Temple University Student Government announced the Spring 2022 candidates for Parliament and the executive branch, which will start with just one ticket.
TSG elections have historically had lower voter turnout in years with uncompetitive elections.
“We were unsure about the COVID-19 situation and we are glad this one campaign will run and I hope they will do their best,” said Anna Dudareva, a freshman architecture major and TSG’s elections commissioner.
The executive team will be able to campaign in person, but voting will take place online through a secure website.
TSG has scheduled one town hall with the executive campaign, where students will be able to submit questions, hosted by student media organizations on March 21. Elections will take place between March 22 and March 24, and winners will be announced on March 25, Dudareva said.
Another town hall may be held on March 9, wrote Kameryn Moore, director of outreach and engagement for TSG, in an email to The Temple News.
There will be a speaker’s election on March 28 and the inauguration will be held on April 25, Dudareva said.
Here’s a look at who’s on the ballot for the 2022-23 TSG election.
Executive Branch: Temple United
Gianni Quattrocchi, a sophomore political science major, is running for president as part of the Temple United executive campaign. He serves as TSG’s current director of government affairs and led the FireOwlsTU ticket last year, which suspended campaigning after two days and endorsed RenewTU, the current administration.
Akshitha Ag, a junior biology major and TSG’s current deputy chief of staff, is running as vice president alongside Quattrocchi. She also is a member of Temple’s Youth Education and Maternal Support Association and Temple’s Biology Journal Club.
Temple United’s platform focuses on sustainability, campus safety, mental health, religious inclusion and accessibility. Temple United is also proposing an updated COVID-19 response, which would include the purchase of N95 and KN95 masks and mandating the booster shot. They are also proposing updates to Temple’s sexual assault awareness and prevention plan, which includes mandating Title IX training and an education campaign surrounding the ‘Red Zone’.
“The main goal is to just really restore TSG in the public awareness within Temple and have more engagement with TSG,” Quattrocchi said.
If elected, Temple United will continue a few advocacy projects proposed by RenewTU during the Fall 2021 semester, including the implementation of a mental health response team. The team would include mental health professionals and social workers to help students experiencing mental health crises.
The campaign is also advocating for Wellness Days to be included in the academic calendar, a goal RenewTU campaigned on in the last election. Temple implemented two Wellness Days during the Spring 2021 semester, canceling classes to give students a break after eliminating its traditional week-long spring break.
Temple United will work to make Temple carbon neutral by 2030, not 2035 as RenewTU aims for in their current sustainability and climate change plan.
Ag wants to see improved wait times for Temple’s shuttle bus system, FLIGHT. Last semester, students complained of long wait times for FLIGHT, but Temple announced plans to increase its availability as part of its expansion of campus safety initiatives.
Temple United is also advocating for the university to construct a permanent nondenominational prayer space on campus. The University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University offer prayer spaces for individuals of all religions on campus.
Quattrocchi and Ag both expressed disappointment in running unopposed.
“It would have been nice to have a different, second campaign that brought some different ideas to the table,” Quattrocchi said.
Parliament
This year, seven students are running for TSG’s 30-seat legislative body, two more than last year’s election.
Next year’s Parliament will only have members running in this election cycle as current members’ terms will expire after the election.
Members of Parliament are tasked with creating and passing resolutions that reflect the student body’s best interests and needs. The body has four sections: at-large members who represent the entire student body, issue-based members who represent specific sections of the student body, year-based members who represent each class and school-based representatives who represent each school or college.
Parliament has struggled with participation throughout the 2021-22 academic year, only passing one resolution so far this year.
Issa Kabeer – At-large Representative
Kabeer, a senior university studies major, is a wellness peer with Temple’s Wellness Resource Center, a Diversity Peer with Institutional Diversity, Equity, Advocacy & Leadership, an Eco Rep for Temple’s Office of Sustainability and president of the Multicultural Greek Council at Temple.
Kabeer previously served as Parliament speaker. However, he stepped down in January 2021 amid internal frustration regarding the way that he and former vice speaker Arshad Shaik handled the resignation of a former Parliamentarian who posted an antisemitic video.
He believes his experiences in other activities he’s been involved in on campus since stepping down will “enhance” his position if elected.
“My goals for Parliament is to be able to go to different spaces as at-large chair and see what voices need to be heard, and to be able to advocate for those voices, and create resolutions that would be able to represent the voices that need to be heard,” Kabeer said.
Kabeer is also president of Psi Sigma Phi, a multicultural fraternity and is secretary of the fencing club.
Mya McKeown – Klein College of Media and Communication Representative
Mckeown, a sophomore communication and social influence major, has been a member of IGNITE, a national organization that helps women become empowered to be political leaders, since her freshman year. She’s also an opinion writer for Her Campus and the culture editor at Refine Magazine.
“I want to act as a liaison between the student body and the dean’s office,” McKeown said.
Kolton Nullmeyer – Disability Accommodations Services Chair
Nullmeyer, a junior criminal justice major, is a member of Temple’s Pre-Law Society and is pledging Alpha Phi Omega, the university’s community service fraternity.
“I would be the person holding this position, but I want to use it to benefit those other than me,” Nullmeyer said.
Oumar Traore – Commuter Representative
Traore, a sophomore public health major, is a cadet in Temple’s ROTC, a volunteer with Cherry Pantry and a member of the American Medical Student Association, the Black Professional Health Association and badminton club.
As a commuter, Traore will advocate for cheaper SEPTA passes and increasing and fixing the lockers in the commuter lounge if elected.
“I really want to make a change within the Temple community, and again, student government is a great way to make a positive change, and I really want to represent my fellow commuters,” Traore said.
Ryan Quinn and Samuel Burg who are running to be At-Large Representatives and Townley Sorge, who is running to be a Year-Based representative, did not respond to The Temple News’ request for comment.
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