By BRIAN BIGELOW
Guest Writer
In the upcoming Student Government elections APSU students will get the opportunity to make their voices heard and determine who will speak for them in the upcoming academic year.
The SGA elections will be held from 9 a.m. Monday, March 29, to 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, March 31. Students can vote by visiting the APSU Web site and clicking the “Vote SGA” link.
Elections will be held for the Executive Branch which includes the president, vice president and executive secretary as well as 3 Senate seats for each Academic College Arts and Letters, Behavioral and Health Sciences, Business, Education, and Math and Science — and one seat each to represent the Sophomore, Junior and Senior classes.
Candidates for Executive offices are required to have and maintain if elected a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA, must have already served a minimum of two semesters as an SGA representative and have no formal disciplinary record.
Candidates for SGA President:
Craig Amabile:
SGA presidential candidate Craig Amabile is a senior double major in criminal justice/public management and political science.
Amabile has been an SGA senator for two years and is the current SGA parliamentarian. He has “served as president of three organizations,” in two of which he was the chartering president and has served as vice president of two other organizations, said Amabile.
“I believe with a growing university we need a leader who will challenge the system, get APSU on the TBR list for a new library, and the Trahern structure fixed,” said Amabile.
“We need someone who is for the students and keeps the students’ best interest first on his mind. We need someone who delivers his promises.”
“I would like to look into the issue of parking and find some way that we can make the system more efficient and cut down on the number of parking tickets that are given, I would like to see there be more computer labs and computers available for all students.”
In addition, Amabile counts among his priorities increasing attendance at APSU sporting events, bringing more sports teams to APSU and increasing student involvement in SGA and on campus.
Amabile said he has helped to pass legislation to pave gravel parking lots on campus, as well as legislation to require new SGA senators to be tested in order to ensure that they know what is expected of them and has helped to get more laptops in the library for students to use.
For more information on Amabile’s campaign platform, visit votecraigamabile.webs.com or his Facebook group.
Kenny Kennedy:
SGA Presidential Candidate Kenny Kennedy is a pre-med junior Biology major with minors in Chemistry and Leadership and has served as a member of the SGA as Senator, Student Tribunal member and is the current SGA Vice President.
“The cornerstone of my platform really is ideas,” Kennedy said. “Every great project or program really starts with a person or group sitting down and brainstorming ideas.”
“The three most pressing issues are the library, parking and smoking,” Kennedy said.
“I can assure it is not an SGA initiative to build a new library. We don’t have $50 million…to build a new one,” Kennedy said.
“My hope is to implement 24 hour labs or study rooms. The main idea is this: utilize academic labs and study rooms to make up for the lack of space in the library we currently have.”
“The SGA cannot point a finger and put up a parking lot, however we do have programs to help ease the parking woes,” Kennedy said, adding he hopes to extend the Peay Pickup operating hours, expand its route and split the trolley into two smaller vehicles that would “probably cut costs” and reduce wait time.
Kennedy said his Executive Committee experience provides him with a strong background which he will bring to the office of President, if elected and he wants to “maintain the level of excellence from past SGA presidents,” going on to praise the previous presidents’ ethical and moral standards.
“I like hearing students concerns and seeing their ideas come to fruition through SGA’s work. My passion really has and will continue to be SGA while I’m at APSU,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy said he has also been involved with the “President’s Emerging Leaders Program, Governor’s Ambassadors, Gov’s Programming Council and the Gov’s Organization Council-Budget Allocations Committee.”
Kennedy said he has also been involved with the “President’s Emerging Leaders Program, Governor’s Ambassadors, Gov’s Programming Council, and the Gov’s Organization Council-Budget Allocations Committee.”
For more information on Kennedy’s campaign platform, visit www.votekennykennedy.com or his Facebook group.
Candidates for Vice President:
Luke Collier
Luke Collier is a senior accounting and management major and has been an SGA senator for one academic year and has been the Govs
Organization Council treasurer for two years.
“I hope to make SGA representatives more recognizable and approachable. SGA is always looking for new ideas for legislation to better represent the students,” said Collier.
“I hope to better inform the students with every bit of information I receive and will find the answer to any question asked.”
As an SGA senator, Collier said he has written two resolutions that have passed.
“One was to place smoking receptacles in the smoking areas. The other was to make it mandatory for every college to hold an open forum once a year where students could come and voice their concerns about the university and give ideas for legislation.”
Collier said, if elected, he wants to improve The Gov Says e-mail system, start more “social networking based communication,” support more weekend events, promote “welcome back organization fairs and programs,” “lobby for Foy access over the summer for students committed to returning in the fall,” work with the library staff to better utilize library space and raise attendance at sporting events.
“I can make decisions in a timely manner. I work well under stress and pressure. I work diligently in everything to make sure the job is carried out to the full extent,” Collier said.
“APSU has given me many opportunities as a student, as vice president I would like to make sure these opportunities are carried out for all students.”
