By The Louisville Cardinal Staff —
The 2022 Student Government Association (SGA) elections have begun at U of L. Among the universally electable positions are the “Top 4,” consisting of president, executive vice president, academic vice president and services vice president.
Below is a profile for the president and executive vice president candidates.
Dorian Brown (left) and Katie Hayden (right)
Dorian Brown and Katie Hayden
Dorian Brown, a Phi Kappa Tau member and Metro College student, has partnered with Katie Hayden, who is a Neuroscience and Political Science major, and a member of ULEAD, raiseRED and the Chi Omega Sorority.
Their platform includes increased campus safety and accountability, increased advocacy for students and diversity of thought on campus.
When asked why students should vote for her ticket, Hayden said, “Our campaign is a campaign of action, and we are committed to making change on this campus. I know that historically everybody who runs has
their own platform, and they don’t always get carried out in the end, but Dorian and I are committed to making change on this campus, and our campaign slogan is “On Day One.” So, we are committed to everything that we stand for and we are committed to listening to your opinion and advocating for you, not only as a student, but also as an individual.”
Sydney Finley and Paighton Brooks
Sydney Finley (left) and Paighton Brooks (right)
“Unfinished Business” is the tagline of the campaign run by junior Political Science and English double major Sydney Finley and sophomore Political Science and Criminal Justice major Paighton Brooks. Finley currently serves as the current executive vice president for SGA, the vice president of the Black and Brown Honors Society and vice president of Judicial Affairs for the National Pan-Hellenic Council.
Brooks is a Woodford R. Porter and McConnell Scholar who has served as director of operations for the SGA executive Vice President and is a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Their platform focuses on three main points: Progress, Accountability, and Dedication. They want SGA to be more transformative and inclusive of the student body, want to hold both the university and SGA accountable by increasing their transparency and want to continue more dedicated efforts to achieve making U of L a “premier anti-racist” institution.
“We have been able to cover so much ground this year, and we look forward to continuing to make positive and effective change for our campus community. As your next SGA President and Executive Vice President, we commit to ensuring that the UofL SGA is an organization for ALL students,” they stated on their Instagram page.
Valerie Tran (left) and Afi Tagnedji (right)
Afi Tagnedji and Valerie Tran
Endorsed by former executive vice president Lexi Raikes, Afi Tagnedji and Valerie Tran aim to use their positions of president and executive vice president to empower the student body.
Their platform includes expanding student emergency funds and need-based aid, increased institutionalization of student engagement and expanding mental health services. They plan to make SGA more accessible through increased communication gateways, implementing better safety standards on campus and expanding the Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
“I’ve known Afi for three years now, and I can say that she is nothing short of the diligent, perceptive, and attentive Student Body President we deserve,” Bioengineering major Sarah Lee stated in an endorsement.
The candidates for service vice president include Ruby Young and Alex Reynolds. The candidates for axademic vice president include Bryson Sebastian, Lucas Threlfall, Julia Mattingly and Kendall Tubbs.
Students also have the ability to vote for college-specific candidates, including college president, vice president and senator. Elections end March 10 and ballots can be found in your U of L email.
File Photos // Instagram (afiandval2022, brownhayden2022, and finleybrooks4sga) //
