2022 – 2023 Election

Samantha Carroll
scarrol9@binghamton.edu
Community Endorsements: Mountainview, Susquehanna

Accessibility and Advocacy: As the primary advocate for students to administration, it is vital that the SA President is constantly available to field the concerns of the student body. As President, I will commit to being a voice for every student on this campus and helping them create change that is important to them. I will remain keenly in tune with the issues that affect us most, and I will create the time and space to speak with any concerned students. I will initiate regular SA town halls for students to address myself and other members of Eboard, hold consistent and frequent office hours, and I will emphasize to students that they are welcome to contact or meet with me at any time.

Support for Success: In many cases, students aren’t quite getting what they need in terms of support, especially regarding mental health. As this year’s VPSS, I know where support is lacking. I will continue to strive to give students the resources they need to reach their full potential through both voicing our needs to administration and allocating resources and SA efforts to these tools.

Commitment to Representation: As a queer woman, I know what it’s like to feel spoken over and unheard. As president, I will be mindful of intersectionality, and I will work tirelessly to ensure that all Binghamton students, regardless of their identities, feel served by the SA. I will hold regular meetings with any student group interested in a standing appointment with me, and I will increase efforts to connect with the multicultural community by attending CPC meetings.

Nia Johnson
njohns15@binghamton.edu

Community Endorsements: Dickinson

Normalizing Mental Health Conversations: All incoming freshmen tour the University Counseling Center, meet all of the staff and participate in an informational session. Through this initiative, students will know where the University Counseling Center is located, they will be able to see the faculty that will help them when they are needed as well as they will know which services the University Counseling Center Offers.

Mandatory Sexual Assault Training: Although it is mandatory for students to complete sexual assault training, there are not consequences if students do not complete them. I want to make sexual assault training mandatory for all Binghamton University students regardless of year.

Forcing Larger Conversations Surrounding Cultural Competency: Mandatory cultural competency training will force larger conversations on campus. Just like the above initiatives, this will be for all students regardless of year.

Reinstating the Initiative to Connect Students of Color to Faculty of Color: Connecting more students with faculty of color, in order for them to know they have a community behind them and educators who share similar experiences.

Galileo Savage
dsavage1@binghamton.edu

Community Endorsements: Newing

My platform for SA president can be summed up by the following three goals: to create a safe space with more easily accessible resources for those in the BIPOC community, to create more culturally diverse options available at the dining hall, and to increase school pride, unity, and community. As a member of the BIPOC community, I will improve upon the foundation that Binghamton already has by introducing additional programs geared towards members of the BIPOC community that share similar interests and struggles. Additionally, I will work closely with and use my connections with those in dining hall services to create safe and ethically acceptable dining hall options to more appropriately reflect Binghamton’s students. Finally, I will build on the school pride at Binghamton University by promoting more large scale events that accommodate the interests of the student body. Ultimately, I want to use my unique point of view and experiences to contribute to making our University a place we can all call home.

Ethan Kesler
ekesler1@binghamton.edu

Accessibility, Accountability, Availability. These three words encapsulate my A+ Promise for the Binghamton student body. Binghamton students deserve better Access to academic and mental health resources, they deserve Accountability from organizations that serve the Binghamton community, and Availability to the students who represent them. I believe that diversity and inclusion of all will push our Binghamton community to excellence, and by improving the lives of Binghamton students we will be able to tackle the major issues facing our campus. I will continually advocate for those who feel their voices have been silenced. This advocacy will extend past the traditional office hours with a newly implemented Open Door Policy. I intend to create a transparent and approachable atmosphere in my office to enable a smooth flow of ideas. New ideas like my Hug a Homie Initiative and True Snow Days will make campus feel like home. A vote for me is a vote for an A+ Future.

Daniel Rocabado
drocaba1@binghamton.edu

Community Endorsements: Hinman, Mountainview, Newing, Susquehanna

If I; Daniel Rocabado, were elected to be the SA Executive Vice President, I would use my knowledge and experience to:

1. Emphasize proper education and mentorship to our newly chartered organizations
2. Modernize the chartering process to create historical documents that are easily accessible
3. Increase the efforts to provide spaces for our organizations
4. Push to make employment/leadership opportunities in the SA readily available to all
5. Add a level of hospitality and representation to the EVP office

Our organizations need a support system that guides them through the chartering process by providing them with sources of knowledge and mentorships they can all access. I plan on modernizing the process to keep all institutions involved on the same page and to streamline the progress. Additionally, mentorship positions in the EVP office will build upon current training by giving insight on topics that are not always covered like expansion or new Eboard elections. As we transition into this new post-COVID world, I also commit to aiding our current organizations in finding spaces to hold their events. I want to work with administration to open large spaces in a way that benefits our organizations and keeps the safety/health of our students in mind. This includes pushing for more funding as organizations have been forced to look off campus for event space. Finally, I see myself as a “door opener” who will tirelessly work to make the Student Association a more hospitable and representative institution. I pride myself on providing meaningful and educational interactions with our student body and this will continue in a leadership role. I will assure students that job opportunities, committee openings, SA Congress positions, etc. are easily accessible for everyone on campus. I will be the voice for underrepresented communities on campus and dedicate myself to making sure their grievances are heard. And as always: Let Me, Help You.