Kathryn White
Kathryn White is a pre-med sophomore biology major, with a minor in chemistry and is the associate justice on the student tribunal.
“I work closely with the Chief Justice in order to accomplish all the tasks must be done within the judicial branch.”
“Many candidates and even the general student body want things like a parking garage and new library. Although I would like these things on campus too, I am aware of my limitations. Instead of unattainable goals, I have set reasonable ones that will benefit the student body.”
“One of major key issues I would like to address is Dining Services,” said White. “I am on the Dining Committee here at APSU so I have close contact with the people who need to know these issues.”
Among the complaints about the cafeteria that White plans on addressing, if elected, are the cafeteria is “cleaned up early,” not having trays is a “nuisance,” and students are allowed only one entrée at a time. White also wants to improve The Gov Says e-mails.
“The tribunal deals with a lot of parking issues on campus. I, along with other justices, have worked closely with public safety to resolve some parking problems,” White said.
“I have also participated in virtually every SGA sponsored event this year.”
“I am very responsible and take every responsibility I have seriously,” White said. “After being in SGA for a year, I have discovered that I truly have a passion for students. I hope that I can…influence others to be as passionate as I am. So many students are involved and care about Austin Peay, and I am ready to, and will, put in that extra time for them just as they do for the school.”
Candidates for Executive Secretary:
Alex Broady
Alex Broady is a sophomore political science major, with a minor in international relations. Broady has been an SGA Senator for 2 years, and is currently a senator for the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences.
“My platform is simply that I want to hear more from the students of our university because many voices are not heard,” Broady said.
“I feel only a small percentage of students know what their voice is capable of doing here at Austin Peay, and I want to increase that percentage.”
“As Secretary, with me being in charge of public relations, I believe I can put forth a strong effort to reach out to students with different backgrounds,” Broady said. “I hope to advance students’ knowledge of what changes are happening around them that are affecting them. I wish to create a stronger connection between the students and administration of Austin Peay.”
“I currently serve as the vice president of programming of my Fraternity, and special events co-chair of Govs Programming Council. In each position, I have had to delegate, work with timelines, other organizations, vendors, and groups of people,” Broady said. “I have decided to run for office because I want to serve my campus. I enjoy being involved, and get a sense of accomplishment in doing so. I hope to give the campus community the voice they deserve.”
Broady said the resolutions he has written, during his time in SGA, have pertained mainly to the library, covering issues such as hours of operation and current rules.
Ethan Fisher-Schmidt
Ethan Fisher-Schmidt is a freshman political science major and is currently serving his first year in SGA as a freshman senator. Fisher-Schmidt served in student government for two years in high school. “[As an SGA Senator] I have helped the SGA by proposing ideas that are helping the students,” Fisher-Schmidt said.
“I have also worked alongside the more experienced Senators to gain their knowledge. Their ability to write legislation that is truly beneficial to the student body has helped me develop myself as a senator.”
“I will help with parking because that is truly a major issue that is always mentioned,” Fisher-Schmidt said.
“I’m here to assist the students in becoming more vocal with ideas. I want them to be able to feel like they are truly getting their thoughts and ideas out there. I also want to assist my [Executive Committee] in any way possible.”
“I will be able to fight for the students ideas but also I will be able to listen to them on how they feel about APSU,” Fisher-Schmidt said.
“I see secretary as the ‘stepping stone’ to higher offices.”
Fisher-Schmidt did not accept an invitation for a photo.
Sara Seesholtz
Incumbent Sara Seesholtz, a junior music major with a minor in leadership, said having served as a member of SGA for the past three years, first as freshman senator, then tribunal justice and currently as executive secretary, sets her apart from the competition.
“I’ve decided to run for office again because the experience has been the most rewarding one I’ve had at Austin Peay,” Seeschotz said. While both need to be addressed, Seesholtz said, the most visible issues on campus, like parking and outdated library facilities, too often take too much attention away from the less talked about, but no less important, issues, such as campus safety and student involvement.
“I would address the big issues … and make sure students understand why these issues have not been solved yet and that everyone on this campus is doing the best they can to fix these things,” Seesholtz said.
“I want to start small with realistic ideas and goals, then work my way up to the more complicated and difficult issues. Problems on this campus cannot be solved over night.”
“You have to be extremely organized for this position and organization is something that I take pride in,” Seesholtz said.
“I also believe that, in order to survive a year on the Executive Committee, you have to become unbiased. You really learn the meaning of teamwork with this Executive Committee.”
“While in office, I hope to make SGA more visible on campus [by] holding forums and hearing concerns [and] issues from students,” Seesholtz said.
“This is something that the SGA cannot get enough of. I feel as if students don’t know that they have this opportunity to come speak with us about their issues and concerns.”
Seesholtz did not accept an invitation for a photo.
The results of the SGA elections were announced on Thursday April 1. A total of 1.400 votes (1,304 valid) were cast, the most ever in SGA history at APSU. 
