As we near the end of the student government term, I remember to place myself in the shoes of a constituent, a student organization leader and a club member, now more than ever. College Council has a unique position as the largest chartering and funding entity at Emory University — one that houses nearly 300 student organizations, offers our members a distinctive vantage point and provides a deep understanding of the structures, challenges and opportunities within student life and University administration. As the outgoing College Council president, I have had the incredible honor of experiencing these connections firsthand. This relationship with the student body is sacred, and I cannot help but feel protective. Now, the success of our student government institutions, community well-being and collective growth as a university hinge on incoming leadership.
In the simplest sense, one’s candidacy can be judged by two factors: ability to lead and edge for advocacy. Take one away, and you have a subpar leader who will either struggle to run their office or lack the action-oriented mindset needed when faced with student concerns. I am not comfortable with a candidate who has either of these shortcomings.
So I ask myself: What would I want my Student Government Association (SGA) president to do if I am struggling to keep my club running? I would want them to be swift in connecting me with both the upstream and downstream resources to survive. If they have to look to veteran SGA members to learn the ropes and figure out the next steps, I may run out of time. Being decisive, bold and empowering in moments of weakness is key to serving students well.
Similarly, if I have a more personal concern — one of urgent need and quality of life — I would want student leadership to spring into action instead of scrambling for the very answers I seek. Knowing that they could tap into their wealth of knowledge of campus resources and help me overcome any storm as a student is crucial for earning my vote.
We are incredibly fortunate this year to have SGA presidential and executive vice presidential candidates with impressive levels of experience and ambition. I am unable to speak on all candidates, however, as some have not taken part in student government before. While I strongly believe that the introduction of new perspectives is essential in student government, the role of a vice president or president is not where this should start. Advancement of our institutions can only come about if stability can first be maintained. We cannot expect candidates to innovate when the newness of their role may only allow them to focus on survivability.
Second-year College Council Legislator Seth Weinfield (27C) brings an extensive background in student government experience. Since his freshman year, I have seen him be heavily involved in the College Council and SGA legislature — it is rare to find individuals with a sustained drive to serve the student body. My brief exposure to the work of Maahi Sethi (27C), director of the SGA First Year Council, has left a similar positive impression, as her efforts with the council have offered our first-year students the mobility they need to thrive at Emory.
That leaves us with Tyler Martinez (26C) and Zoe Grotjan (24Ox, 26B). Martinez, Emory National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s second vice president, has worked across several entities within student government to bring about changes our student body desperately needs. This type of advocacy, one that recognizes the multifaceted nature of our governance landscape, is truly consequential. It is necessary for the next SGA president to have experience with Student Governance Services (SGS), Student Involvement, Leadership and Transitions (SILT) and divisional councils.
This election is also about more than just the funding and chartering processes — it is about setting the course for a student government that truly serves its people. Martinez stepped into the presidency role when the Belonging and Community Council (BCC) launched this past year. With the continued support and partnership of the BCC, cultural organizations have put on their largest iterations of signature events to date and kicked off multiple new events. These partnerships were an amazing shift from the previous norm of student government denying collaborations with clubs under the pretense of bias prevention. BCC built the bridges our community truly needed and thankfully received.
However, this is just the surface of what Martinez has been involved in. The creation of the BCC meant creating a new College Council from the ground up. The council needed someone who not only could integrate all of the financial and chartering infrastructure that College Council had but also would be brave enough to enact the systemic changes students needed. Today, we can see how this bravery has shaped a lasting relationship between this student government group and the greater student body. Through the protest debrief events, cookouts with cultural organizations and the swift release of statements when our communities were hurting, I have already seen the type of bold leadership I want the SGA to have.
Grotjan, a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Council and SGA legislator, also brings a background that uniquely positions her to provide the innovative leadership and unifying approach our campus needs. As the former Oxford SGA vice president of finance, her expertise in SILT and Student Governance Services ensures SGA’s financial health — a non-negotiable asset for incoming SGA leadership. There are few individuals who understand the intricacies of campus finance, and their insights are necessary to strengthen our institutions. Furthermore, Grotjan has shown an edge for advocacy during her tenure in student government by taking part in restructuring projects, representing BBA Council in College Council and helping College Council organizations secure emergency funding. Without this demonstrated, in-depth knowledge of key financial and administrative processes, we run the risk of tasking the SGA with a mission it might not have the tools to sustain, let alone advance.
As an institution, we have come so far with the recent uninhibited advocacy for our students, community building efforts and innovation in student government. We need seasoned, actionable leaders who can continue to take us further. To this end, I endorse Martinez and Grotjan for SGA. The candidates’ class year and time in student government are not what led me to decide the only clear choice this election. Rather, it was their ability to leverage experience, open-mindedness and a go-getter attitude to serve the student body’s evolving needs.
I want to emphasize the importance of kindness for the leaders of tomorrow and the students they are answerable to. There is no election or competition more important than the feeling of security and belonging that we should have with one another. Let’s vow to make this election one with the utmost respect and professionalism, one where no candidate or constituent feels ostracized, silenced or unseen. Ask the tough questions, seek the tough answers and remind yourself to listen, not just hear. Our community should not suffer the fallout of another divisive election cycle. The betterment of student government is a shared goal, and irrespective of election outcomes, we must conduct ourselves in a manner that enables us to come together on this path to collective growth. Here’s to a revolutionary year ahead in student government.
Contact Jannat Khan at jannat.khan@emory.edu
