Despite its history of low voter turnout, Student Government encourages students to run for one of 10 seats in the senate. Courtesy of Student Government
By Emily Wunderlich
Although student senators control the spending of about $1.6 million in student fee revenue each year, recent senate elections have been marked by yawns and poor turnout.
Student Government leaders want this year to be different.
They are encouraging students to apply for one of the 10 open seats on the senate this fall, calling government service an opportunity to develop leadership skills while helping bring positive change to campus.
Student Government is taking applications until Oct. 4. Campaigning begins Oct. 15, with voting Oct. 22-23 in The Reef.
To qualify, students must be enrolled in at least six credit hours as an undergraduate or four as a graduate student. They must also maintain a 2.5 GPA and collect 25 signatures from the student body.
In recent years, Student Government leaders have struggled for relevance on a campus where nearly 90 percent of the 4,800 students are commuters.
Last fall’s election saw a turnout of only 250 voters, according to Crow’s Nest reports. In fall 2016, there was a turnout of 340 voters, and in the fall of 2015, 394 voters. In 2015 fall election, only 25 votes were required to gain a senate seat.
Turnout for spring elections, when more senators and the student body president and vice president are decided, is higher, but still low. Last spring, 650 students voted.
The 20-member senate is the legislative branch of Student Government, which also has a Supreme Court and an executive branch led by the student body president.
The senate enacts, amends and repeals statutes and bylaws in the SG constitution, and it confirms – or denies – appointees of the student body president.
But the senate’s most important role is custodian of the funds generated by students’ activities and service fees.
Half of the $3.3 million from those fees automatically goes to the University Student Center, and the rest is allocated by the senate appropriations committee to clubs and organizations on campus.
Among those organizations are Student Government itself (which has more than $83,000 in salaries in the 2018-2019 budget), the Harborside Activities Board, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and The Crow’s Nest (which was allocated $51,572 this year for salaries, printing costs and other expenses).
Each senator serves on at least two of the five senate committees – appropriations; policy; university and community affairs; special funding; and executive.
Senate President Tiffany Porcelli has a salary of $8,775 and President Pro Tempore Hannah Rose Wanless, $6,243.75. Four of the committee chairs make $693 each.
The remaining senators are not paid.
In an email to The Crow’s Nest, Alex Williams, director of student government relations, said Porcelli encourages students to run for senate because they can improve their leadership skills and be an agent of change.
“(Porcelli) said she ran because she wanted to be a catalyst on this campus, find her roots in an organization and to also expand her professional and personal development through senate,” Williams said in the email.
Williams’ position – which pays $3,168 per year – was created this fall to “increase transparency” between SG and the news media, according to Student Body President Kaeden Kelso.
Under the new policy, every member of SG except Kelso and Vice President Ysatis Jordan must go through Williams when communicating with The Crow’s Nest. Williams said she and other members of SG are available only during business hours, Monday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“Let’s say that there wasn’t an Alex,” said Jon Rowles, Kelso’s chief of staff. “Everybody that you then dealt with would be giving you different responses. This way it’s uniform, it’s the same.
“If there wasn’t her position, we would be much less efficient in our transparency. If she wasn’t there, and it wasn’t her job to get you what you needed, then you would be spending way more time finding it because nobody in Student Government would have the time.”
The new Student Government policy appears to make it less accessible than the university administration.
Regional Chancellor Martin Tadlock routinely speaks to Crow’s Nest reporters, sometimes outside business hours. And Carrie O’Brion – the campus’ director of marketing and communications – says she is available to student reporters “24/7” by email and cell phone.
To apply for the senate, visit the SG office in Student Life Center 1500 or visit the Student Government Elections page on PeteSync. For election questions, contact Supervisor of Elections Alexandria Domingo at domingo@mail.usf.edu. For senate questions, contact senate President Tiffany Porcelli at porcellit@mail.usf.edu.
SG by the numbers:
These are the people paid to represent the student body. Here is how much they stand to earn under the 2018-2019 budget. Job descriptions can be found in the SG statutes on its website.
Executive Branch
Kaeden Kelso, student body president: $10,968.75
Ysatis Jordan, student body vice president: $8,325
Jon Rowles, chief of staff: $5,100
Chief financial officer (open): $5,100
Olivia White, chief legal officer: $1,904
Ana Swartz, director of marketing and communications: $3,168
Lukas Walters, director of web and graphic design: $3,168
Livia Rosales, director of events: $3,168
Gabrielle Donald, director of community outreach: $3,168
Jadzia Duarte, director of sustainable initiatives: $3,168
Alex Williams, director of SG relations: $3,168
Legislative Branch
Tiffany Porcelli, senate president: $8,775
Hannah Rose Wanless, senate president pro tempore: $6,243.75
Tyra Warren, policy chair: $693
Gregory Cote, appropriations chair: $693
Katie Fishman, university community governmental affairs chair: $693
Mikey Sherrill, special funding chair: $693
Judicial Branch
Nisuka Williams, chief justice: $5,850
Christine Rowe, ranking justice: $2,775
Election Rules Commission
Alexandria Domingo, supervisor of elections: $3,712.50
Agency of Stampete
Executive director (open): $3,168
Environmental education and research agency
Director (open): $3,168
Total: $86,869.75
Note: The salaries above total to $86,869.75. The SG budget says the salaries total to $83,702. According to Williams, the exact figure was not immediately available.
