In anticipation of next weeks student body elections at West Virginia University, Student Government Association Board of Governors hopefuls took part in a debate Feb. 19 in the Mountainlair.
Campaigning wraps up Monday with WVU students casting their votes online Tuesday through Thursday, Feb. 24-26, through their MIX e-mail accounts.
Two tickets are running in this years election. The team of L.T. Schoonover and Levi Stombock is running against Jordan Workman and D.J. Casto for the SGA presidency and vice presidency.
L.T. Schoonover (SGA presidential candidate)
Rank: Junior
Major: Management information systems
Hometown: Procious, W. Va.
Activities: Residence Hall Association president, Alpha Lambda Delta honor society adviser, WVU Marching Band; University Honors Program co-mentor; Sophomore/Junior Experience
Levi Stombock (SGA vice presidential candidate)
Rank: Junior
Major: Business and economics
Hometown: Sistersville, W. Va.
Activities: Residence Hall Association General Assembly, Stalnaker Hall Council president, University Honors Program, Dadisman Hall Council officer, Golden Key international honor society
Schoonover and Stombock platform: To re-emphasize the importance of the MIX , or the Mountaineer Information XPress; to revitalize this tool to a point where any WVU student can find anything they need no matter how small or large the issue may be; to bridge the gap between WVU and the state of West Virginia by getting the students more involved in the community; to continue the effort started by Students for Higher Education in the budget battle.
Jordan Workman (SGA presidential candidate)
Rank: Junior
Major: Economics and political science
Hometown: Madison, W. Va.
Activities: Student Government Association vice president, Board of Governors former member, Social Justice Committee chairperson, WVU Men’s Crew Team former member, Phi Sigma Kappa, Mountainlair Advisory Board
D.J. Casto (SGA vice presidential candidate)
Major: Accounting
Activities: Board of Governors vice chair, Italian American Organization president, Gamma Beta Phi, Neuman Club at St. John’s parish, Pi Kappa Alpha, Employment Services Committee chair
Workman and Casto platform: To acknowledge the concerns of students about the student union (for example, their desire for well-known restaurant establishments); to increase the services provided at the Mountainlair; to create a more compact and efficient survey to assess the concerns of students with respect to the’Lair; to fight for student input into student fees; to continue the programs implemented by student leaders in the past year, including Students for Higher Education, Child Care Center implementation and Student Employment Center.
The following candidates are vying for 15 seats on the Board of Governors:
Schoonover/Stombock Ticket
Megan Gillespie
- *Rank: Freshman
Major: Broadcast news
Hometown: Beaver Falls, Pa.
Activities: (College) Student Grotto member, Pennsylvania DECA alumni coordinator; (high school) Pennsylvania DECA state secretary, state president
Platform: Improving the outdoors of our campus by working with the Morgantown Utility Board and WVU Physical Plant to improve the conditions of the sidewalks; tackling the traffic problems in Morgantown through various avenues, such as alternative routes for students and a crossing guard to direct traffic between classes
Luke Jackson
- *Rank: Sophomore
Major: Occupational therapy
Hometown: Middlebourne, W. Va.
Activities: (College) Arnold Hall Council vice president, HealthSouth volunteer; (high school) National Honor Society president, West Virginia’s Youth in Government program senate president
Platform: To improve the efficiency of the undergraduate academic advising services; to both further increase the knowledge of the advisers and also to improve the communication between the student and adviser; to ease the stress of the students by making the scheduling process and academic year run smoothly
Matt Lee
- *Rank: Freshman
Major: Occupational therapy
Hometown: Tornado, W. Va.
Activities: (College) Arnold Hall Council social chair, Ruby Memorial volunteer; (high school) student body vice president
Platform: To improve on campus housing not only for incoming freshmen, but all students of the University with emphasis on room quality and dining services
Ali May
- *Rank: Junior
Major: Biology
Hometown: Chester, W. Va.
Activities: Zeta Delta Phi founding sister and treasurer, Student Government Association Public Relations Committee
Platform: To increase community interaction between WVU and the surrounding Morgantown community; to implement programs between local schools and the University, such as a recycling program
Anne Mutashi
- *Rank: Junior
Majors: Political science and philosophy
Hometown: Morgantown, W. Va.
Activities: National Society of Collegiate Scholars, University Honors Program, Golden Key
Platform: Working diligently to improve the overall success and efficiency of student-organized activities on campus; to assist various student groups or individuals in advertising and planning their events
Timothy Oeschger
- *Rank: Freshman
Major: Political science
Hometown: Chester Springs, Pa.
