If you want your voice heard, incredible progress reached, and your business made the priority of the Student Government Association, there is only one choice for SGA President, Dennis Kisyk. Having gone to almost two dozen Student Government meetings this year, I can confidently say that if Dennis is elected President of the organization, change will occur for the best interests of the students.
With multiple special elections held, stability in the organization was not the norm but as Vice President of Student Concerns the Derby, Conn. native has aided in turning the rough waters into a gentle tide again and again in SC 207 – the meeting room of SGA.
If elected President, “I am going to bring knowledge of Robert’s Rules of Order, professionalism, organization and dedication to the Student Government,” he said.
As I gaze up at the clock and the digits 11:37 look back, Dennis remains in his office working for all of us.
Dennis believes the biggest issue facing the student body today is the shuttle service. He said because of the inconsistencies of pick-ups and not going where it is supposed to, the service can be a headache. However, the larger headache develops when he thinks about the urinating, vomit, continuing damage inflicted to the buses and throwing things at the shuttle drivers that is risking the very future of the Dattco-operated service.
“Because of the few students who exhibit childish behavior, we could all lose the shuttle,” he said. “We all must act like to adults two ferment the future of the service before expanding routes and improving consistency.”
If given the opportunity to serve us as President, Dennis would work on the attitude in the SGA. As a writer of multiple editorials concerning the shortcomings and failures of the Student Government, I place all my trust in Dennis. He knows that he must balance professionalism with the very serious work at hand.
After “getting the house in order, we will be in a great position to make changes elsewhere like in the cafeteria and to University policy so students will have the opportunity to give input before any decisions are made,” Dennis explained. “We will be better able to attack the issues.”
Dennis believes the SGA excels with student organizations, producing budgets and providing guidance. Kristin Vidile, Vice President of Finance, has “done a great job [with all the finances],” Dennis said. “She has ensured a truly free press.”
In one word, Dennis said the SGA is “anxious” right now. “Members of the organization are graduating. New members are diving in. New E-Board members can’t wait to take their new positions. The SPB [Student Programming Board] is excited about May Weekend,” Dennis said.
Dennis is right. In many ways, the SGA is like the story of the ugly duckling. Right now it is experiencing its adolescence where it is changing from young and inexperienced to older and more mature. Dennis is the person who can best guide the duckling to all of its natural beauty and glamour that it has been working to become over the last year.
As a student who regularly attends Student Government meetings, the most visible sign that students are not confident or truly aware of the significance of the SGA is the dismal attendance of non-members at meetings. Dennis has a solution to help improve such attendance, or the lack thereof.
If elected President, Dennis will have more student guests speak at meetings. He will also work with the Vice President of Public Relations to get new students to attend the meetings by “perhaps giving away prizes.” However, as not the VP of PR, he does not want to take over someone else’s job and will leave more specific reasons to the new Vice President of Public Relations.
More than anyone else, Dennis stands for real and positive change. He has, and shows no sign of stopping the process of making demands for students. As a senior next year, he will not have to take “no” as an answer and assures me that he will not. He represents change as “a tough but fair” candidate, to use his words.
Dennis sees himself in many ways like the late President John F. Kennedy. “He demonstrated grace under pressure in things like the Cuban Missile Crisis while making carefully balanced decisions,” Dennis said. Both Dennis and JFK are charismatic, possess “dynamic personalities” and demonstrated the ability of balancing work with SGA, class, etc…
If elected President, “I would be in a very unique position,” Dennis said. Dennis knows that he will have an impact and a full range of influence as a voting member on the Board of Trustees, a benefit of the SGA presidency. “Long after I am gone, I will have left an impact because of the Board of Trustees,” he said.
“If I thought someone else could do a better job than me, I would not have run,” Dennis said. “I will bring change through hard work.”
I encourage you to vote for Dennis Kisyk as the next President of the Student Government Association for several reasons. Dennis recognizes the great responsibility, possibility and opportunity the Presidency of the Student Government offers him to stimulate change on this campus. He is an amazing guy both inside and outside of the meetings and works strongly to do the students’ business. He knows Robert’s Rules of Order better than anyone else I know, is motivated to make this campus better for all of us and has the intelligence and fortitude to make a lasting change. I strongly encourage you all to vote for Dennis Kisyk, the only choice, for President.
Editor-in-Chief Kellie Gleeson, Managing Editor Marina McGowan and Head Copy Editor Chris Kurker-Stewart echo the sentiments of the above endorsement and likewise endorse Dennis Kisyk for President of the Student Government Assocation.
