Miami University’s Associated Student Government (ASG) held elections for four cabinet positions at its April 13 meeting. It will hold its third and final round of elections at its April 20 meeting.
This meeting, ASG held elections for secretary of finance, secretary of the treasury, secretary for diversity and inclusion, and secretary for governmental relations. The elections for secretary for infrastructure and sustainability and secretary for safety were also scheduled to occur at the April 13 meeting, but they were tabled until April 20 due to time constraints.
Sophomore quantitative economics major Heervansh Keswani and incumbent Secretary of Finance Ben Waugh ran for secretary of finance.
Keswani said his experience leading committees for other organizations and his academic background qualified him for the position. He also said he would work on increasing transparency in ASG’s funding system if elected.
Waugh said he would work to incorporate feedback from student organizations into the funding process and make the treasurer training system more accessible and engaging if re-elected.
Waugh was re-elected to the position.
For the position of secretary of the treasury, junior accountancy major Vathsa Yarramsetty ran against incumbent Dan Bosworth.
Yarramsetty said he would increase transparency and empathy between the funding and audit committee and student organizations if elected.
Bosworth said his experience working with ASG’s million-dollar budget made him the most qualified candidate for the position. He also said he would implement an emergency fund that organizations could request funding from without a hearing if re-elected.
ASG voted no confidence for the position, so another election will be held at a later date.
Off-Campus Senator Jakin Wu, RA Senator Cameron Bracely and Academic Senator Vada Stephens ran for secretary for diversity and inclusion.
Wu said he would work on ensuring all students had legal and financial support and addressing predatory loan practices if elected.
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Bracely said his experience as a queer person of color on Miami’s campus would allow him to advocate for students with a variety of identities. He also said he would work on getting Miami students free sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing.
Stephens said he would implement diversity-related workshops for members of ASG and expand gender inclusive restrooms on campus.
ASG elected Stephens to the position.
Sophomores Gillian Brown and Austin Tyree ran for secretary for governmental relations.
Brown said she would work on increasing voter turnout for the 2022 midterm elections and fostering more civic engagement among international students if elected.
Tyree, a member of the governmental relations network, said he’d work with other political organizations on campus, like College Democrats and Republicans, to ensure students on campus were registered to vote.
Tyree was elected to the position.
ASG will hold elections for secretary for infrastructure and sustainability, secretary for safety, speaker pro tempore and parliamentarian at its next meeting at 6 p.m. on April 20.