The candidates for student representative to the Board of Visitors explain not their platforms, but themselves
Posted on April 7, 2008
From the Desk of Marley Green
Dear JMU,
Just breathe — the school year’s almost over. Springtime will be here really soon. And best yet? Elections have only one more week left. That’s right, its runoff time.
I just wanted to write a little about myself, why I’m running for this position and what I would strive to accomplish if elected. First, let me say that I won’t promise to be YOUR voice to the BOV because I want you to be your own voice. I want to work with you and with student movements to organize and mobilize for change and to amplify all of our voices. We are a diverse student population with millions of diverse opinions; no one person should ever say that they will accurately “voice” all of these opinions, nor should they be expected to. Democracy requires participation, and if I win this election, I can only succeed if I have your participation.
Secondly, I want to address my personal motivation for running for SRBOV. I am concerned about what climate change means to my life and the life of every being on this planet in 10 to 50 years. Climate change and ecological destruction are global problems with local solutions. I have a vision for answers, crafted through long meetings, discussions and e-mails with everyone from students to faculty, administrators to community activists.
The student body, the administration and the faculty have all expressed commitment to working toward these solutions, and now it’s time for the BOV to get on board. Finding and implementing these solutions is not only good for our earth but also for an educational institution that is building a reputation as cutting edge. By going Green, we can keep JMU at that cutting edge.
But university sustainability is not all that I’m concerned about. I’m concerned about supporting our athletes and ensuring that we don’t build a reputation as a school that disrespects its own Olympic-level athletes. I’m concerned about student-representative communication and ensuring participation. I can only promise to strive toward bringing solutions to issues that I know the campus has a broad concern for. Show me the desire for change, and I will work for it.
Finally, I want to let you know where I am coming from. I’m not an SGA senator, I am not a fraternity brother, I don’t own a car, and I cannot afford to spend a thousand dollars on a campaign for student representative to the BOV. I was an RA in Fredrickson Hall, I work at TDU, I deejay on WXJM, I bike everywhere, I pull all-nighters when I have to, and I love being at JMU and living in Harrisonburg. I’m not perfect: I can’t talk to everyone, and I won’t pretend to represent everyone at this school. What I can promise is that I will work hard for people who want to work hard, and that if you talk to me about problems, I will work for solutions.
Thanks, and Go Green with Marley Green
From the desk of Fred Rose
Dear Members of the JMU Community,
My name is Fred Rose, and I am working hard to become your student representative to the Board of Visitors in this week’s SGA runoff election.
First and foremost, I love being part of the JMU community. Ever since I first stepped foot on campus four years ago for an admissions tour, I knew that this place would become a major part of my life, and this has certainly been true.
My experiences in organizations such as Orientation, Student Government, Residence Life and Greek Life have enabled me to form professional relationships with numerous administrators as well as fellow student leaders.
I know that my previous experience working with different groups on campus will prove to be a major advantage in getting our issues addressed by the Board of Visitors.
Additionally, by talking with other students during the past three years I have learned what students want, need and (most importantly) what we deserve as members of the JMU community.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that regardless of who you vote for on April 10, make sure that you DO vote. Now, if I may make a small request, I hope that the person you vote for is Fred Rose, “The One to Pick.”
Highlights of my platform points include: creating guest punches for meal plans, allocating free blue books and establishing a Student Advisory Council. One important concept that I would like to point out about my campaign is that I have created a Web site as the primary means of getting the word out about the campaign so I could use less paper when advertising. It is just a small effort to move toward a more environmentally sustainable campus community.
In addition to the ideas included in my platform, I would like you to know that I am both responsive and responsible to the needs and concerns of those around me. If you elect me to be your SRBOV, I will voice your needs to the board so that our campus community may continue to prosper in the next 100 years.
Thank you for taking time to get to know me better. If you would like to find out more information about the campaign please feel free to join our Facebook group, or simply visit my Web site, fred-rose.com. Also, contact me if you would like to discuss current issues facing students or simply to grab a bite at D-Hall.
See you around campus,
Fred Rose, “The One to Pick”
