Massachusetts Daily Collegian

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A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

Meet the Candidates: Fall 2015 SGA Election Voting Guide

Student Government Association elections kick off today, Sept. 22 and last until Thursday, Sept. 24. Learn more about the nominees here and vote on Campus Pulse.

 

Commonwealth Honors College Community

Andy Castillo/Daily Collegian
Andy Castillo/Daily Collegian

Alex Corcoran 

Candidacy: Senator of CHCRC

Hi everyone! My name is Alex Corcoran and I am a first-year student in the Commonwealth Honors College and Isenberg School of Management. As a resident of Oak, I have enjoyed getting to know many people within my hall and residential community and I am very excited to meet even more of my neighbors and colleagues as senator. I will spend the majority of my time listening to my constituents and representing them at a campus-wide level. Whether it is about funding for an RSO, a campus event, or another issue you feel concerned or passionate about, I will do everything I can to make your voice heard! Please feel free to email me at [email protected] if you have anything you would like to discuss. I hope you consider me for your vote this week, and I strongly encourage you to JUST VOTE in this election. You can do so at umass.edu/campuspulse. This is your chance to be heard. Thank you!


Sarah Nordberg

Candidacy: Senator of CHCRC

My name is Sarah Nordberg. I am a freshman living in the Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community, and I am running for Senate. While I have not been on campus for long, I have already fallen in love with the UMass community. I believe that the most incredible part of UMass is the wide array of clubs, activities, and services for students to become involved with. In order for a student body to be successful, each member must be passionate about their role within it. As a past leader of community organizations, I fully realize the positive impact that they can have on both a small and large scale. My mission as senator will be to allow these opportunities to continue to flourish and to advocate for new organizations that will add a new dimension to our campus community. I am committed to making UMass the best university that it can be, and if you vote for me, you can expect an open minded leader who cares for each member of our community.

Let me know if there is anything else that I should do or if there are any problems or concerns!

Thank you,

Sarah Nordberg


Cameron Pressey

Candidacy: Senator of CHCRC

UMass needs passionate, driven leaders in its Senate. I’ll bring proven experience and leadership skills to the SGA along with a desire to consistently learn about the legislative process and improve the UMass community. If elected, I want to incorporate my interests in sustainability, economics, and political science into the role of senator. I especially want to examine the energy consumption in our community and potential methods to increase our sustainability. My constituents can trust that I’ll make myself readily available to listen to their problems, ideas, and suggestions. I know my primary job will be to represent the people that elected me; we are a collective group of remarkable students, and together we can develop great ideas to improve our already impressive school. I’m dedicated to facilitating this improvement through my personal passion as well as through the ideas of my colleagues at CHCRC and UMass as a whole.


Mei Rockwell-Postel

Candidacy: Senator of CHCRC

Hello! My name is Mei Rockwell-Postel and I am running for Senate as a representative of the Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community. I am currently a freshman with an undeclared major, which means that I am open-minded and eager to contribute to our school. I would be honored to be elected as Senator in order to pass legislation that would make positive changes in our campus policies—particularly in matters concerning sustainability and eco-friendliness. I am also committed to accurately representing the undergraduate student body of CHCRC to the best of my abilities. I want to hear everyone’s ideas, perspectives, and suggestions—whatever they may be. It is also my goal to allocate our funds towards clubs and activities that need it with neutrality, fairness, and complete transparency of our financial decisions. The variety of the clubs and activities that are available at UMass Amherst is a highlight of this school, and I want to support and encourage that. I look forward to seeing the community of UMass Amherst flourish and grow even more.

Sincerely,

Mei Rockwell-Postel


Bryan Tam and Ronald Tam

CandidacyLt. Governor and Governor of Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community 

This is not our first election, nor will it be our last. My Lt. Governor and I have experience in executive positions that would make us prime candidates to run the Commonwealth Honors Residential Area Government. As we have always said, “We work for U”, and that will never change. We aim to address the biggest concerns of the Residential Area including, but not limited to, network issues, community events, and residential concerns with all resources bestowed upon us. Upon election, we will push for reliable internet and engaging programming for the students. Our prior work has provided us with the skills required to plan events, allocate budgets, and resolve any problems that our constituents bring to our attention, not to mention our effective communication. When voting, remember that you, the voters, have the right to a Governor and Lieutenant Governor that will serve U.

 

Northeast Residential Area

Shannon Broderick/Daily Collegian
Shannon Broderick/Daily Collegian

William ‘Jack’ Gallagher

Candidacy: Senator of Northeast Residential Area

I am William ‘Jack’ Gallagher, I am running for Senate in the the UAE, it’s the pretty much the resource board. And my Platform is an acronym that I’ve been using since I was a teenager. Its L.I.V.E., Learn and Interpret in a Versatile Education. And of course Amherst has so many resources. What I will do is to push bills and policies so that students can have access to more resources and more resources as a whole. With those resources, students will be able to learn and interpret in their own way.

