Student Association executive board hopefuls swept across the campus communities this week giving short speeches representing their platforms and holding question-and-answer sessions with the audience.
Chris Carpenter/Assistant Photo Editor
Wednesday, March 12, candidates stopped by Hillside Community and spoke before an audience of about 20 people, mostly resident assistants.
RAs said they were unable to comment to Pipe Dream on their positions regarding the election without first getting permission from ResLife. However, they did make it clear in their comments during the Q-and-A session that they are generally seeking candidates who will try to quell the current “disconnect that exists between the SA and ResLife communities.”
Right now, there are limits on the amount of money RAs can be reimbursed for their community and hall programs which almost all of the candidates said they would want to change.
Gianina Giangrande, a senior linguistics major, said she thinks “it’s a shame that only RAs show up.” Even as a senior she believes “it is important to be involved in elections.”
The current academic vice president of Hillside, Michelle De Pinto, a sophomore philosophy, politics and law major who recently transferred to BU, said “programs opened [her] up to the University” and “helped her to get involved.” Before the sweeps, she “had no idea who was running.”
Sean McLeod, a senior political science major and president of Hillside Community, said he believes these types of events are important because without them “students would be less inclined to make an informed decision when they vote.” McLeod is currently heading activities for the community, including a charity poker tournament to raise money for Alzheimer’s.