The Daily Gamecock asked speaker of the student senate candidates to write about why students should vote for them in lieu of an endorsement. Here's what they wrote:
Morgiana McDevitt, third-year economics and environmental studies student
Hey Gamecocks,
My name is Morgiana McDevitt, and I am running to be your next speaker of the student senate. I am a junior from Long Island, New York, studying economics and environmental studies in the Honors College. Beyond Student Government, I am a member of Delta Zeta, Alpha Kappa Psi and ODK here on campus. I have been a member of student senate since my freshman year, and I have been working to serve you in a multitude of ways.
I spearheaded this year’s flu shot initiative with the Student Health Center to give over 2,500 free flu shots to students on campus and worked with USCPD to organize campus safety walks. I know that as your next speaker of the senate, I will work to best represent the interest of all students.
I am going to connect students to resources by increasing awareness of mental/physical health resources and implementing mental health resiliency training programs, increasing sustainable outdoor student spaces on campus and supporting funding of student organizations. I will create opportunities for all students by increasing accessibility to student senate so that we can truly represent our diverse campus interests and revamp late-night transportation and pursue electronic scooters on campus.
Lastly, I will change the way that student senate interacts by the student body by utilizing a senate Instagram so that students can directly interact with their representatives and tell us what you want your student senate to accomplish, along with looking into how to ensure the online class policy will support students as we continue to live and learn in a global pandemic.
Maximize your voice by voting in this year’s elections, and I am honored and excited for the opportunity to serve as your next speaker of the student senate.
Christian Phillips, third-year journalism student
Hi Gamecocks,
My name is Christian Phillips, and I am a journalism major and political science minor from Raleigh, North Carolina.
Currently within senate, I am the chairman of the judiciary committee and serving on the powers and responsibilities committee, and I am the former chairman of the College of Information and Communications delegation.
Outside of senate, I am a baritone player in the Carolina Band, a two-year senator within the Residence Hall Association representing Preston Residential College, a member of the Carolina Judicial Council and a news writer for the Daily Gamecock. I am also an Eagle Scout.
My platform for speaker has four major components. The first is to extend senate outreach to the student body. As speaker, I will ensure that a new Student Government newsletter is started, we revamp the SG Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and I will re-visit organizations throughout the year to hear if any new concerns have arisen that need to be addressed.
I will also work to achieve class price transparency, so that no student is caught off guard by any fees that classes charge after the course has begun. I will ensure that course charges are displayed under the “Fees” tab in Self Service Carolina.
My third point is to ensure an in-person commencement for seniors. If the university can fit 20,000 people in Williams-Brice for a football game, then it can hold an in-person commencement.
My final point is to ensure that legislation becomes university policy. To do this, I will work with the faculty senate to improve our working relationship, so that we can both be working on tackling the issues simultaneously, not separately.
I know that I have the experience and ideas to serve as the best speaker possible, and I hope that I have your vote.
Editor's note: Christian Phillips is a news writer with The Daily Gamecock. Phillips does not report on Student Government.