SGA election results were released April 5, with 10 positions accounted for.
Gabby Stokes was elected as Vice President of Operations, and she plans to help publicize SGA more on campus.
“My main goals are to publicize SGA on campus more, support senator projects as well as further my own [online tutoring video initiative], and encourage students to attend senate meetings and town hall events.
“I feel as though many students are not aware of what SGA does and because of that do not use it like the valuable resource that it is,” she said.
Stokes encouraged students to reach out to SGA with any concerns or questions.
“I want students to know that their input is so valuable and appreciated and that our doors and email inboxes are always open. We are a student-first organization and I hope that they know that all the decisions that we make are what we believe is in their best interest.
“I expect our new executive board to be ready to take student input into consideration in every action we take in the future and I am confident that we will,” she said.
Phoenix Vu, who was elected executive president, said he has some big plans for his time in office, like the beautification of campus.
“I think UCA has one of the prettiest campuses in Arkansas, but I’m envisioning a campus where, on any given day with nice weather, you can see people picnicking, eating and doing homework outside, throwing a football around or hammocking while reading a book,” Vu said.
“We took the first step in doing this when we set up the giant outdoor chess set behind the amphitheater. That project has been so successful that I’d like to have other outdoor games around popular areas of campus.
“I also want more and improved outdoor seating, especially in the less popular parts of campus. This means more chairs, benches, and tables that are actually comfortable to sit in for long periods of time. If people are going to be outside during the hotter months of the year, they’ll need shade.
“There are several stretches of campus that could greatly benefit from more trees to provide shade. For example, walking from Farris, New, Hughes, to Lewis Science Center. Trees are also just nice to look at and may slightly alleviate the campus’s flooding problems.
“It’s an ambitious project, but one I think people will love. It brings people together, makes campus prettier, and is a tangible product that will be used by students for years to come,” Vu said.
Vu said he looks forward to working with the new executive board in the coming year and wants students to interact with SGA more.
“I’ll reiterate that I’m incredibly excited to see what this exec will accomplish. I know we all have a lot of ideas to bring to the table and we’re far from being all talk. But it’s not all about us either. I really want students to know that we are always open to new ideas and thoughts from students.
“Our office is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. every weekday and we have a suggestion box on CubConnect,” he said. “At the end of the day, we strive to serve the needs of all 9,900 or so students at UCA.”