The two tickets bidding for office in next year’s Temple Student Government unveiled their platforms this week after being presented to the student body at the General Assembly meeting on March 24.
TU Believe states in their platform that they seek to improve new student orientations, extend support for the LGBTQ community on Main Campus, and perform personal audits to monitor campus security and food service.
Candidate for student body president Ray Smeriglio said his ticket has had a long time to think about their vision for Temple’s future since the three of them began contemplating a run a year and a half ago.
Renew TU focuses their platform on furthering student awareness and involving students in campaigns ranging from environmental protection to Temple pride.
Candidate for student body president Ifeoma Ezeugwu said her involvement with TSG and the Ladies of Elegance step team spurred her to run for election and build a stronger community at the university.
“It’s a team function from the top,” she said.
Blair Alston, TU Believe’s candidate for vice president of services, said the group’s experience in TSG has prepared them to lead the student body.
Alston suggested encouraging more student leaders to ease the challenge of adjusting to a new environment, as well as forming an academic leaders program, where upperclassmen can meet with the deans of all the schools to discuss improvements to student life.
TU Believe’s platform states that as head of TSG they will review and audit services like dining for the quantity and quality of the food, and safety for the effectiveness of campus security and police, in addition to attempting to improve the transition for new students by looking to make freshman and transfer orientations a better experience.
TU Believe’s platform also promises to extend the Safe Zone Training program to all students who want to participate. The program trains allies in the LGBT community to provide institutions with a safe environment for equality, inclusion and mental health.
As an openly gay man, Smeriglio said the issue “hits home.”
“We need to be a pioneer in that and offer it to all students,” Smeriglio said.
Renew TU’s candidate for vice president of external affairs, Meghan Guerrera said she found a perfect opportunity to apply the lessons she learned at Army ROTC to the student body at large.
“I was not only motivating other cadets to pass physical fitness tests, but also to be top of the class,” Guerrera said. “I would like to see that from all students.”
Renew TU stressed in their platform that students need a more effective way to get information. They said programs like scholarships, commuter services and Temple-organized activities are often under utilized because students are not aware they exist.
“Nobody knows,” candidate for vice president of services Rachel Applewhite said. “If I didn’t go to RA training, I wouldn’t know all the great things we have available for students.”
In addition to increased communication, Renew TU’s platform calls for an expansion of cross-school advising, a program that would try to eliminate the sale of plastic water bottles on campus and increase the amount of filling stations, the creation of a Temple homecoming parade and making athletic events more affordable for everyone who wants to attend, not just students.
TSG elections will be held online from April 8-9. Last year’s elections, won by Temple United and Student Body President Darin Bartholomew, saw a 20 percent decline in votes cast from the previous year.
Joe Gilbride can be reached at joseph.gilbride@temple.edu.
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