Activities: (High school) varsity wrestler, baseball player, peewee wrestling coach, teaching assistant at local elementary schools, Hershey Public Library volunteer, Evangelical Free Church of Hershey
Platform: To work closely with the Morgantown Parking Authority in solving parking problems, including availability for parking, parking without a permit, parking violation fines and parking at meters
Bre Rigger
- *Major: Pre-forensic and investigative science
Hometown: Cockeysville, Md.
Activities: (College) Arnold Hall Council president, Kappa Phi Christian sorority; (high school) varsity badminton captain, marching band color guard, National Art Honor Society president
Platform: To continue to increase the recycling program on campus and to make recycling bins more available for students.
Britni Schoonover
- *Rank: Sophomore
Major: Biology
Hometown: Procious, W. Va.
Activities: (College) 2003 Neil S. Bucklew Scholar, University Honors Program; Ruby Memorial Hospital volunteer, Little League, Girl Scouts; (high school) softball, dance team, student council, Honor Society
Platform: To increase the standard of off-campus housing in Morgantown; to work closely with the WVU Off-Campus Housing Center along with the Morgantown Housing Authority to enforce and improve the standards of student housing in Morgantown; to make student housing a safer environment
Nathan J. Tucker
- *Majors: History and geography
Hometown: Follansbee, W. Va.
Activities: Residence Hall Association downtown freshmen representative, Mountaineer Visitation Day tour guide, WVU Marching Band, College Republicans, Boreman South Hall Council
Platform: To work hard with the Daily Athenaeum to create a newspaper that is representative of the 24,000 students who attend WVU , regardless of political affiliation
Ken Weaver
- *Rank: Junior
Major: Graphic arts
Hometown: Scarbro, W. Va.
Activities: (College) Braxton Hall Council, Residence Hall Association, J-Board; (high school) tennis, CC, National Beta Club, WVU Marching Band
Platform: To increase awareness of varsity sports, sport clubs and intramural sports by letting students know when games are and where they can get tickets; have the Daily Athenaeum help promote and advertise in the sports section
Workman/Casto Ticket
Beth Belch
- *Rank: Freshman
Major: International studies
Hometown: Uniontown, Pa.
Activities: Braxton Tower judicial board, Student Government Association
Platform: To improve hours for the PRT and buses to better accommodate students’transportation needs
Jacob Brezinski
- *Rank: Sophomore
Major: Political science
Hometown: Athens, W. Va.
Activities: Presidential Scholar, University Honors Program, Board of Governors, Social Justice Committee chair, Phi Sigma Kappa, IFC Judicial Board
Platform: To challenge the off-campus behavior code; to increase student voice and participation
Shane DeVincent
- *Major: Sport management
Rank: Junior
Major: Sports Management
Hometown: Morgantown, W. Va.
Activities: Italian American Organization, Lacrosse Club of WVU
Platform: To create a better relationship between the Department of Athletics and student body while also increasing student attendance at all WVU sporting events
Leah DiDomenico
Rank: Senior
Majors: Management information systems and marketing
Hometown: Morgantown, W. Va. Activities: WVU Dance Team, Italian American Organization community service chairperson, Management Information Systems Association, Newman Club, academic tutor for student athletes, football hostess
Platform: Increasing student involvement in service learning projects and expanding the program’s funds; working to reduce fees at the Student Recreation Center for daily guest passes and for students not enrolled in summer school
Ali Gardezi
- *Rank: Junior
Major: Aerospace engineering
Hometown: Pakistan
Activities: International Student Organization president, Brooke Tower Residential Assistant, Student Government Association international affairs executive director
Jason Gross
- *Rank: Freshman
Major: Engineering
Hometown: Morgantown, W. Va.
Activities: Dadisman Hall Council vice president for community service, University Honors Program
Platform: To deal with some residence hall policies such as ending the early curfew imposed on holiday weekends; to initiate a plan for WVU to work out a deal with the legalized version of Napster similar to what other major universities have done, which allows all dorm residents to download music on an unlimited basis; to do some research to resolve some issues with students and postgame celebrations
Brent Hardman
- *Rank: Sophomore
Major: Chemical engineering
Hometown: Parkersburg, W. Va.
Activities: Alpha Phi Omega, Helvetia president, ACS , AIChE, Stalnaker Hall Council vice president, Chemistry Learning Center tutor
Platform: Have the PRT run later on Saturdays and Sundays; improve the online book buying/selling system; promote U-92, the campus radio station through WVUp All Night broadcasts from the Mountainlair; put small vending machines for Scantrons and Blue Books in Halls as well as pencil sharpeners.
