Pictured Above: Veronica Jimenez (left or right) and Eran Fruehauf have previous SG experience.
Courtesy of Peyton Lebron
By Trevor Martindale
Veronica Jimenez and Eran Fruehauf are presumed to be the next Student Government governor and lieutenant governor of the St. Petersburg campus.
The ticket is running uncontested in the March 8 to 11 general election. They will only need one vote to be elected.
Jimenez, a third year political science major with a minor in criminology, is not a novice when it comes to SG.
Jimenez was involved in USF’s SG before it consolidated. She initially joined as a senator and eventually became the Senate pro tempore, and then the Senate president. In the last general election, Jimenez ran for lieutenant governor. Now, she serves in the system-wide Senate.
She believes these experiences will assist her in her role as governor.
“(These positions have) given me the opportunity to be familiar with different organizations on campus and be there for the student body,” Jimenez said.
Fruehauf, a third year double majoring in political science and world language and culture, is also a seasoned member of SG who joined as a senator. Now, he is a part of the system-wide Senate, and chairs the Campus Council.
He also attests that his experience makes him qualified to be lieutenant governor.
“I believe that my involvement in SG has prepared me to reach out to organizations, departments and the student body, so that I can properly represent their interests and translate that into action,” Fruehauf said.
Jimenez decided to run for the very reason she got involved in SG.
“I want to benefit and represent the student body in any way that I can,” Jimenez said in an email to The Crow’s Nest.
Fruehauf was motivated to run when he was told that no one else had filed to run.
“I was disappointed to hear that no one had been running a ticket for governor or lt. governor, so I felt obligated to step up and provide our campus with representation,” Fruehauf said in an email to The Crow’s Nest. “I had initially planned on running for leadership positions within (the) Senate next year, but I think having local leadership will end up being more important considering no other candidates are running.”
Jimenez and Fruehauf’s platform focuses on “direct action rather than lofty ideas,” according to Fruehauf.
This entails advocating for tangible policies that address the major concerns of the student body.
“I think that, now, more than ever, students need support,” Fruehauf said. “Many of our students, whether that be incoming freshmen or graduating seniors, are missing out on the college experiences they were promised.”
Jimenez said one initiative “in the works of being discussed” is the installation of printers in the residence halls.
“The library has limited hours due to (COVID-19), so if someone wanted to print out their paper at midnight, they have the ability to do so,” Jimenez said.
Jimenez and Fruehauf are also focused on increasing civic engagement among students.
“During this pandemic, the use of mail in or drop off ballot boxes have been apparent and necessary for keeping people safe,” Jimenez said. “Realizing that this pandemic will not go away any time soon, it will be smart to set up a ballot box for those who are unable to go to the polling sites in person or do not have a means of getting there. By creating a feature that will allow students to vote in a safer way. This can potentially increase student’s activeness in their local and governmental politics.”
Despite the election being uncontested, Fruehauf hopes students evaluate their qualifications.
“I sincerely believe that despite the uncompetitive nature of the election, Veronica and I are more than qualified for office,” he said.
Jimenez and Fruehauf will participate in a recorded “debate” on Monday that will serve as a town hall for students to question the future governor and lieutenant governor. Submit questions via The Crow’s Nest’s social media pages.
