PRESIDENT
Kirby Turnage - Ballot Position #1
Turnage, senior in finance, has served as assistant vice president of auxiliary services, on the University dining satisfaction council and the University concessions board, as an SGA senator-at-large and director of the High School Leadership conference.
Dining options
\0x25A0 Offer more all-you-can-eat options
\0x25A0 Lower meal costs by holding Chartwell's accountable to their contract with the University
\0x25A0 Work to provide breakfast at the Student Center Chick-fil-A
Student life
\0x25A0 Build a comprehensive online system, "HeAUrd That!" for students to voice their concerns
\0x25A0 Develop a mobile app for smart phones to supply students with anything they could need to know
\0x25A0 Create an official online ticket exchange to electronically transfer student tickets
Transportation
\0x25A0 Secure long-term, sustainable funding to allow the Toomer's Ten to continue operations, and work to expand routes and improve pick up timing
Classes
\0x25A0 Work to ensure class availability doesn't hinder expected graduation dates and that students receive reliable information and availability from advisers
"We can make students own this campus and shift some of that power back to them and give them a voice."
Trevor Ramsey - Ballot Position #2
Ramsey, senior in biomedical sciences, pre-med, has served as SGA director of spirit, SGA assistant director of city relations, social fraternity executive, COSAM peer instructor, and on the SGA health and wellness committee.
Game day
\0x25A0 Increase interaction between students and coaching staff/athletes
\0x25A0 Better food options in the stadium
\0x25A0 Improve student ticket system and lobby for extra student section in the upper deck
Student experience
\0x25A0 Improve advising, tutoring and OIT services
\0x25A0 More options, services for international students
\0x25A0 Oversight of Health and Wellness Center
\0x25A0 Improve on-campus dining options
Student unity and awareness
\0x25A0 Increase interaction among student organizations
\0x25A0 Utilize Eagle Eye for monthly SGA reports
\0x25A0 Create a portion of SGA that will deal directly with student concerns
Freshman retention rates
\0x25A0 Lobby for more on-campus housing
\0x25A0 Create a freshman mentoring program
\0x25A0 Increase awareness of the city of Auburn
"You can talk to me, call me, text me, e-mail me. I'm going to answer my phone--I'll be right there. If you have a question about something, we are going to do our best through SGA to take care of that."
Kel Jackson - Ballot Position #3
Jackson, senior in mechanical engineering, is the founding president of the Harold A. Franklin Society, has served as professional committee chairman of the SAA board of directors, SGA assistant vice president of facilities, CEO/President of RCM RC Products LLC and chairman of the Jackson Real Estate Group.
Parking
\0x25A0 Add over 2,100 C-zone parking spaces
Dining
\0x25A0 Add dining venues to create 24-hour dining availability
\0x25A0 Allow required Dining Dollars to be spent at athletic events
\0x25A0 Work for fair prices of food on campus
Academics
\0x25A0 Expand Textbook Reserve program
\0x25A0 Allow job interviews to be excused absences
\0x25A0 Offer free Scantrons to students that need them
SGA
\0x25A0 Create press secretary position and publicity initiatives within SGA
\0x25A0 Hold SGA town hall meetings every semester
\0x25A0 Implement an open door policy for the SGA president
"I'm not running to be the boss, I'm running to have 25,000 bosses. My job is never done until the concerns of all these students are alleviated."
TREASURER
Curry Stevenson
"The most important thing I can do is be accountable and make sure that I'm holding everyone accountable for the money they're spending."
Stevenson, junior in civil engineering, has served in the SGA as executive secretary, assistant director of volunteers, assistant treasurer of the Panhellenic cabinet, social sorority leadership chairman, ODK honorary and SGA senate parliamentarian.
\0x25A0 Ensure student fees are handled with honesty
\0x25A0 Closely monitor line-item budgets for SAP programs
\0x25A0 Maintain Auburn's relationships with Verizon Wireless and Balfour
\0x25A0 Educate the Senate on handling budget and finance requests to ensure funds are spent appropriately
\0x25A0 Continue the effort to publish the yearly budget online
\0x25A0 Encourage financial accountability and show discernment in decisions regarding the treasurer position
VICE PRESIDENT
Vanessa Tarpos
"Ever since I stepped foot on this campus, I've been involved in student government."
