In spite of serving as the official representation of the student body at UTRGV, the Student Government Association has 22 of 58 positions filled for next year, so far.
This year, the SGA faces a similar situation with only 28 members.
Cindy Mata-Vasquez, director of Student Activities and SGA co-adviser, told The Rider the low numbers may prevent members from reaching all their goals.
“Members will have to [wear] multiple hats and therefore, it’s a strain on the student,” Mata-Vasquez said. “They are students. We want them to focus on academics.”
The SGA has the power to participate in the overall policy and decision-making processes at UTRGV and is composed of three branches–executive, legislative and judicial.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, Denisce Palacios, an international business and political science junior, will serve as the SGA president.
One of Palacios’ main goals is to work with student organizations more. Another is to make the university more inclusive in all spectrums.
“Making students feel safe, feel comfortable and feel that they can pursue their educational goals in an inclusive environment,” she said. “If you don’t feel safe, if you don’t feel comfortable at the university, then you’re most likely to drop out and we need people who are prepared to face the world. We need people with those degrees.”
Alex Saldivar, an accounting senior, will serve as the SGA vice president for the Edinburg campus, and Ingrid De la Torre, a nursing sophomore, will be the SGA vice president for the Brownsville campus.
The winning executive ticket received 555 votes in an election conducted Feb. 19-21.
A total of 2,112 votes were cast in the 2018-2019 UTRGV SGA election. All races were uncontested.
Students elected to the 2018-2019 UTRGV senate are as follows:
–Aldo Rios, senator for the Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship
–Steven Hughes, senator for the College of Fine Arts
–Cyana Arredondo, Alyssa Guajardo, Adrian Maldonado and Leticia Villarreal, senators for the College of Health Affairs
–Yanelly Palomo, Marcos Valdez and Miguel Viescaz, senators for the College of Sciences
–Monika Garza, Kevin Martinez and Ivan Morado, senators at large (Brownsville)
–Carlo Flores, Aaron Silva and Alexandra Smith-Macias, senators at large (Edinburg)
Despite the low membership, Palacios said she believes the 2018-2019 SGA will thrive.
“We can really make a difference if we put ourselves out there and reach out to students to make sure that, one: the concerns are being heard, and two: we’re able to recruit other students who will put in that work and that dedication to make sure that they’re listening to the concerns of the students and find solutions to them,” she said.
The current SGA president is criminal justice senior Alondra Galvan.
Alongside Galvan, Peter Averack, a communication senior, serves as the current Edinburg SGA vice president and Gabriela Castorena, a political science junior, as the Brownsville SGA vice president.
The executive ticket received 765 votes in last year’s election, in which all races were also uncontested.
Spring 2016 marked the last time there were contested races in an election, where former SGA President Denisse Molina-Castro gathered 841 out of the 1,472 votes to defeat civil engineering student Rodrigo Gonzalez.
The same election also saw six students vie for one of four senator positions for the College of Health Affairs, the second contested race in UTRGV SGA history.
Asked what the organization is doing to promote students to run for office, Mata-Vasquez replied, “In the past, we’ve been able to put out, you know, a marketing campaign when elections happen. There has been a low number, a low turnout, really, when students are running. We don’t know if it’s because they don’t know what SGA is about or they’re busy with other organizations.”
Some of the marketing used are posters and flyers placed throughout campus and social media, Galvan said.
She told The Rider some of the benefits of joining the SGA are gaining leadership skills and working experience.
“I’ve always said, ‘It’s up to the individual on how much they’re going to take [on in] serving in student government,’” the SGA president said. “Some of the benefits is that you will truly work and you will truly understand now how the university structure works.”
Under Galvan’s leadership, the SGA has been able to address and resolve several student concerns, including fixing printers, extending the library hours on the Brownsville campus and providing transportation for students traveling from Rio Grande City.
In spite of all of the organization’s work and effort, some students, such as biomedical science freshman Anais Mendiola, may be aware of what the SGA is but do not know what it does.
“I guess I did notice the increase in library hours, but I didn’t know it was [the SGA] that [was] in charge of it, or that helped do that,” Mendiola said.
On the other hand, students, such as history junior Luis Jewell, may know about the SGA’s work, meeting times and existence, but have never attended a meeting or met any members.
Jewell said other commitments have kept him from attending an SGA meeting, but he would if there was an issue or topic he was concerned about.
Biomedical science freshman Samaris Ortega told The Rider she knows what the SGA is but does not know where or how to contact the organization.
“I was thinking of applying because I wanted to be more involved, but I kind of missed the deadline, so I didn’t,” Ortega said.
She will have a chance to apply for an appointed position once applications become available.
Palacios told The Rider she hopes to have the applications for vacant positions open by May 7, the date when her term will begin.
Vacancies are filled by appointment of the president, subject to a two-thirds approval of the senators present and voting, according to the SGA constitution.
Any student interested may apply for appointment to a vacant position on the SGA V Link page.
“If you think that you can make a change in the university, join SGA,” Palacios said. “If you genuinely care about students, join SGA. If you feel you’re not prepared but you want to make a difference, then come to us anyway and we’ll help you out because that’s what we’re all about. That’s how you get things done, by coming together and having the best interest of everyone in mind.”
