Student Government Association begins elections for the 2023-2024 academic year April 17-24, and inauguration will occur April 26.

Webster said several positions are open for elections, but the roles not filled April 26 will be filled later throughout the semester.

Taegan Garner, SGA president, said she is excited for the incoming president to take over SGA.

“I’m excited that this year, we’ve really tried to build on this organization so that we have a nice foundation to hand off,” Garner said. 

Garner said SGA has had a “history of rocky transitions and not a lot of clarity,” so she wants the transition for the next president to start where she left off.

“I’m really excited for the next exec to just start from where we left off and see how much they can grow from there,” Garner said. “We’ve been reinventing the wheel for years. So now, at this point, I have a whole list of things for them to do before they get here.”

Brayden Webster, SGA executive vice president, said the application for the elections has been extended to 10 p.m. Thursday. Webster said the election ballot will go out for all students to vote Monday.

The application for the 2023-2024 SGA elections is on Eagle Sync. Adrianna Garcia, administrative vice president of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, said there are requirements for each position. She said the requirements may be for the university or for a certain amount of time spent in SGA.

Webster said Garcia is the only candidate currently running for SGA president, but since the application is open until Thursday, others could still run. 

“The main thing that inspired me to run for president is that I’ve always been really passionate about helping the student body, and what better way to do that than being the president of SGA,” Garcia said. 

Garcia helped create the position of administrative vice president of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She is the first person to hold the position on campus.

Garcia said she has always been passionate about SGA.

“One of the main things I would do as SGA president is try to get SGA to be a little more collaborative with other organizations,” Garcia said. “Because our job is not only to help the student body, but it’s also to help other student organizations and make sure they have the funding they need and stuff like that.”

Garcia said if she were inaugurated as the next SGA president, she would want everyone on campus to feel seen and heard. 

“I think that’s a big thing that students — they don’t feel like they’re being listened to all the time, so I think that’s one of the main things I would push for — just making sure that everyone’s voice is heard and that they feel seen,” Garcia said.

Garcia said her advice to the next person who takes the AVP position of the EDI Committee would be to not be scared of running for the position. 

“I know it can be really stressful trying to represent groups that are not very well represented on campus, just don’t be nervous,” Garcia said. “Just go at it with your whole heart. I think if you just try your hardest and try to collaborate with some of the organizations that already support these people, you’ll do just fine.”

Garcia said she thinks Garner has done a good job as SGA president.

“I think Taegan has done such a good job this year, making sure that students feel heard and feel seen,” Garcia said. “I’m really sad to see her go, but if I win, I would be so honored to take on her legacy and continue doing one of the work that she’s already doing behind the scenes, and just creating those collaborations that she’s made this year.”

Webster said Garner has been a good leader. 

“She is very different from previous presidents, and she’s done a lot of cleaning up of the organization, trying to make it better not only for SGA members, but so that way, general students can have their voices heard in a more accessible and easier format,” Webster said.

Garcia said Garner has helped many clubs with their events and is “always there to listen.”

“I hope I can also embody those characteristics,” Garcia said.

As a junior, if Garcia were elected as SGA president, a new president would be inaugurated after Garcia for the 2024-2025 academic year. 

“I think that if I can just set the stage to where clubs feel that they can come to SGA for help, that’ll be a great starting point for the next president,” Garcia said. “Especially creating those links already. If they come into an organization, or a role, where there’s already these connections made, they can further work to strengthen connections.”

Webster said he thinks it is important for the incoming SGA president to focus on networking and dealing with administration. He also said it is important for the incoming SGA president to hear student concerns and bring them to administration.

Webster said it is different for everyone and how they would run for president.

“I would just figure out what stance you want to take on things and then just don’t back down,” he said.