New senators elected to influential positions

Guethshina Altena/ Assistant News Director

 

SGC-MMC elected two new high officials to the senate from their newest crop of SGA members.

Maria Delgado, a junior dual degree student in international business and philosophy, in the process of getting a certificate in Eurasian studies, was elected as senator for the school of business last spring semester and officially began her term in Aug. 2017. She decided to apply for the senate speaker position at the start of the year.

Delgado sees herself as a well-rounded individual, having participated in many programs and organizations on campus. She was part of the FIU L.E.A.D. team, Dance Marathon, Alternative Breaks, Relay for Life, Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute and the Academy of Leaders and is also a sister of Delta Phi Epsilon.

“In previous years, I have always been a concerned student and senate meetings are open to all students,” Delgado said. “So, I would always go because some of my friends were senators and find out what’s senate is all about, what I can do as an FIU student and such.”

During her visit to the senate meeting before her campaign, Delgado realized that many times majority votes were not being met. In order to do real business at a meeting, two-thirds of the senators need to agree, Delgado said.

Delgado saw an issue with tutoring and asked herself what she could do to fix those problems and who she could speak with to resolve them. She says that was one of the things that motivated her to apply for SGC-MMC senator.

“I’ve always had an interest in joining and being a senator and changing things for my own college,” Delgado said. “I was taking a business calculus class and my professor offered three tutors for my class and my other friend who was taking the same class, her professor only offered one and it had to be shared with the entire class.”

Delgado saw issues she wanted to shed light on and decided to run for senator so she could implement some of the changes herself.

“What I wanted to do for students as a whole is provide at least 20 pages of free printing for students per semester,” she said. “We have the highest amount of homeless students on this campus and not everyone can afford to buy food and nevertheless to pay for printing,”

Delgado was elected twice this year, once as senator by the student body and then she was elected senate speaker on the first day of school by her fellow senators. She decided to fulfill two positions in order to give a voice to those who can’t speak for themselves.

“I want them [students] to know that they are their own voice and if they want to change something, they have they means and resources to do so,” Delgado said. “We all do what we do because of all the students on campus. Anyone can come in the SGA office to voice their concerns and we will do what we can to help them.”

Sebastian Cajamarca, a sophomore lower division senator majoring in psychology, recently got elected to as speaker pro-tempore for the senate. He serves as the right-hand man of the senate speaker.

“Essentially, I want to implement a more direct communication in the senate, I want everyone to know what’s going on especially when an event is happening. Overall, I want the senate to move as effectively as possible and I want to make everyone’s time there worth their while,” Cajamarca said.

Cajamarca participated in Dance Marathon as a captain and Alternative Breaks as a site leader all during his first year at FIU.

“By running effective meetings, we get business done and after getting business done we can get to executing,” Cajamarca said.

Cajamarca encourages students to keep asking questions about the things that concerns them at FIU.

“Don’t be afraid to speak out and use the resources that FIU is providing,” he said. “SGA is everything I expected because I get to meet students everyday and I get to help them out. For instance when I table, I am able to interact with them and answer any questions or concerns they may have,” Cajamarca said.

Cajamarca believes that as Speaker Pro Tempore, he gets to be in charge of the senate meetings and do roll call in the absence of the senate speaker and it is an honor to be able to make a difference in that way.

“My message to students out there is to stay involved. Ask what is Student Government, what does it entail? How does it impact the University? What are these other programs at FIU that are helping the FIU community or Miami as a whole?,” he said.

Cajamarca believes that such curiosity got him to where he is now and hope students will find the answers they are looking for with that same way of thinking.

“We need to have a mission statement, a goal and stick to it. We can’t be getting caught up in little things that are eventually going to distract us from conducting business,” he said. “We were entrusted by student body to make a better FIU and that’s why I want people to stay focused on conducting business,” Cajamarca said.