Manhattan University Student Government board members for the 2023-2024 year.
@MCSTUDENTENGAGE / INSTAGRAM
Leyla J Mercado, A&E Editor
Manhattan University’s Student Government Association (SGA) has announced three new members to fill their vacant positions. The newly elected students will serve through the end of the spring semester. Andrew Berg was sworn in as one of two O’Malley School of Business vice presidents, Delaney Briggs as one of two Kakos School of Arts and Sciences vice presidents and Maggie Voll as one of the sophomore class vice presidents.
Candidates presented their speeches on Feb. 5 at SGA’s general meeting where they presented their goals and initiatives, which were followed by current and executive assembly members voting on who should be appointed.
With the intent to fulfill the positions that were currently vacant, Executive Vice President Colin Ratner, a senior communication major, discussed what qualities he was in search of when regarding possible candidates.
“Personally, I was just looking for someone well-connected and enthusiastic,” Ratner wrote to The Quadrangle. “Someone who’s up for the challenge and can follow-up while working efficiently. These roles fit perfectly into what we are trying to do, which is laying the foundation for future success.”
The new appointees have made it their mission to represent the student body of their new constituents through efforts to ensure student voices are heard and concerns are addressed.
Berg, a junior finance and accounting double major, shared what led him to his decision of running for the position. He elaborated on how his involvement in other MU spaces have contributed to his ability to fulfill the position.
“I’m involved in a good amount of business clubs [and] on the E-boards as well, so I felt like that gave me the experience to be able to represent the student body here at the O’Malley School of Business,” Berg said. “I feel like now being in this role, I’m able to let all business students know that I’m a contact point for them.”
Berg went on to discuss the plans he has moving forward in this position.
“I would like to host a town hall,” Berg said. “It would give myself, as well as my co-Vice President Chris Parson, a better understanding of some of the concerns or maybe even ideas that students would like to see here in the school of business. I think it would also be helpful to engage in that open dialogue to understand where everyone is coming from, especially in terms of certain events that they would like to see.”
Briggs, a junior environmental studies major, discussed the importance of student engagement and how she intends to increase it throughout campus.
“I wanted to take on this position, or at least help in student government to encourage more student engagement on campus,” Briggs said. “There’s a lot of events that happen that people don’t hear about because there’s not a lot of marketing for it…so I wanted to help with that process so more people can get involved with the events that are actually happening.”
Briggs further elaborated on her main goals as vice president.
“With all the recent changes in the past two years, or even the last six months within Manhattan University, with the staffing and advising, a lot of Kakos students don’t know who their advisors are,” Briggs said. “They haven’t sat down and had a genuine conversation, so I really want to help with that process [and] help everyone get to know each other.”
Both Briggs and Berg hold the intent of fostering a sense of community amongst both respective student bodies.
“It’s about listening to my peers,” Berg said. “My job is to represent them. My sole responsibility is for them to have a voice in student government and I just want them to know that I have their backs, that I’m their point of contact and that I will be the one who advocates for them. I take that responsibility very seriously because I’ve been really grateful to be a student here.”
Briggs went on to discuss why it is so important that students take advantage of their opportunities to be heard.
“As a student you have so many ideas of how to make stuff better, how to change things, but you don’t really have that position,” Briggs said. “So, it’s exciting to be given this opportunity to listen to my peers about their concerns and with those concerns, help change things.”