It’s Party Time: An Introduction to UNF Parties running for Student Government
February 16, 2019
Campaign season is usually a time to dread, but for UNF students it’s a time to form their parties and promote ideas that could change the face of the university.
For the 2019-2020 year, three parties are running for student government positions. While they all share similar ideas, like supporting the Counseling Center, they each seek to help students in different ways.
Here’s a look at the Forward, Frontier, and PINK party.
Moving Forward: Revisiting the Forward party
In the Spring 2018 semester, President Jenna DuPilka and Vice President Maria Bermudez won the elections for the Forward party.
A year later, vice chairman of the party John Aloszka feels that they’ve performed well.
“I’m really proud that when you look down the list of what we wanted to do, we’ve accomplished a good chunk of it,” Aloszka said. “When you get into student government, you’re kind of told you’re lucky to get three things done.”
One of the forefront accomplishments of Forward was securing $195,421 to improve the library’s wifi. Other successful projects include bringing a new lounge to the John A. Delaney Student Union, setting up new umbrellas and swings around campus, and installing a new university seal near the library.
The party hopes to improve in the future by fulfilling more of their projects and initiatives.
For the 2019-2020 year, Forward hopes to create a Student Involvement Center, expand services of the counseling center, and replace the Boathouse.
To find out more about the Forward party, you can like their page on Facebook and follow them on Instagram @forwardunf.
A New Frontier: Meet the Frontier party running for Student Government
Lee Tomlins, Chairman of the Frontier Party and former Chief Justice of Student Government, is promoting a platform to include all UNF students and expanding benefits.
When asked what sets the Frontier party apart from the others, Tomlins said it all comes down to passion. When UNF was able to help him during a personal tragedy, Tomlins found a place of comfort on campus.
“Last semester my parents got a divorce and my uncle died,” Tomlins explained. “And so I started going to the Counseling Center. That really made UNF my home, and I would like to include all students to make it their home as well.”
A few of Frontier’s initiatives include improving parking and giving support to the Counseling Center.
PINK isn’t just a color. It’s a party.
PINK stands for People Invested In Kindness. They’re running on a platform of giving support to the Counseling Center, replacing the restaurant Slice, and offering more resources to students like power outlets in Starbucks and rentable scientific calculators in the library. Marisa Materazzi, chairwoman of the PINK party, stated that the party is ready to listen to students.
“PINK Party is all about inclusion, we’re accepting of anyone and everyone,” Materazzi said. “We are focused on driving home that students are important and their voices need to be heard…college is a big experience for students, and we just want to make it the best that it can be.”
While Forward is set apart by their experience, PINK is the opposite: they’re a group of freshman who want to mold the rest of their college experience.
For more information on the PINK party, look for flyers around campus and news of a social media page.
SG Elections take place on March 5 and 6.
Updated 2/21/19 11:53 a.m.
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