JESSICA SERRANO
Special to The Leader
With the change in administration from last semester, new executives are starting their terms in the Student Association.
Sophomore political science major, Seth Meyer and sophomore biology and public relations major, Katie Battaglia will stand side by side as President and Vice President. They are accompanied by freshman psychology major Shannon Keane, who is the new Speaker of the Assembly.
“I wanted to be involved with the decisions made for the students because I believe I would be able to represent the voices of my peers effectively,” said Meyer. “When I learned the concept of shared governance, I felt even more of a commitment to be involved in the Student Association because being a part of the decision-making that affects the entire campus is a great responsibility that I believed and still believe I am capable of managing.”
“I wanted to implement changes at our school, help our clubs grow and make new friends that have common goals with me,” said Battaglia.
“I am most looking forward to taking on new [class] representatives. I love seeing students becoming involved in the democratic process and a conformable political environment on campus.” said Keane.
To make a good team, not only do you have to respect each other, but you also have to get along on camera and off.
“I could only be successful in this position with the help of a great Vice President and I knew that Katie was the one that could be that great leader. Before we decided to run, I was so impressed by her accomplishments and passion for creating a great experience for students at Fredonia,” said Meyer.
“Seth is one of the most hardworking and dedicated people that I know. When he asked me to run with him, I was honored and wanted to start right away,” said Battaglia.
“Thanks to Seth’s guidance, I am adjusting very well to this position. Though I am still learning the ropes, I feel I have really found my place in the Student Association,” said Keane. “Seth taught me how to handle mishaps. Within any political system, there can be miscommunication and Seth provides an open and honest conversation between the executives and representatives.”
In 2015, only 300 people voted and made their voices heard when it came to voting for a new president and vice president for the student association. Last semester at least 742 people voted. 590 votes were for Meyer and Battaglia and 152 for the opponents.
More students are letting their voice be heard, which is something that SA executives are always welcoming.
“I absolutely love it,” said Meyer, “The students who vote are the ones that are in many clubs, they attend the important meetings and forums and they care about student success at Fredonia and I see increased voting as a sign that more and more people are getting engaged on campus.”
The executives want their office to be a place that students can hang out in with them anytime. Intriguingly, they also said they always have food so even if you just want a treat you are always more than welcome to stop by.