Letter to the Editor: Why you should vote for Representing Mavericks
Dear Editor,
As we brace ourselves to elect our next student government leaders in the coming week, I wanted to seize the opportunity to share our party’s platform with you against one of our core values of transparency. Although we are not the only party seeking to represent students in this election, we believe that we are the party with the most actionable plans to drive inclusive changes across the diversity of our campus community.
Representing Mavericks is a student-focused party that seeks inclusive ways to represent the diversity of our student body. We are committed to amplifying the concerns of our fellow students by putting ourselves in their shoes. This makes us more proactive in how we show value and care for students’ wellbeing. Our goal is to represent and serve the interests of our fellow students regardless of race, immigration status, economic backgrounds, sexual orientation and gender identity. Our vision is tailored around this goal, and we dream of a prosperous university where students can have a say on important decisions both at the university and state levels; where student government can be consulted on all major decisions that will severely affect student’s retention as well as their physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing, and where all students can have access to the relevant resources they need to realize their full potential. We do this by advocating for our peers and ensuring equity in everything we do.
So, why should you vote for us? I could provide you with thousands of reasons why you should vote for us, but I will sum them up into one big phrase: BECAUSE WE CARE! We care about everything you are faced with as a student, and our ears are here to listen to you. We are never too busy to listen to students. But here are a few of the things we want to achieve if elected:
- College Affordability. While our university is blessed with several scholarship and financial aid resources such as FAFSA, TRIO, and PELL Grants, not much awareness is created around how, where and when students can apply for these opportunities. Thus, we will bridge that gap by creating more awareness about these programs and helping students access them. Since international students do not qualify for FAFSA, TRIO and PELL Grants, we have devised an alternative program that will help make college affordable for them. We will ensure that our university joins the list of schools that MPOWER Financing currently serves by providing student loans without a cosigner requirement. Another place we want to focus on to meet our goal of college affordability is advocating for third-party options for international students’ healthcare policy at the system level. This will take off the financial constraints of requiring students who can barely afford their tuition to get a one-year coverage in a lump sum.
- Student Basic Need Resources. We will expand the budget of the food pantry to provide more food options to tackle the problem of food insecurity on our campus. We will also advocate for expanded emergency grant resources to provide financial assistance to students facing temporary housing problems. Expanding the bus routes and hours to provide transportation for students who work on campus up to 3AM is another way we are thinking about solving this problem as well as advocating for expanded mental health resources and ensuring diversity in the counseling center. We will also continue the advocacy to move the Quiet Reflection Lounge to an enclosed room in the CSU where our Muslim students can pray and profess their faith without distractions.
- Student Wage Increases. With this area, we want to ensure that Sodexo and all contracted companies on our campus can pay student workers at the same hourly pay rate as the University.
Civic Engagement. We will reach out to students and student groups to explore their needs and dialogue inclusive ways to tackle some of the problems on our campus. To promote transparency and ensure extended representation for all students, we will create a council of student leaders which will be comprised of a representative from each of the major RSOs on campus, including FSL, Athletics and ISA.
Sincerely, D
Destined Sehgbean