While the new Student Government Association executive president and vice president prepare to be sworn in on Thursday April 10, an SGA interview committee is deciding who will take over the roles of vice president of finance and vice president of communications. Unlike the senate, the president and vice president positions, the two executive roles of vice president of finance and communications are not voted on by the student body. After interviews, the chosen applicants are selected by the incoming president and approved by the new senate.
SGA declined to provide the names of the applicants to Elon News Network.
The vice president of finance is in charge of allocating student activity fee funds and works with the finance board. The money that is requested by organizations is reviewed by the vice president of finance to ensure it falls within the bylaws to be distributed.
The vice president of communications run’s SGA’s social media platforms, its website and is the liaison between SGA and other student organizations. Current vice president of communications, Ella Kucera, said one of her goals she worked on during her time in this position was to make SGA senators more recognizable to students and to reduce the preconceived notions about SGA. Both roles are paid $15 an hour and are required to work 10 hours a week. A senate term is 52 weeks, according to past Elon News Network coverage, totaling to a yearly pay of $7,800. The minimum wage for student pay at Elon is $13 an hour.
“I really wanted to get the senators’ faces out there and get students on campus to know who their senators are and what SGA really does,” Kucera said.
This year, four people applied for the vice president of finance position and only one person applied for the vice president of communications position. Applicants submitted a resume and an application on PhoenixConnect. The application included nine questions about an applicant’s experience and collaboration skills. Applicants are then interviewed by a committee consisting of the outgoing vice president of finance, the finance board adviser, the SGA adviser, the administrative assistant and the administrative associate. After interviews are conducted, executive president-elect Anya Bratic will make a recommendation to the senate who approves and confirms the applicant.
For Bratic, she said she will be looking at the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate and who will fit each role best.
Kucera said having only one applicant for the communications role causes SGA to place more trust in the person’s skill and knowledge, but she said she did not feel it limited SGA’s decisions.
“At Elon so many students are so talented and passionate, so it doesn’t matter if it’s one or two applicants,” Kucera said. “We trust that the students know that they’re willing and have what it takes to lead.”
Bratic said she is also excited to work with the newly elected senators who will be sworn in April 10.
“I’m really looking forward to watching them shine in this new senate,” Bratic said. “I know a lot of them have incredible passion and drive, and I know I will be available to work with them.”