Current Student Government Association President Ricky Kirby hopes to lead his Making A Difference party to a second-year victory during elections.
If elected, Kirby's running partner Prataj Ingram would take former SGA vice-president EuDarius Jones' position. Jones is set to graduate in December, and was unable to accept the offer to run for a second term.
"She has a way to bring in any culture and can work with anyone of any background," Kirby said about Ingram. "To be able to accept and work with diversity is one of the best qualities I think there is."
Ingram has been heavily involved with SGA this year and served as a senator, where she passed multiple bills including the proposal of a bridge over the railroad tracks and a new recreation center. Construction on these projects is to begin spring of next year.
"I hope people focus on what is real and let the work speak for itself," Ingram said. "We pride ourselves in being able to say we accomplished everything we said we would."
Ingram also serves as a Frosh Camp counselor and is the president of the Mock Trial team.
Kirby and Ingram both agreed one of SGA's biggest achievements of the year is its support of the tuition freeze.
"That tuition cap has not been done for a while," Ingram said. "On top of that, we are starting programs and different ideas to keep it low because the last thing we want to do is lower the tuition and have it go back up."
MAD plans to continue to carry out their promises from this year as well as making new ones for next year.
"The MAD campaign has a lot of initiative, and I just think is just ready," Ingram said. "They all are eager and don't want to just sit back. They're ready to get in there."
The party is made up of 83 members, all from different backgrounds. Plans for this term include keeping tuition flat and giving students nine free credit hours in the summer or pay for up to 12 hours in the school year in order to increase affordability and retention.
"A lot of students can't get out in four years because they can't afford to pay for 15 hours," Kirby said. "When it's cheaper to pay for 12, there is not an incentive to take the extra three each semester to graduate."
As a Chicago native, scholarships for out-of-state students is something that is very important to Ingram. She hopes to make it easier for students like herself by creating more scholarships for out-of-state students.
When Kirby came into office, he made it clear he wanted to change the way SGA is viewed by students.
"Last year, I never saw the SGA office open and this year you can't come in and it's not open," he said. "We rebranded it to make it more official with administrators and more recognizable for students."
Since he was elected into office, the amount of Twitter followers on SGA's page has tripled. A Facebook page was also started which now has over 900 likes.
"As cheesy as it sounds, we have done something to touch everyone's life," he said. "I have a passion for this, and I love knowing every day I come in here we are making a difference."
Election results will be released at 3 p.m. Friday. Online voting for the Student Government Association is open and voting ends at 11:59 p.m. March 27.
