Spring Break
Candidates revealed for Student Government elections
Jordan, Murphy running for student body president
Bob Bajek / Student Government Editor
Issue date: 3/13/09 Section: News
The candidates running for the April 6 and 7 Student Government elections were officially announced Thursday.
Student Senate members Ron Jordan and Michelle Murphy are running for student body president.
Jordan, a first-semester senator and junior corporate communications major, is a candidate for the new party, Students for Change. He is also a running back on the Eastern football team.
"I think there should be some change in our Student Government," Jordan said. "Our Student Government isn't represented well by athletes on campus. I think myself being a member on the executive board can shine some positive light on the athletic community and the minority community."
Jordan said he disagrees with the internal emphasis the Student Senate has had this year.
"We sit here and argue about bylaws and the constitution and all of these things every week when we could be doing projects," Jordan said. "We could be having town-hall-style meetings and helping students in many ways instead of arguing about things not important to the student body."
Murphy, a sophomore communications studies major and second-semester senate member, is a candidate for the United Party of Students. She said she hopes to bring more efficiency to Student Government.
"There are a lot of things that this campus community could offer to the students that if somebody could take a broader look at what could be done with the resources we have, a lot of programs that are currently implemented could be enhanced to benefit the student body that haven't had a proper look," Murphy said.
Murphy said she wants to be more accessible to students if elected student body president so she could assist students quickly.
"Making sure that our constituents feel comfortable in coming to us to say they have a problem, a compliment or a complaint is important," Murphy said. "The first step is getting them to know how to tell us."
Both candidates addressed possible concerns over inexperience.
Jordan said he has been a student at Eastern for three years, so he understands what students want and need, even though he is not as well versed in parliamentary procedure.
He also said if elected student body president, athletics and Student Government would not conflict with each other.
Murphy said despite her sophomore status and limited experience on Student Senate, she has a lot of political knowledge. She was student council president in high school, a member of the Tuscola Chamber of Commerce and Tuscola Economic Development Committee, and is vice president of the EIU Republicans.
Besides student body president, candidates were announced for the other Student Government positions.
Eric Wilber, student executive vice president and student trustee, is running unopposed to retain his executive position. Wilber will be the only returning executive board member.
Student Senate member Jose Alarcon and student Scott Lambert, a sociology major, are in the running for student vice president for academic affairs.
Members Tyson Holder and Brad Saribekian are pursuing the student vice president for business affairs position.
Members Paul Reid and Mark Olendski are vying for the student vice president for student affairs.
Twenty students are competing unopposed for 21 open senatorial seats, while up to nine senators will return in the fall.
If Alarcon, Saribekian, Reid and Murphy do not win their respective executive seats, they will serve out the remainder of their senatorial terms.
Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7942 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
Student Senate members Ron Jordan and Michelle Murphy are running for student body president.
Jordan, a first-semester senator and junior corporate communications major, is a candidate for the new party, Students for Change. He is also a running back on the Eastern football team.
"I think there should be some change in our Student Government," Jordan said. "Our Student Government isn't represented well by athletes on campus. I think myself being a member on the executive board can shine some positive light on the athletic community and the minority community."
Jordan said he disagrees with the internal emphasis the Student Senate has had this year.
"We sit here and argue about bylaws and the constitution and all of these things every week when we could be doing projects," Jordan said. "We could be having town-hall-style meetings and helping students in many ways instead of arguing about things not important to the student body."
Murphy, a sophomore communications studies major and second-semester senate member, is a candidate for the United Party of Students. She said she hopes to bring more efficiency to Student Government.
"There are a lot of things that this campus community could offer to the students that if somebody could take a broader look at what could be done with the resources we have, a lot of programs that are currently implemented could be enhanced to benefit the student body that haven't had a proper look," Murphy said.
Murphy said she wants to be more accessible to students if elected student body president so she could assist students quickly.
"Making sure that our constituents feel comfortable in coming to us to say they have a problem, a compliment or a complaint is important," Murphy said. "The first step is getting them to know how to tell us."
Both candidates addressed possible concerns over inexperience.
Jordan said he has been a student at Eastern for three years, so he understands what students want and need, even though he is not as well versed in parliamentary procedure.
He also said if elected student body president, athletics and Student Government would not conflict with each other.
Murphy said despite her sophomore status and limited experience on Student Senate, she has a lot of political knowledge. She was student council president in high school, a member of the Tuscola Chamber of Commerce and Tuscola Economic Development Committee, and is vice president of the EIU Republicans.
Besides student body president, candidates were announced for the other Student Government positions.
Eric Wilber, student executive vice president and student trustee, is running unopposed to retain his executive position. Wilber will be the only returning executive board member.
Student Senate member Jose Alarcon and student Scott Lambert, a sociology major, are in the running for student vice president for academic affairs.
Members Tyson Holder and Brad Saribekian are pursuing the student vice president for business affairs position.
Members Paul Reid and Mark Olendski are vying for the student vice president for student affairs.
Twenty students are competing unopposed for 21 open senatorial seats, while up to nine senators will return in the fall.
If Alarcon, Saribekian, Reid and Murphy do not win their respective executive seats, they will serve out the remainder of their senatorial terms.
Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7942 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
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