Fellow Carolinians,
Although it’s difficult to believe, it is once again time to elect the next wave of campus leaders during this week’s Student Government election. As I always like to say, “time flies when you’re having fun.”
I urge you to become engaged in the process this week by not only voting, but encouraging those around you to do the same. I remind you that some of the most significant advancements and supplements to our Carolinian experience have come to fruition by the means of Student Government throughout the years: 24-hour access to Thomas Cooper Library, large-scale events like Cockstock, It’s On Us, Cocky’s Reading Express, Carolina Cash off campus, and innovative student services like Walk Home Cocky and Gamecock Pantry. I always like to think of SG as half governing entity — as over $188,000 were allocated to student organizations who requested support this year — and half incubator — as it’s our duty to identify, address and implement creative solutions to challenges on campus along with our university administration.
Your student government represents you on our university’s foremost tier of leadership — the board of trustees, where the big picture strategic planning for the university system as a whole occurs. We are your voice, and it is even more vitally important for members of Student Government to be in tune with the heartbeat of our campus.
Although at this very time last year, I was asking you to not only vote, but to vote for one candidate in particular (that being me). This go around, I’m asking you to take a few moments, review the platforms and core principles of the candidates and play a role in propelling a new student body president, vice president, treasurer and senators into office. I hope that you will join me in voting in support of the referendum on this year’s ballot as well — which expands our Student Government to create a new executive position known as speaker of the senate to further empower our student body vice president to work in tandem with the president on large scale initiatives to further improve the holistic UofSC experience.
The historic and impactful journey of being a student at this state’s flagship university must go forever forward.
For Carolina,
Michael R. Parks
Student Body President