Hi DePaulia,

Hope all is well!

Thank you for covering SGA these past couple months. We appreciate you taking an unbiased approach to your reporting as that is what this university, and this world, needs more of. With that, I want to follow up regarding last night’s presidential debates and offer this statement as you prepare your coverage report.

Originally, I had planned on staying out of elections completely. I did not want to make it appear that I was by any means trying to “pass the torch,” but instead, I wanted the candidates to earn the student body’s trust and support. However, after hearing both teams yesterday, this all changed.

Being SGA President and Vice President requires a level of maturity, foresight and cultural competency that is unlike any other position on campus. They are responsible for spearheading internal change within the organization, collaborating with university stakeholders to drive strategy, and delegating responsibilities to other members. The SGA president also has a seat at the table in the school’s Joint Council, the Policy Review Group, and the Strategic Resource Allocation Committee. As the sole student voice in these spaces, they have the unique responsibility of making informed decisions that will answer the needs of today while also responding to the long-term opportunities and challenges of the university.

After being in these spaces, I have spent the last month asking myself who I trust with this responsibility going forward. Who has the experience, discipline and strategic potential to lead SGA into this new era? Who has already demonstrated that they are prepared to assume these responsibilities from day one? I have listened to both teams and have examined the platforms put forth.

The answer to that is Jack Evans and Katy Bozich.

I endorse them not because we agree on everything or because I’m trying to protect my “legacy.” Katy and I actually ran on opposing campaign teams last year, and Jack has been one of my most vocal critics all year. I endorse them because they are brave, fearless advocates who are not afraid to challenge the status quo. They understand the magnitude of the positions they seek and the privilege and responsibility of the platform. They also understand SGA is only strong when our partnerships with students and student organizations are strong.

Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to work alongside them both and learn from them. Jack has been a part of the university’s Strategic Planning Task Force, collaborated with citywide SGA’s to build a coalition and has assisted in the overhaul of our constitution. Katy has been a tireless advocate on our Academic Affairs front. She has gone above and beyond, meeting with both faculty and staff council, in efforts to make course evaluations public and for the university to explore open source textbooks. They have taken a disciplined approach, backed by internal member support and informed by evidence, in their activism. They have responded to the challenges of today, while also being aware of the long-term implications of the issues most relevant to students.

There is too much at stake right now for us to be focusing on toilet paper. We have undocumented students worrying about their status. We have graduating seniors wondering when they’re going t get a job so they can begin their careers. We have students who still do not feel that DePaul is inclusive towards them. These are the relevant issues, not bath tissue. Thanks for reading.