The new officers elected after the online vote are (left to right): Isaac Weiss ’20, Emilee McCubbins ’20, Reagan Kazyak ’19 and Monét Davis ’19 (Photo by C.J. Mandell).
Nick Shiach
Contributing Writer
Following the online elections of Feb. 7-10, next year’s Executive Board for the Student Government Association (SGA) has been determined. The President of SGA will be Monét Davis ’19, with Vice President Reagan Kazyak ’19, Secretary Emilee McCubbins ’20 and Treasurer Isaac Weiss ’20 set to assume the other three positions. All four candidates are current SGA Senators.
The Senators expressed a variety of reasons for running, with President-elect Davis highlighting her love for the Wooster community.
“I love Wooster. I will be the first to criticize it, but I am dedicated to making this a better institution for all,” Davis said.
“Even if campus bureaucracy isn’t as thrilling as it is on a state or federal level, it’s something that affects me and my classmates very intimately and I found it important to do what I could to ensure administration is listening to as many student voices as possible,” McCubbins said.
The Senators went on to enumerate their goals for the upcoming term.
Kazyak said that she hoped to implement changes to the College’s A.L.I.C.E. trainings in addition to “better mental health services, safety measures that protect survivors on our campus and the continual upkeep of our residential buildings.”
Weiss added, “I hope to continue the work that I’m doing with [SGA’s Allocation Committee] and continue to foster a better working relation with Campus Council.”
Davis hopes to use her position to improve safety on Beall Ave., sexual assault response protocols and administrative transparency and inclusion.
“I think it’s crucial for the administration and school to be honest and upfront on their actions. Students here at Wooster are intelligent, not complacent. I think it would make the administration’s job far easier if they were completely honest,” Davis said.
Although students were provided with the opportunity to vote, all four SGA executive board positions went uncontested, both this year and last.
“It’s absolutely a problem that our elections are going uncontested,” McCubbins noted. “The first step is drumming up more interest in class and at-large Senate elections.”
However, Weiss said, “I don’t see this as a problem. SGA executive board nominations must come from within current SGA representatives.”
Despite going uncontested, the results of this election are historic. Davis is the first black woman to be elected student body president at Wooster, and is looking forward to providing her unique perspective.
“I feel so fortunate to have been elected as the first black female president of SGA by the student body. Being a young black woman in a [predominantly white institution] definitely gives me a unique experience. I firmly believe that intersectionality and inclusivity are two keys to great leadership. I’ve had to navigate the world with my race and gender, so [an intersectional and inclusive approach] has been ingrained in the way I lead,” Davis said.
Elections for Class and At-Large Senators will be held via online ballot during the week of March 5, with Campus Council elections beginning on Feb. 28.