a year and meeting with key figures and by making the student trustee position more visible.
How will you make student government matter to Eastern students?
"In order to make Student Government matter to students, it needs to take up what the students want it to," Wilber said. "For too long, student government hasn't represented the majority of students, and interest in it has decreased. We need a change; we need action. When elected to this office, I will make sure that the students once again have a voice, and that their voice is heard to the administration, the City of Charleston and the State of Illinois.
Student United Party:
The facts:
-Levi Bulgar is running for Student Body President.
-Tiffany Turner is running for student vice president for business affairs.
-Alison Kostelich is running for student vice president for academic affairs.
-Sean Wyrobek is running for student vice president for student affairs.
Experience:
Bulgar has been a member of Student Government since his sophomore year. He began as a senate member on the Housing Committee and served for a year as student vice president for business affairs. Bulgar is currently serving as student executive vice president.
Kostelich is the current vice president for academic affairs.
Goals:
-Increase school spirit by creating campus symbols students can rally behind and working with various organizations within student life.
-Increase campus safety by highlighting current safety measures already in place and hosting student panels to receive feedback about campus safety.
-Increase Student Representation by reaching out to various organizations on campus and recruiting members for the more than 60 appointments that are made to boards and groups across Eastern's campus by the Student Government executive board.
What does SUP want to accomplish?
"Our motto has always been "Giving the Students What They Want" and we plan on continuing that philosophy within the next academic year," Bulgar said. "We plan to work to increase voter Registration, address the issue of campus Safety, increase school spirit, inform students of where their money is going and promote the continued interactions of students and faculty outside the classroom."
United Party of Students:
The facts:
-Eric Hiltner is running for Student Body President.
-Chris Kromphardt is running for student vice president for academic affairs.
-Ryan Kerch is running for student vice president for student affairs.
Experience:
Hiltner, Kromphardt and Kerch are all Student senate members. Kerch is on the RSO funding committee.
Goals:
-Expand First Night into a bigger operation to incorporate more RSOs into Student Government. Following First Night, UPS plans to have those participating RSOs more involved with Student Government. Since they're already organized, then it should be easier to get opinions from a wide array of different groups of students.
-Build accountability into officers and senators jobs descriptions to actually fulfill their job descriptions and obligations that they've agreed to.
-Make progress toward RSO funding.
-Extend hours at Mary J. Booth Library.
What is your overall goal for the year?
For Student Government to find its place within the university and what it should actually be doing to help the students of Eastern.
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