Improving our SMU

As part of their application for student body president,candidates have been allowed to write commentaries detailing theirplatforms. Voting will run from Feb. 25 to Feb. 26.

My name is Chip Hiemenz, and I want to be your next Student BodyPresident.

This year, I have had the opportunity to serve you, the studentsof SMU as Student Senate Chief of Staff. With this position camethe responsibility of overseeing the 10 committees which make upSenate with each committee chair directly reporting to me. I alsowas responsible for assisting the student body president in theexecution of his duties.  The 10 committees of Senate includeAcademic Enhancement, Appropriations, Environment, Membership,Student Issues, Organizations, Finance, Scholarship, Diversity andCommunications. These committees play an integral part in the livesof the students of SMU. After being involved in the progress ofthese committees, I was able to gain a firm understanding of whateach committee does for us students. As a result of thisexperience, I now can look back, evaluate each of these committeesand implement improvements to make these committees and StudentSenate more effective for the student body as a whole.

Experienced leadership

I am involved in a variety of activities at SMU, allowing me tohave a hands-on experience in many different aspects of campus.When I first entered SMU, I had the opportunity to be part of theEmerging Leaders program put on by the Leadership ConsultantCouncil. This taught me the basic skills of leadership and alsotaught me effective ways to interact and communicate with people.In addition, I have served in leadership roles across campus ascaptain of the SMU lacrosse team, chief of staff for studentsenate, vice president of finance for the leadership consultantcouncil and various leadership roles in my fraternity. This broadinvolvement has led me to interact with a large, diverse amount ofpeople and learn directly of the many opportunities at SMU. Bycreating these personal relationships, I understand theimprovements that need to occur, and I am confident, under myguidance, that these changes will occur. I want to hear yourthoughts or concerns and make your ideas reality.

A safe campus

          Since Ihave arrived on this campus, it has been my goal to directly becomeinvolved in making this university a better place. As student bodypresident, I want to have the opportunity of serving the studentsof SMU and being there to represent each and every student of thisuniversity. At “our SMU”, we shouldn’t have toworry about cars being broken into, people being stalked and girlsgetting attacked. Throughout the year, there have been manyincidents that have occurred in which students of SMU were victims.Therefore, it is essential that we address this issue on safety andmake changes happen. I propose that the Student Senate add astanding Safety Committee to work hard with the SMU administrationon how to improve campus safety, while also educating the studentson safety and self-defense.

A healthy health center

At “our SMU”, we shouldn’t have to worry aboutgoing to the health center and being diagnosed with a cough when weknow we really have the flu. Time and time again, people aremisdiagnosed and this phenomenon is a real concern that must beinvestigated. Appointments should be easier to make and itshould me a much smoother process going to the Health Center.

Easy access to money for student organizations

This issue is important to me as I have been on both sides ofthe table, first seeking funding as vice president of finance for amajor campus organization and most recently overseeing the Financeand Appropriations committees, which are responsible for allocatingmoney, as senate chief of staff. Since this is our money, as aportion of our tuition goes to Senate, it must be simplified fororganizations to request and receive money.

A bright future

SMU offers so much for its students and we must use theunbelievable opportunities we have here. There is a bright futureat our SMU and together we can make this University a better place.That is why I am asking you this Wednesday and Thursday atwww.smu.edu/elections to choose Chip Hiemenz as your next StudentBody President.

Chip Hiemenz is running for student body president. He may bereached at [email protected].