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The West Georgian: What is your major and year?
Mykeia Lencerot: Major: Sociology, Minor: Political Science, Year: Junior.
TWG: What do you believe your role as vice-president requires?
Lencerot: As stated in the Student Government Association’s constitution and by-laws, the role of vice president require one to focus on the internal activities of the SGA. I believe that the vice president must hold all SGA officers accountable for their actions. This is especially important because, no matter how many hopeful promises candidates make, if they are not held accountable, these promises may never be kept.
The role of vice president should also be a strong individual who never strays away from the purpose of SGA and stays faithful to the growth of the organization and the student body. This includes actively planning and participating in events for the student body, being a liaison between the student body and SGA, and offering advice and counsel to the president in all appropriate times.
TWG: Why do you feel that you are the right person for this position?
Lencerot: I have SGA experience. It is essential that a vice president possesses knowledge of [their] internal affairs. This year, I held the position as SGA Secretary of Business and Finance. In last year's administration, I held the position of SGA Internal Affairs Chair, where I worked closely with the vice president of that administration, Jerrod McAllister. I have had the opportunity to assess fulfilling strengths and weaknesses externally (my freshman year when I was not a member) and internally (these past years as a member). It has always been my goal to improve fulfilling image on campus. I realize that this means SGA needs improvement. For the past two years I have faithfully worked towards improving SGA. With the support of the student body, I can continue my efforts to do so.
TWG: What are your plans if elected?
Lencerot: If elected, I will continue in my endeavors to improve the image of SGA. This includes fulfilling my duty as vice president as stated in fulfilling constitution and by-laws as well as implementing programs and events that coincide with fulfilling the mission statement and provide a direct benefit to the student body.
TWG: What is your greatest weakness?
Lencerot: My greatest weakness is the desire to please everybody. So many students have various desires for this university and many times, those desires conflict with one another. It can be a challenge to make everyone happy, and sometimes [it is] impossible. However, it can definitely be possible to come up with final decisions that are satisfying in the end.
TWG: How do you plan to connect with the student body?
Lencerot: I plan to connect with the student body by representing SGA in a more welcoming and informing manner. This will include actively utilizing Facebook, Twitter, and myuwg. Also, having SGA days where representatives are all wearing SGA attire and engaging with the student body for the specific purpose of communication and accountability. This may include being outside of the UCC, TLC, Education Building or the Z-6 to increase our visibility. I would like to get in contact with residence life and have a tour of the dorms. Many of the students here have busy schedules and may benefit to SGA coming to them.
Most importantly, I will connect by being a fellow peer, not an authority figure. I am a student just like everyone else. We all experience stressful term papers, midterms, and disappointments. I am not exempt from the experiences of being a student. I will remember that you are my peers and I shall have your best interests at heart, not my own. Being humble, friendly, and approachable will be key to connecting with the student body.
TWG: If elected, what changes or improvements would you like to see implemented?
Lencerot: I would like to see and implement more SGA events that have a direct benefit on the student body. This would include programs and events collaborating with Career Services, Excel Center and other student organizations. In addition to that, events such as "Meet Your SGA" or "SGA Speed Dating" just to add a twist. This will be to provide students with an opportunity to meet their SGA and converse with them and increases accountability which will heighten their confidence in their SGA. I would also like for the student body to have more knowledge of our activities. I am currently working on a brochure, which should be available shortly.
TWG: What issue(s) on campus would you, if elected, focus on the most?
Lencerot: Unifying the campus. It may seem cliche. However, many people still do not feel unified. This is not just about ethnic groups. This is also about commuter students versus on-campus students, upperclassmen to freshman, traditional students versus non-traditional. At the end of the day, we are all West Georgia Wolves and we benefit the most from the college experience when unity and equal opportunity is present.
In addition to that, my focus will be in tune with making UWG what the current faculty and staff call a "destination university.” However, the focus will be on academics and the advancement and proper preparation of the student body. Sports and new buildings are monumental successes for the university. However, students of UWG come to school for their degree. I want for UWG to be a destination university in terms of the student body being confidant in their preparation for their careers here It bothers me when I hear students here later transfer to Georgia Tech or Georgia State University. I would hope to make moves towards decreasing that.
TWG: If elected, how will you handle the university’s budget crisis?
Lencerot: As I am currently doing now, I will actively protest against the budget cuts by calling representatives, communicating with other University System of Georgia schools, and providing information and avenues for all students in the USG to participate as well.
TWG: What do you feel makes you stand out above the other candidates?
Lencerot: I have the experience and the vision […] I have the credentials and the skills.
The West Georgian and Quin Roberts
The West Georgian: What is your major and year?
Quin Roberts: Political science, fourth year.