Thank you very much.


Geyao Li

Candidacy: Senator of Northeast Residential Area

I am running for senate in the Northeast Area. I am Chinese, but I have an American dream, please vote for me. The truth is I am the best choice for all of you. If I am chosen, I will devote myself into the improvement of campus activities, and stand up for the right of the Northeast Area.

Thank you very much for all your time.


Cassandra Georges

Candidacy: Senator of Northeast Residential Area 

During the past week, it’s been my pleasure getting to meet and chat with many of the Northeast residents. For those, I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet, my names Cassandra Georges, but I go by Cass. I’d like to be your senator for a variety of reasons. From the information I collected, it’s clear to me that Northeast residents want to feel more of a community vibe. It will be my mission to make that happen. I want everyone to have as many friends as possible and feel comfortable during their year in Northeast. To start off the year I’d really like to engage all the dorms in our area in some friendly competitions, such as coin drives, can drives, best decorated dorm for Halloween and many more. These are just a few small things that I feel would really bring or part of the campus alive and together.  I really want to be a voice for the residents here and I will always be open to new ideas, suggestions, and will be sensitive to any concerns from the residents. My main point is that I will try my hardest to make sure that everyone is heard, there is no problem too small and none too big, if it is brought to my attention, I can guarantee that I will figure out a way to help. If you like what you’ve read so far, I hope that I’ve scored your vote because there’s much more of it to come if I am your senator! Thank You!

 

Central Residential Area

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Judith Gibson-Okunieff/Daily Collegian

Matt D’Amico

Candidacy: Senator of Central Residential Area 

I am running to represent Central in the senate because I think that there is always much more that we can do to support the students of UMASS and our sustainable image. I will be as available and transparent as possible in order to culminate the opinions of residents in Central. I strongly believe that there is no graver threat to our nation than the destruction of the environment. As such, I believe that there is no better time to divest from fossil fuels than now. As a senator, I will use every resource I have available to me to try to get UMASS to divest from fossil fuels. It is also important that we reassess our use of bottled water and other plastic beverages and make it easy for students to hydrate in a sustainable way. Ultimately, I am running to represent the interests of every student in Central and every student at UMASS.

Central, I humbly ask for your vote for senator.


Robert Kearns

Candidacy: Governor of Central Residential Area

I love UMass and want to strive to make Central the best that it can be. I want to be a representative for the people and plan on being approachable in order to find out the issues and problems in order to find creative solutions. I deeply care for the environment and believe that UMass is on the right path in creating a sustainable campus community. Hydration stations are an important example on where we can keep ourselves healthy while simultaneously reducing our waste. I stand by hydration stations and believe that together we can expand the number of hydration stations or taps in our halls. I am a firm believer in composting in order to reduce waste being sent to landfills and incinerators. UMass dining has an amazing composting program. I would want to strive to start a composting program in the residential halls. I want to be a connection between the administration, house council and the people. By working together we can all make a better UMass.
Not for the Better,
but for the Best.
Rob Kearns

Southwest Residential Area

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Robert Rigo/Daily Collegian

Justin Bates

Candidacy: Senator of Southwest Residential Area

My name is Justin Bates and I am running for Senator of Southwest.  I will work my hardest to  represent Southwest on the SGA and make a difference on campus.  With such a large and diverse residential area we live in, I believe that it is important to have active and determined Senators to champion the student’s voices and opinions to the administration.  I will listen to you and fight for you – whether it be about campus policies, or affordability of services and even the creation of student organizations – so everyone’s voice is heard.

Thank you,

Justin Bates


Elise Mann

Candidacy: Senator of Southwest Residential Area

If I am to be elected for this position, I will be able to create and enforce solutions to problems that students see, but the faculty often overlook. Whether it be a solution to a lack of activities on a boring Sunday or a way to remove the issue of laundry left in washers and dryers for long periods of time, I assure you that I will not give up until it is successfully handled. Please consider voting for me in the upcoming election. I am certainly the right MANN for the job.


JJ Seah

Candidacy: Senator of Southwest Residential Area

I believe in transparency, fairness, and everyone having a voice. To that end, I will always have the best interests of my electorate at heart, and to be open to any feedback, suggestions and/or concerns they might have. If elected, my first order of business is to lobby for more building and direction signposts around the campus. It’s all well and good to use the library as a reference point, but I believe better directions will cut down the possibility of students turning up late, or even deciding not to go to class after getting lost. Additionally, it will make things easier for freshman, internationals and transfers, and allow them to assimilate into campus life faster. I ask my fellow students to give me the unique opportunity to serve them, by being their voice on the issues that matter. Thank you, and go UMass!