Candidate Withdrawn

Jacob Singleton
jsingle3@binghamton.edu

As the Executive Vice President, I have three agendas that I wish to accomplish for our students. First, I intend to expand the SA leadership conference to encourage more club E-boards involvement. Rather than having a small group deciding on how our hundreds of student organizations are run. Second, I intend for cultural organizations to have a greater say in how we train organizations in cultural competency and awareness to help broaden the information we can give to E-boards. Next, I want to help make the SA less bureaucratic and make it appear what it truly is, an organization for students. Many students I have spoken with express either dislike or unfamiliarity of the SA. I Intend for SA to have more public outreach to those we serve, the students. Finally, I want to negotiate with the University for more space allocation within the SA. Student organizations should not have to fight over space on a daily basis and I intend to move the allocation period earlier into the spring semester to give organizations an opportunity to get the space they deserve.

Daniel Croce
dcroce1@binghamton.edu

Community Endorsements: Dickinson, Hinman, Newing, Susquehanna

My platform is constructed upon four pillars. These pillars are the framework for change.

Transparency: True transparency will be achieved by increasing the direct lines of communication between the student groups and the Vice President for Finance office. Active and widespread communication directly to the student groups and optimization of the widely important advisor program will prove necessary for long-term success.

Clarity: Student groups have felt the mounting pressure of difficult-to-navigate financial policies. By constructing a committee composed of experienced representatives, organization treasurers, and community government officials, suggestions to the financial policies and procedures will be formed to increase clarity. Workshops and expanded training will prove instrumental in increasing clarity for all students.

Efficiency: As student organizations work to provide impactful programming to all students, having an efficient Vice President for Finance office is key. By maintaining active communication regarding reimbursement and financial document turnaround times, I will assist student groups in reaching their goals.

Advocacy: I will advocate for all student organizations on campus by actively encouraging a fair distribution of funds to meet present and future needs. I will also offer opportunities for students to voice their concerns through an open-office policy and new official social media accounts.

Luke Savinetti
lsavine1@binghamton.edu

Community Endorsements: College-in-the-Woods, Mountainview

There are 3 pillars that I plan to implement as the Vice President for Finance. First and foremost, I will create a program to more formally train the treasurers of the various SA-run organizations on campus. New treasurers and presidents alike are only required to pass a true or false test online and are left to figure out the processes regarding vouchers and other forms on their own with minimal assistance from those who previously held their position. This trend continues into my second pillar, where I will ensure that all of my assistants and advisors are adequately trained so that old and new organizations on campus are encouraged to properly use their resources to the fullest extent. My third and final pillar will be to advertise my office as being open to any and all people with questions on finances and how to put together events for their SA run organizations. The prospect of organizing and beginning to undergo a large or even small scale event can be very complicated and intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be. My 3 pillars set out to make these roles and endeavors easier and more accessible to students and the organizations they care about.

Anindya Debnath
adebnat4@binghamton.edu

Community Endorsements: Dickinson, Mountainview, Susquehanna

You cannot have student success without student happiness. That means that the quality of a student’s work is heavily based upon their happiness at Binghamton.

That means finally addressing the growing outrage from students regarding the food provided in our dining halls. Food safety has now been brought into question and the fact that dozens, if not hundreds, of students fell ill in the last few weeks from the food served at our dining halls is an outright disgrace. The dining halls need to provide more variety and quality in the food they serve.

That also means finally addressing the lack of parking available to students on campus and advocating for increasing the parking capacity to accommodate the ever-growing student body. It means increasing the frequency of OCCT buses that operate during Late Night weekend service, which can leave students waiting in the cold street for hours, endangering their wellbeing.

Finally, that means addressing the considerably lower graduation rates of EOP students and retention rates of international students; accommodating them with anything they need. Binghamton has ignored our happiness for too long, and our everyday life and grades are suffering from it. Let’s finally make the students a priority.

Luca Cassidy
lcassid2@binghamton.edu

Community Endorsements: Hinman, Newing

1. Voting is not easy on campus, but as a SA rep, I have worked to make it easier. This required writing legislation and working with people in SA, administration, and the Broome Election Board. As VPSS, I plan to bring an early voting site on campus and rely on my previous experience in the SA to guide me.
2. Undecided freshmen and upperclassmen would benefit from interdisciplinary courses. Undecided freshmen will be able to decide their major faster with interdisciplinary Gen-ed courses that give an introduction to multiple fields of study and how they translate into the job sector. Upperclassmen will learn in interdisciplinary research courses that working with people who have different skill sets produces more complex work. Interdisciplinary courses can benefit all students.
3. Learning communities are great spaces for students, they allow students to focus on subjects they are interested in, meet like-minded people, and be mentored by a professor. More learning communities should be created and they should be based on student interests. In addition to this, the existing ones should be promoted more through the application process and email campaign before/during the housing process. Learning communities are great places for students to live and learn together.