JoJo Johnson
- *Rank: Sophomore
Major: Economics
Hometown: Richwood, W. Va.
Activities: University Honors Program, Gamma Beta Phi, Chi Omega sorority executive board, St. Johns parish, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Governor’s Internship Program (summer 2003)
Platform: Improving freshman involvement on campus by working through the newly founded Outreach program and University 101 classes; acting as a liaison for the Student Government Association and Greek community to strengthen the relationship of the two groups and obtain more input from Greek organizations; and working with WVU Parking to getcourtesy boxesto pay parking tickets in the Mountainlair
Michael Kephart
- *Rank: Junior
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Burlington, W. Va.
Activities: Student Government Association Academic Affairs Committee
Platform: To increase student involvement with the Student Government Association; to monitor the Student Infoline; to utilize the Academic Research Committee as a resource in developing a new advising system in conjunction with the director of the Undergraduate Academic Services Center; to establish a liaison to work with the center’s director
Shannon Logan
Rank: Junior
Major: Public relations
Hometown: Baden, Pa.
Activities: Board of Governors, Gamma Beta Phi Society social coordinator, Zeta Delta Phi sorority founding sister, Public Relations Student Society of America, Diversity in the Media Association publications board member, Student Government Association Public Relations Committee member, Broadcast News Club (freshman year), Women’s Novice Crew Team (freshman year), University Honors Program (sophomore year), Arnold Hall Council (sophomore year), Residence Hall Association public relations chairperson (sophomore year), Gamma Beta Phi social coordinator, Zeta Delta Phi social sorority founding sister
Platform: To generate a rating system for all the teacher evaluations that students fill out at the end of each semester and have them placed on a University Web site
Lauren Oliver
- *Rank: Junior
Major: Advertising
Hometown: Martinsburg, W. Va.
Platform: To assist the Family Support Services Center by creating funds to build a facility that would serve as a daycare center for those 700-plus parents who attend WVU
Heather Richardson
- *Rank: Senior
Major: Broadcast news
Hometown: St. Clairsville, Ohio
Activities: Gamma Beta Phi service honorary, School of Journalism mentor, Student Government Association Public Relations Committee (2002-2003), Mountaineer Visitation Day tour leader for two years, New Student Orientation student assistant
Platform: Implementing an alternate entrance system to the Student Recreation Center that would allow students, who forget or misplace their student IDs, to still be admitted based on their Social Security number, not exceeding three times per semester; re-evaluating the D/F repeat policy and establishing an appeals board in which a student can present their individual circumstances before a panel, and the panel would then review their academic record
Knute Scholl
- *Major: Engineering
Hometown: Madison, W. Va.
Activities: (College) Inner Fraternity Council, historian, Greek Week chair, Children’s Miracle Network, Society of Professional Engineers, Society of Automotive Engineers; (high school) golf, track
Platform: To work with other board members on an online book exchange program to help students buy their books at a reduced price; to design an awareness program for New Student Orientation that would educate both students and parents about organizations and clubs; to aid the University in saving special programs such as senior design projects that may be eliminated because of higher ed budget cuts
Raj Shenoy
- *Rank: Junior
Major: Exercise physiology
Hometown: Keyser, W. Va.
Activities: Mountaineer Maniacs, WVU Golf Club, University Honors Program, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, WVU Advisory Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs student representative
Platform: To improve student healthcare at WVU by providing students with a satellite nurses station at the downtown campus
Will Swann
- *Rank: Sophomore
Major: Finance
Hometown: Charleston, W. Va.
Activities: Student Government Association Board of Governors, University Honors Program, Beta Theta Pi, Mountaineer Habitat for Humanity volunteer
Platform: To continue the initiative started to help fight pending budget cuts to higher education; to hold voter registration drives to give students an even more effective voice in state government; to hold campus safety and disability audits to make the campus safe and accessible to everyone
L.J. Ulrich
- *Rank: Freshman
Major: Journalism
Hometown: Hershey, Pa.
Activities: WVU Young Democrats public relations director, WVU Students for John Kerry vice president, Student Government Association Public Relations Committee member
Platform: To increase interaction between the SGA and other student organizations; to increase participation among minorities in the SGA ; to increase student awareness and participation in campus, state and national politics
John Michael Veltri
- *Major: Sport management
Hometown : Clarksburg, W. Va.
Platform: To make changes to help students get football tickets more easily, get in and out of the games more safely and easily; and help athletes of every team achieve their goals better