Panthers to take to Student Government polls this week

Madison Fantozzi/News Director

Elections start April 1 for Student Government Council at both campuses.

Voters at Modesto Maidique Campus have two presidential duos to pick from: Coalition’s Alexis Calatayud and Tiffany Roman and FIUNite’s Philip Koenig and Adriana McLamb. Jazmin Felix and Camille Williams are running unopposed at Biscayne Bay Campus.

Koenig and McLamb’s platform includes nine items, but their biggest point is working toward the creation of a website that would be a “one-stop shop” for students seeking University and community involvement opportunities.

Calayatud and Roman’s platform is 33 items divided among three points, and slogan, “better FIU, bigger FIU, best F-I-You.”

Calatayud said they’re not “reinventing the wheel,” however. “We believe in realistic goals that match University initiatives.”

Their platform includes points supporting FIU’s plan for Tamiami Fair Ground expansion, improvements in parking and public safety and meal plans and food options.

Calatayud is a sophomore majoring in political science and has been involved with Student Government Association since her second semester. She served as SGA’s governmental relations coordinator and organized Rally in Tally on March 26. She is also president of the Council of Student Organizations, member of the Multifaith Council and involved in Greek Life.

She used to be a member of FIUNite, but split from the group to start Coalition.

“FIUNite has a bad reputation with administration,” Calatayud said. “It’s not respected as a student voice.”

“FIUNite has a bad reputation with administration,” said Calatayud of Coalition. “It’s not respected as a student voice.”

Koenig and McLamb said they want to increase the student voice on campus, however, like within FIU’s Textbook Affordability Committee, which the two want to work with to delay the adoption of new and more expensive editions of textbooks.

Koenig said this was an idea he worked on as chief of staff for former president Laura Farinas.

“It would be highly effective, but we never got around to it,” he said.

Koenig was fired and then attempted to run for vice president with Alex Castro, but they were disqualified because their application was allegedly filled out incorrectly.

Koenig said he doesn’t want to work toward “intangible goals” like creating more food options for students on campus.

“Aramark and Business Services are bigger entities than us,” he said. “We can be vocal on behalf of the student body, but we can’t make promises we can’t keep.”

“We can be vocal on behalf of the student body, but we can’t make promises we can’t keep,” said Koenig of FIUNite.

Both Koenig and McLamb previously served as lower division senators and interms. Koenig is an international relations major and McLamb is a sophomore political science major.

Student Media was sent a Prezi created by Courtland Messam that was presented to the FIU fraternity FIJI. The Prezi was taken down within an hour of Student Media contacting Messam, who did not respond.

Some of the slides have been omitted from this gallery out of respect for the candidates.

McLamb, a volleyball player, said she personally wants to lobby for her fellow athletes.

“Behind every great University is a great athletics department,” McLamb said.

Points on their platform: collaborate with the Athletics Department to increase school spirit and student attendance at sporting events, and work with Recreation Services to improve and expand intramural field availability. McLamb’s biggest push is to create an athletics senator position.

Koenig’s own personal push is what would be involvement.fiu.edu.

“I’m a huge proponent of civic engagement,” he said. “Miami is a great place offering internship and job opportunities. We want to funnel those opportunities to FIU.”

He pointed to how the SGA website is not very up-to-date, however, and said creating and running the site would probably take longer than his tenure.

“It would be a large-scale project up to $50,000,” he said. “We just want to lay the groundwork.”

Elections are April 1 and 2.

Felix was unavailable by press time.

 – madison.fantozzi@fiusm.com