CORRECTION: The original version of this article misspelled a candidate's name. Elon News Network regrets this error.
Candidates for Student Government Association gathered for a forum on March 5 to discuss issues facing students. The event featured candidates for executive president, Nic Fillippa and Anya Bratic, and executive vice president, Sammy Azua and Morgan Minoff, each addressing topics including student engagement, and collaboration with university organizations.
These are the two top roles in SGA and both positions receive a stipend of $8,000 for the term, according to Elon News Network coverage from 2022.
The forum took place at Oak House, drawing an audience of approximately 20 people. Senior class president and chair of elections, Alexander Siler posed questions to the candidates before opening it to student-submitted questions.
Candidates' answers were shortened for length.
Why are you running for this position, and what do you hope to accomplish during your term?
Nic Fillippa: “I am very passionate about uplifting and responding to student concerns. As an RA for three years, I’ve learned the importance of leadership that serves rather than dictates. My primary goal is to work with university leadership and ensure student voices are heard by meeting with officials like the vice president for student life and others at least once a week.”
Anya Bratic “I’ve been in student government since I was 13 years old and have loved the opportunity to advocate for students. I want to be a connector — I want to be that person who's going to address your concerns directly and bring them up to administration.“
Sammy Azua: “The arts is not something you commonly find in student government and it's such a niche part that I get to bring into student government, and that's why I joined. I've loved being able to be a voice for SGA from the arts majors and be a voice from the arts majors to SGA.”
Morgan Minoff: “I immediately fell in love with this position because it fits my personality. I love planning, organizing, and connecting students with senior staff. Building those relationships with the student body, with SGA, and officials, it’s something that I would enjoy, rather than thinking of it as working.”
How do you think the role you're running for fits into SGA?
Nic Fillippa: “The student body president tries to create an accurate representation in the senate for the student body by appointing people who will do a good job in those roles. I believe in leading from behind—steering the ship without bossing people around.”
Anya Bratic “The student body president is visible and a strong leader, and that is something that I want to be in my position. I want to be at your events. I want you to recognize that there's somebody on this campus who is your representative, who cares about you and is willing to be there for you, at your sports events, at your plays, and whatever you have going on.”
Sammy Azua: “The executive vice president role is new and I think it was a wonderful addition. I would describe it quite literally as being the right-hand man. The right-hand man of the president, exec, senate and the student body.”
Morgan Minoff: “The executive vice president is making sure SGA is a community through bonding events and the retreat because as a community, we work harder for the student body and help with what the student body needs. It's a lot of planning to make sure that the student body feels like they have a voice and that they are bigger than just being a student on this campus.
What do you think is the biggest issue students are facing on campus right now, and how would you address it?
Morgan Minoff: “I think a really big issue that we're having in SGA is advertising events. It's really important that the student body attends SGA events, and gets their voice out there.
Sammy Azua: “Involvement doesn’t just mean getting students to senate meetings — involvement is asking them, asking our friends, asking our peers, asking our residents, our people that we work with, the entire student body, what's important to you.”
Anya Bratic: “One thing that I guarantee almost every single one of you in this room is struggling with right now is this culture of business that we have on Elon's campus. I want to change the culture around so we don't necessarily need to say yes to everything all the time.”
Nic Fillippa: “When I started, my scholarship was valued at $7,500 which was great at the time but since being here, the rise in tuition has nullified my scholarship value. Being a student is challenging enough, and tuition increases make it even harder. I think it's important that we are advocating for students and that we are working with the university to talk about not just the tuition increases, but also why and how that money is being spent because I think we all want the best for this university.”
How will you ensure all students feel represented and included in student government?
Morgan Minoff: “It's really important that the student body knows that their voices will be heard by anyone on exec and anyone in the senate. We're open ears and encouraging them to come and speak to us, whether it's at college coffee or just attending our meetings and learning more about what SGA has to offer.”
Sammy Azua: “We do a great job of funding a lot of student activities through student organizations, but continuing to be more than just the finances of it all. Showing up to those events and continuing to make those connections and having those conversations to make everyone feel comfortable.”
Anya Bratic “I think that that means having senators be visible at more events, having our executive team be at more events, and having a certain sense of visibility within individual people would also make SGA more representative of the student body.”
Nic Fillippa: “I want to make sure that I'm carrying a notepad with me at all times and write down student concerns and uplift those to SGA and to appropriate university leadership, make sure that those students are heard and that they're seen, and that action is happening.
What steps would you take to strengthen the relationship between SGA and Elon News Network (ENN)?
Morgan Minoff: “I think it's important for SGA to have one point person that relates what is going on behind the scenes, what is happening within SGA and the senate, and having that relationship with ENN.”
Sammy Azua: “I think it's continuing respectful communication with them, not just how we want ENN to paint our stories and paint our pictures, but what can we be doing to help ENN?”
Anya Bratic: “I think the first step would be a meeting. Let's have our Vice President of Communications within SGA meet every single week with somebody in ENN so we can make sure that our stories are aligned. Having full transparency with one another is what's key in this relationship.
Nic Fillippa: “I want to host a debrief with ENN and the student body to talk about what happens in an SGA meeting, and then hopefully publish a short brief of what happened in the most recent SGA meeting, so that the entire student body can be caught up.”
With the SGA elections approaching, the candidates emphasized their commitment to student advocacy, inclusion, and collaboration. Voting will open on PhoenixConnect at 8 a.m. March 10 closes at 5 p.m. on March 11.