Unlike the upcoming rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, this year’s student government election for president and vice president won’t be a nail-biter. Stefan Andjelkovic and Sophia Lindgren are running unopposed.
Voting takes place Tuesday, Feb. 27 through Wednesday, Feb. 28 at midnight. Visit Owl Central to cast your vote or for more information.
OutFAU interviewed the candidates to get their perspective on the queer community on campus. The responses are from both of the candidates.
In your interview with the University Press, we saw that you said you wanted to be a “voice for all.” Do you have any specific plans for doing that?
Our campaign is focused on battling and identifying common student issues that are prevalent on campus, therefore by being the voice for all, we want to ensure we are the true representation of the student body. At the end of the day, we ourselves see issues on campus we want fixed, and we will work hard to overcome these obstacles and create a more positive outlook on the University and the campus itself. Our slogan, "Leaders who Listen" directly conveys this idea as we discuss potential long-term projects for the current and upcoming academic year.
Last month when we launched our first cover story, it specifically dealt with the closing of the Center for IDEAs. Since it is inside the Student Union, is this under the purview of Student Government, and if so what are your plans for it? What would you like to see happen to it?
Any department that receives a lot of student traffic and organizations that have a high number of interested student groups, whether that be the center of IDEAs, COSO RSO's, Academic organizations, or student-led programs, our Administration will make sure it receives the proper attention it deserves. Because the Center of IDEAs is one of our funded departments from Student Government, it will definitely be within our interest to discuss and identify the best ways to preserve it.
Several of the queer students we interviewed felt that FAU did not have their backs. Is that disheartening to hear?
It is absolutely disheartening. We want to make sure every student feels at home here at FAU and will work towards this goal. Our administration will hold itself accountable and will make sure all students on campus will feel and be represented by us. As mentioned before, it is ultimately why we decided to bring to light the "voice for all" notion, because we will always have your back no matter what. Sophia and I will always be available for our students, and we invite anyone who does not feel represented to come meet with us to see how together we can overcome this challenge. We are excited to share our ideas with our students.
In your interview with the UP, you mentioned several initiatives such as the Free Transcript Program, Free Canva Subscription for Organizations, and the 2024 Free Beach Parking Initiative. Are there any queer specific initiatives you’ve thought of?
Following the 2024 Spring Semester, Student Government will have over 15 active programs available to the student body, not including the Beach Parking, Transcript Program, or the Free Canva Initiative. FAU SG has seen an exponential increase in leadership and driven individuals who seek change on campus. These initiatives can be utilized by any students no matter the background, race, nationality, or gender affiliation. We have programs extending from Discounted Transportation, Academic Programs, and Financial Relief programs all in place to benefit the student body. Ultimately, we all pay for tuition, so these programs directly benefit us all, no matter what affiliation a student is!
Do you plan on contacting Lavender Alliance or BLISSS to see specifically what their needs are?
Most definitely, we will continue to communicate with the LGBTQ family and its organizations to pursue their needs and help them in any way possible.
With the new restrictions on DEI in place, does that restrict how Student Government can spend or allocate the A&S fees?
To my knowledge, I did not notice any A&S restrictions regarding the budgeting process itself, but it may be true that the way the Center of IDEAs spends their money might be affected.