Aaron Berkowitz
aberko14@binghamton.edu
Community Endorsements: Hinman, Dickinson, Susquehanna

All students deserve an opportunity to express their culture and identity. I want community organizations and students to be extremely involved in the event planning process alongside the VPMA office. The communities themselves should decide how they choose to be represented here and the university’s multicultural events should reflect that.

Culture and identity should be shared, expressed, and experienced across the student body. One of the most powerful ways to do this is through food. I will implement culturally themed nights at the dining halls with much higher frequency. Cultural organizations will have the opportunity to sponsor these themed nights, allowing their cuisine to be celebrated in the way they see best. Art, dance, and fashion are also extremely relevant to identity and cultural expression and will be promoted on the highest stage.

I want to actively encourage inclusion and acceptance by amplifying the voices of students across the university. Action needs to be taken to promote diversity to the level we expect it to be on this campus and I will implement that action. That point can only be reached if the VPMA office helps to facilitate the unity necessary to understand one another and bring us together.

Erica Juarez
ejuarez1@binghamton.edu
Community Endorsements: College-in-the-Woods, Mountainview

Hey everyone! I’m Erica Aiko Juarez, and I’m a sophomore majoring in Human Development with a minor in Global Studies. This 2022-2023 election cycle, I am running for the Student Association’s Vice President of Multicultural Affairs! Currently, I serve as Publicity for the BU Japanese Association (BUJA), and as Programming Intern concentrating in SA Org Inclusion & Relations with current VPMA, Mary Hu and the rest of the team! Growing up in a Mexican-Japanese household in Queens, NY has instilled in me the value of cultural interconnections through the power of social justice, cultural customs and language learning. If elected, I strive to grow the following three pillars to elevate the Multicultural Community: (1) Communication, to maintain outreach and mutual support throughout fellow cultural organizations, (2) Organization, to uphold events that commemorate and bring us together, and (3) Belonging, to unapologetically solidify our space on campus. Through my participation as general body for fellow cultural organizations, I witnessed the hardworking spirit and effort of us student leaders. A major goal I strive to achieve is active engagement between cultural organizations, recognizing the several areas we relate to and can learn from each other. Because with trust and support, growth happens together.

Jocelyn Phipps
jphipps1@binghamton.edu
Community Endorsements: Dickinson, Hinman, Mountainview, Newing, Susquehanna

As Vice President for Programming, I would focus on three main items: outreach, collaboration, and feedback. I will continue utilizing current outreach methods, such as emails, social media, and posters, to familiarize all Binghamton students with the Student Association Programming Board (SAPB) and our events, but I will also add tabling for SAPB and our events, making announcements at our events, and working with Binghamton administrators to get the word out even more. Additionally, I want to make sure that SAPB is collaborating with other Student Association (SA) organizations because together we could develop events that reach an even wider audience of students. Such collaborations allow different perspectives as well. I would also like to make sure students are able to provide feedback about events. Thus, I will include a section in the SAPB survey that asks what aspects of a performer are important to students (ie. their social media presence, diversity, relevance to students, etc.). SAPB committees will then be better able to take students’ preferences into consideration. This survey will also be able to reach more students through our outreach efforts. Overall, I believe that I will grow SAPB and make our events bigger and better for students.

Jonah Thomas
jthoma97@binghamton.edu

Community Endorsements: Newing, Susquehanna

Innovate platforms to elevate student voices: Accessibility to equitable platforms where students can share their experiences and thoughts is essential to the success of the student body. I will emphasize collaboration as BU Council Representative, and the first step in creating a collaborative student government is opening the avenues of communication between constituents and representatives. I aim to elevate student voices by establishing media and coordinating with University departments to share pertinent information with undergraduate and graduate students.

Implement DEIJ Values in University’s Short-Term Policies and Long-Term Goals: During my time in the SA, I’ve become increasingly aware of developments within the University’s current policies and future goals. I want to emphasize diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in every new and current policy/plan created by the University to prevent further inequities from developing. Students deserve to feel safe, heard, and appreciated by Administration, and I will ask the important questions to find equitable solutions.

Improve Administrator-Council Relationships: “Administration” consists of more stakeholders than students might think. Outside of President Stenger, vice presidents play a key role in implementation, and I look forward to fostering better relationships between these leaders and the BU Council. As BU Council Representative, I plan to facilitate opportunities for students to engage with administrators across the University for students to better understand University operations.

Avery Benzaken
abenzak1@binghamton.edu

Community Endorsements: Dickinson, Hinman, Mountainview

For the last two years I have been involved in student government as a congress representative and currently as SA Treasurer. As I transition into grad school in the 4+1 MBA program, it would be an honor to continue serving in student government as the student representative on BU Council.

In my time in student government, I came to realize that the resources that most students are advocating for are already in place, but they aren’t publicized or popularized, so students don’t know how to utilize those resources. I plan to work with community governments, the SA, the GSO and various organizations to make sure these resources are made available and accessible to students. Through this constant communication with student leaders, I hope to keep the administration current on the needs of all students, graduate or undergraduate, on or off campus.

As a direct student advocate to the administration, communication cannot be stressed enough. It is vital to getting anything done within any organization. By communicating effectively with each other and with the administration we can create a safe and equitable living and learning spaces, both on and off campus.