Tarpos, junior in English, has served in the SGA as a senator-at-large, student interests chair, on the student safety council, as the IMPACT project coordinator, assistant director of high school leadership conference and assistant director of freshman forum.
\0x25A0 Post passed legislation on the SGA website, including the outcome of each vote
\0x25A0 Implement a "meet your senators" table
\0x25A0 Begin a freshman representation to the student senate
\0x25A0 Improve iTunesU so all majors post content for students that miss class
\0x25A0 Continue to work on existing initiatives, such as the Textbook Reserve program
\0x25A0 Senate to take an active role in improving the Tiger Transit system's usage
MISS AUBURN
Megan Murphy
Major: communication disorders
Hometown: Abbeville
Why she decided to run:"I wanted to run for Miss Auburn because it is such an opportunity to represent the University that I love. I've been given so much from Auburn. I wanted an opportunity to give back, and what better way to give back than Miss Auburn?"
Platform: "Our local businesses in Auburn really prosper during the fall--football season--but then in the spring and summer, they struggle a little bit. What I wanted to do is partner with the city of Auburn. They have a program called "Think Auburn First." They want people to think Auburn businesses before they go to larger conglomerate stores. I wanted to partner with them and potentially have an event downtown, like an open house with coupons and trunk shows, but basically just get the awareness out there that we need to shop local and support our local businesses."
Millie Harrison
Major: communication
Hometown: Florence
Why she decided to run:"I've always heard Miss Auburn is a symbol of women's leadership, and she's the official hostess of Auburn University, so it's a humbling thing to be nominated for it."
Platform: "My platform is that I'm working with Career Development Services to create a student Web program called 'Peer Career Advisers,' and I just think that Career Development Services is a wonderful, but often untapped resource on Auburn's campus. They've just really given me a lot of guidance because I did not know what I wanted to do with my life my first two years at Auburn, and they just really clarified everything for me. Sixty-three percent of Auburn's undergraduate students graduate within six years, and of that 63 percent, only half of them graduate within four years. Economically it's not feasible for a lot of students to stay here that long.
Courtni Ward
Major: international business and Spanish
Hometown: Exeter, N.H.
Why she decided to run: "I have served as a War Eagle Girl, and it really changed me as a person to be able to represent this University. I realized I would be so honored to even run for this position and be able to share with people about where my heart is and why I would love to give back to Auburn University."
Platform: "My platform is all about doing what's in front of you to fight the war on hunger, focusing on the things right here in Lee County we can make a difference with, like volunteering at the Community Market and the East Alabama Food Bank and helping out with Campus Kitchen projects and just everything that we can do right here. Anyone who buys a T-shirt to support me during campaign week, a dollar of those proceeds will go to the Committee of 19 and the United Nations World Food Program."
Lindsey Gillen
Major: psychology with minor in hunger studies
Hometown: Guntersville
Why she decided to run: "While I've been at Auburn, I have been involved in a bunch of different roles where I've really gotten to be a student leader. I think Miss Auburn is the culmination of all those different roles. As a Camp War Eagle counselor, I was a host for students. As a senator, I'm a voice for students. As the director of Aubie, I communicate as an ambassador for Auburn. Miss Auburn is all those roles coming together--you are a host, you are an ambassador, and you are a voice for students."
Platform: "I'm hoping to raise awareness of the plight of foster care in our area as well as raise money for the BigHouse foundation of Opelika. Basically their mission is to connect the needs of foster children to the love and generosity of our community. They try to provide a normal experience for foster children."
Whitley Kelly
Major: cell and molecular biology
Hometown: Jasper
Why she decided to run: "A lot of the things I've gotten to do at Auburn have been oriented toward serving Auburn. The fact that the underlying theme was to give something back to Auburn is something that meant a lot to me. If I get selected at Miss Auburn, then I would have yet another opportunity to serve the University in a very public way."
Platform: "It's to promote and encourage participation in research activities on campus, especially undergraduate research. My aim, if elected as Miss Auburn, is just to promote those opportunities. My ultimate goal would be to help create an online database where it would be easier to look up those kinds of programs. It's a matter of promoting undergraduate research and making sure that students are aware that it's out there, and the ways there are to get involved."
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