Off Campus

Collegian File Photo
Collegian File Photo
Jennifer Hirst
Candidacy: Off Campus Senator
As an off campus senator, my goal is for all students who are living off campus to be able to succeed just as well as those who are living on campus. I will work hard towards making sure the bus system becomes more reliable and frequent, specifically on the weekends, so students who don’t have their own transportation can still enjoy and participate in on campus activities as much as they would like. For students who do have their own transportation, I will work towards lowering the prices for parking permits and lifting the restrictions on only being able to park in certain areas. Further, I will work towards expanding the designated off campus lots. Off campus students need the same accessibility as on campus students and deserve to have that in much less expensive, and more reliable ways. My goal is for students who are living off campus to be able to enjoy the experience just as, if not more, than students who live on it.

Julia Nielsen

Candidacy: Off Campus Senator

My name is Julia Nielsen and I am running for a commuter senate seat. I was elected to the senate for the commuter district last year and served on the Finance Committee and in the Women’s Caucus. I am running for re-election because serving in the UMass SGA offers a unique chance for students to be involved with the administration and the UMass community. The access to members of the UMass faculty and other engaged students on campus is extraordinary and there are so many opportunities to help and give back to the campus. If I am re-elected I will continue to serve as I did last year by aiding RSO’s with emergency funding, spreading awareness of emergency funding and the Finance Committee, working with the new council system for RSOs, helping organize the 2nd Annual Women’s Leadership Symposium, and representing off-campus students by voting on such motions as fee increases, student activity fee allocations, and new appointments to the SGA. Thank you for voting and being an committed member of the UMass student community.

 

The Daily Collegian does not endorse any SGA candidate. We will continue to update this page.

The following are all of the nominees for UMass SGA in fall 2015:

Matt D’Amico [email protected] Central Senator
Gaelle Rigaud [email protected] Central Senator
Cameron Pressey [email protected] CHCRC Senator
Sarah Nordberg [email protected] CHCRC Senator
Mei Rockwell-Postel [email protected] CHCRC Senator
Alexander Corcoran [email protected] CHCRC Senator
Max Haimowitz [email protected] CHCRC Senator
Alicia Mortenson [email protected] CHCRC Senator
Mark Hochberg [email protected] CHCRC Senator
Anton Tikhomirov [email protected] North Senator
Geyao Li [email protected] Northeast Senator
William (Jack) Gallagher [email protected] Northeast Senator
Gabrielle Berns [email protected] Northeast Senator
Cassandra Georges [email protected] Northeast Senator
Julia Nielsen [email protected] Off Campus Senator
Thomas Beard [email protected] Off Campus Senator
Jeremy Lee [email protected] Off Campus Senator
Jennifer Hirst [email protected] Off Campus Senator
Piotr Wlodkowski [email protected] Off Campus Senator
Brandon Li [email protected] Off Campus Senator
Alexis Simon [email protected] Off Campus Senator
Ryan Mahan [email protected] Orchard Hill Senator
Clare McGladrigan [email protected] Orchard Hill Senator
Derek Dunlea [email protected] Orchard Hill Senator
Juliet Bote [email protected] Southwest Senator
Jonathon Moalli [email protected] Southwest Senator
Alexander Stassis [email protected] Southwest Senator
Elise Mann [email protected] Southwest Senator
Cassidy Kotyla [email protected] Southwest Senator
Andrew Friday [email protected] Southwest Senator
Bradley Smith [email protected] Southwest Senator
Sarah Henry [email protected] Southwest Senator
Justin Bates [email protected] Southwest Senator
Tim Conceison [email protected] Southwest Senator
Esther Odame [email protected] Southwest Senator
JJ Seah [email protected] Southwest Senator
Amelia Vinciguerra [email protected] Sylvan Senator
Noh Jun Park [email protected] Sylvan Senator
Rob Kearns [email protected] Central Area Governor
Casey Smith [email protected] Central Area Governor
Ben Lerer [email protected] Central Area Governor
Ryan Christensen [email protected] Central Lieutenant Governor
Stephen Morreale [email protected] CHCRC Area Governor
Bryan Tam [email protected] CHCRC Area Governor
Jimmy Barvick [email protected] CHCRC Area Governor
Lynn Chuong [email protected] CHCRC Lieutenant Governor
Ronald Tam [email protected] CHCRC Lieutenant Governor
Ben Zwiebel [email protected] CHCRC Lieutenant Governor
Ziv Cohen [email protected] CHCRC Secretary
Rebecca Bates [email protected] CHCRC Treasurer
Sandra-Lily Lantum [email protected] Northeast Area Governor
Alicia LeClair [email protected] Northeast Area Governor
Eric Webster [email protected] Northeast Secretary
Ahm Bakrin [email protected] Southwest Area Governor
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