Second-year Renee Chaples is the only candidate interested in running for Student Government Association (SGA) Administrative Vice President during the 2020-2021 SGA election season. She is a dual major student at NVU-Lyndon, studying both Animation and Illustration and Broadcast & Digital Journalism. Chaples is from Palmer, Massachusetts.
Residential students may already be familiar with Chaples as she is a Resident Assistant in the Arnold/Bayley residence halls. Additionally, she is on the women’s tennis team and is employed as a student officer at Public Safety. Chaples held the position of Class of 2023 Representative on the SGA last year and is also involved in the Campus Activities Board, NVUnity, The Critic, Gaming Club, Dance Ensemble, and WWLR.
Several problems Renee Chaples sees among the student body is the general frustration with ” the incompetence of the administrative team when it comes to solving issues that affect our daily lives. In addition to this, students also struggle to trust the higher powers of the campus in relation to bringing up these issues as they cannot expect them to be fixed.” Should she be elected, Chaples plans on working closely with the SGA President to address this lack of trust and communication, as well as “the poor quality of the dining hall.”
According to Chaples, the SGA is the voice of the students. However, she pointed out that this has not always been the case. “The issue with this, and especially during current times, the students feel that their voices have been ignored and no progress is being made. Not only does the administrative team need to be held accountable for taking their students into consideration but they also need to be held accountable for actively working with the SGA and their students in finding proactive solutions,” Chaples said.
As a previous Elected Representative on the SGA, Chaples has had experience hosting Town Halls where she picked locations with heavy student traffic to sit and listen to student comments and concerns. ” In addition to that, I have created student concern sheets that give them the option to remain anonymous and to have email updates regarding the process of their concerns,” she explained. Chaples plans on continuing this structure for the upcoming school year if she gets elected.
When asked why she is the best candidate for the position, Chaples said, “I am a student who is genuinely committed towards the success of her peers. I want everyone to thrive here at NVU-Lyndon academically, emotionally, and mentally and for any reasons there is something in the way of that I want to be the leader and the friend that helps guide everyone towards the solution and comfort.” She stated that she does not see this position as a “shiny name plate,” but as a chance to grow as a person and improve the university for other students.
Students interested in voting for Renee Chaples can do so by writing her name for SGA Administrative Vice President when they fill out the online SGA ballot.
Feature Photo by Alexandra Huff