TWG: What do you believe your role as vice president requires?
Roberts: My role is to make sure that the senate is running efficiently and that all of the officers and the senators are doing their jobs. Also, it requires me to obviously step up if the president is no longer able to serve or represent the student body. But my role beyond that would be to contribute to whatever issues that the students have or approach me with, so we can get them addressed. Also, issues that maybe the president doesn’t have the time to dedicate too. Issues that senators need help with.
TWG: Why do you feel that you are the right person for this position?
Roberts: In whatever I do, I am going to work hard, I am going to work diligently, and I believe the students need a strong leader in the position of vice president. To lead the senate, which is the vice president’s job, and I feel I am best suited for that. I have the leadership and the experience that it takes to do that.
TWG: What are your plans if elected?
Roberts: If elected, I plan on pushing reform. The SGA constitution and its by-laws do not sync right now. They conflict. We need a better system and make other officers more accountable. If the constitution and by-laws are not in sync it is very hard to enforce the rules. This will definitely be one thing I look into. [Also, I plan to] work with the president and the senators to get SGA more publicized. Another issue to get done is to get SGA members and the student body to interact more with each other. Right now, not many students know what SGA does or are aware of the organization’s authority. Not many actually know how powerful SGA truly is. You see, with the movement now with the budget crisis, we are very powerful, and if we can communicate more with students than they will understand the authority of SGA and the power a student can have on campus. I would also like to reach out to the Carrollton community more, so Carrollton can become more “wolf friendly.” More student involvement and more spirit on campus would be great.
TWG: What is your greatest weakness?
Roberts: I would think my greatest weakness would be that sometimes I can be too nice. Sometimes I get a heavy conscious when it comes to making decisions. It’s hard to criticize your friends. I have the perfect capability to be assertive and I will make sure I do my job to the best of my ability.
TWG: How do you plan to connect with the student body?
Roberts: [I will] reach out to more student organizations. We have not reached out to them like we should. Student organizations actually drive the students to be more involved. In the past, with basketball and homecoming, the student organizations are the ones in who participate in these events. [We should] actively keep them involved in what we are doing and ask them what they would like to see on-campus. [It will build our] community on campus, which helps us all work together and will help to get SGA’s name out like it has never been before.
TWG: If elected, what changes or improvements would you like to see implemented?
Roberts: First, I believe we have to make sure SGA is at its full potential and part of that is efficiency and accountability. That is one thing I will take on personally and as vice president. We can’t represent the students if we ourselves, are not showing up to meetings. We need to stay actively involved with the student body. We need to have better ethical standards, be more responsible for our actions, and handle things at a more professional level. My main priority will be to keep actively going in SGA. It happens to us all. We are students as well, and have midterms and projects to complete. But we must also remember we are leaders of this university. I would also like to see more better communications through SGA’s website. Right now it gives you the basics, but I would like to see if we could post concerns with links attached where students can go to get their questions answered. I would also like to explain our activities. In the past, SGA approved the increase in activity fees and students felt betrayed and like they had no say in the matter. I would like to give the students a say through the website and get students involved. These are just a few things I would strive my best to get accomplished.
TWG: What issue(s) on campus would you, if elected, focus on the most?
Roberts: I would focus mostly on academics, but I am more than willing to go outside of that. A lot of areas need to be addressed and I will take them on. One is unity on campus. We as students must co-exist. We have got to make sure we are one student body. I think the budget crisis is doing that, but more needs to be done and I hate that it takes something bad to bring all students and faculty together.
TWG: If elected, how will you handle the university’s budget crises?
Roberts: Well, when it comes to the budget crisis itself we don’t have much authority. This is something even the university doesn’t have much control over. What we can do is keep students informed about the issues and to make sure they get the facts about the issues as well. A lot of people are concerned their major could be cut. I have gotten assurance from Dr. Stone, Vice President of Academic Affairs. She reassured me that if academic programs are cut at the university, the faculty will do their best to make everything work out and do their best to have the least impact possible towards these students.
TWG: What do you feel makes you stand out above the other candidates?
Roberts: I am the type of person that doesn’t want to belittle anyone else. I am an open-minded person and can listen to both sides of an issue without being bias. I am not the type of person who is unapproachable. If you feel you have an issue, I am more than willing to help. I have a level of respect for everyone. I am a hard worker and whatever I do I give it 110 percent, no less. I try my very best, but as a human we do make mistakes and it takes help to manage these mistakes. I am a good manager in any situation. I have all of these qualities and at the same time I still have the standards that I believe SGA needs in a vice-president.
The West Georgian and Joel Buchanan
Vice Presidential candidate Joel Buchanan has not replied to any e-mails or phone calls.
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