It is time once again for students to elect their college and executive representatives in the Student Government Association (SGA) starting today.
Director of the Center for Student Involvement and Co-adviser for the SGA, Jodie Dominguez, said voting began 8 a.m. today online and closes at 11:59 p.m. March 31.
According to Dominguez, the SGA’s mission is to proactively represent and serve the collective means to address student concerns.
“In addition, SGA creates supportive environments that enhance the quality of the student experience at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley,” she said.
The offices up for election are senators for all UTRGV colleges, School of Nursing, the Graduate College and senators-at-large.
The candidates for this year’s election are as follows:
–Victor Borrego- Senator for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship
–Matthew Lee Cantu- Senator for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship
–Job Martinez- Senator for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship
–Jose Raul Ruiz- Senator for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship
–Allen Abraham Abraham- Senator for College of Engineering & Computer Science
–Berlyn Tijerina- Senator for College of Fine Arts
–Carlos Mata- Senator for College of Health Professions
–Melanie Sarahi Barajas- Senator for College of Liberal Arts
–Zoe Flores- Senator for College of Liberal Arts
–Oscar Alberto Jacome Serrano- Senator for College of Liberal Arts
–Bruno Francisco Rosales Cleris- Senator for College of Liberal Arts
–Jose R. Zapien- Senator for College of Liberal Arts
–LeAnn Divino- Senator for the School of Nursing
–Mariana Bernice Estevan- Senator for the School of Nursing
–Karitza Vianey Garcia- Senator for the School of Nursing
–Isaac Hernandez- Senator for College of Sciences
–Ashley Wals- Senator for College of Sciences
–DesiRae G.M Smith- Graduate Senator
–Alan Garcia- Senator-at-Large- Edinburg
–Megan Samantha Solis- Senator-at-Large- Edinburg
–Angela Cantu- Senator-at-Large- Brownsville
Two teams are vying for the executive offices this year: Team Vision United and Team Change.
Team Vision United consists of biology senior and presidential candidate Jose Pablo Rojas, accounting junior and vice presidential candidate for Edinburg Anacette Cantu and biology junior and vice presidential candidate for Brownville Yahia Omar Al-Qudah.
Team Change is made up of biology senior and presidential candidate Michael White, educational leadership graduate student and vice presidential candidate for Edinburg Daniela Ramirez and biomedical science senior and vice presidential candidate for Brownsville Leticia Villarreal.
Rojas said Team Vision United’s platform includes increasing class modalities so more people can attend school from a remote location, increasing resources for the arts department and offering MCAT, LSAT, GRE and CPA test prep as courses for students.
“We can assure to represent every single community in the UTRGV, no matter who they are…we are not here to represent ourselves, we are here to represent the student body,” he said.
White said Team Change’s platform includes adding Vaquero Day, which will give students a break from their coursework and exams, bringing back the pass-fail system of grading and increasing communication between UTRGV departments and the student body regarding services provided.
“Me and Daniela have a lot of event programming experience,” he said. “I really feel that is what we need…I know what is happening, the current struggles, the current issues, what students are feeling, what students are into, how to get students interested in events.”
According to Dominguez, results will be announced April 2.
