SGA Election Results!

March 30, 2015

ELECTION RESULTS ARE IN!

Winners are highlighted in yellow.

For President/Vice-President                                                                    Votes

                Chase Goodwin/Esteban Gonzalez                                          466

                Joshua Sims/Keiota Jones                                                        264

Senate Chairperson                                                                                      Votes

                Erin Lucier                                                                                        634

Treasurer                                                                                                            Votes

                Austen Nahass                                                                                  628

Secretary                                                                                                             Votes

                Esmerelda Trevino                                                                          656

School of Business Senators (6 positions)                                            Votes

                Ana Bedon                                                                                          54

                Dreyvis Perez                                                                                    48

                Sergio Ballesteros                                                                           38

                Aizaz Shaikh                                                                                       29

                Terrell Dudley                                                                                   28

                Marsean Lumzy                                                                                24

School of Education Senators (4 positions)                                          Votes

                Crystal Serrato                                                                                  24

                Brandon Denson                                                                              14

                Marrius Brown                                                                                  8

School of Health Sciences Senators (4 positions)                                              Votes

                Mychaela Garner                                                                             34

                Akeia Lyles                                                                                         24

                Tammy Lu                                                                                           23

School of Liberal Arts/Undeclared Senators (7 pos.)                        Votes

                Flurim Aliu                                                                                         96

                Usama Lakhani                                                                                  72

                Tuyen Chau                                                                                        66

School of Science and Technology Senators (6 pos.)                        Votes

                Obu Obu                                                                                              101

                Fethi Basha                                                                                        85

                Ivan Magana                                                                                      65

                Syeda Kazmi                                                                                      63

                Ann Abraham                                                                                    62

                K.C. Okebalama                                                                                   52

                Ahla Ko                                                                                                49

Judicial Council (5 positions)                                                                      Votes

                Monica Sandoval                                                                             353

                Roshan Joseph                                                                                  242

                Rachel Patti                                                                                        221

                Dejan Cavic                                                                                        207

                Cassie Spell                                                                                        153

                Rodica Kajanovic                                                                              130

Medical Marijuana in Georgia?

The stigma of pot-heads and stoners persists despite the recent trend toward medicinal marijuana. When I see discussions of medical marijuana, my first thought goes back to a few episodes of the television show Weeds. Doug Wilson, the self-centered and childish former politician finagles a prescription for medical marijuana which he enthusiastically and humorously exploits. I imagine I’m not the only one who secretly giggles whenever someone tries to talk about the serious benefits of marijuana. However, as Georgia joins the list of states authorizing medicinal marijuana, it may be time we change our thinking and look at the intense struggles of those who suffer from seizure disorders or other diseases. How could we not want to help them?

On Friday, Governor Deal signed an executive order that decriminalizes cannabis oil for the treatment of certain diseases and will expedite the enactment of HB1. HB1 is nicknamed Haleigh’s Hope Act in honor of Haleigh Cox, a 4-year old girl who suffers from debilitating seizures and had to move to Colorado in order to receive cannabis oil. As a medical refugee, Haleigh’s condition greatly improved but she and her family missed their home here in Georgia. On their Facebook page, Haleigh’s mother explained the huge improvements that Haleigh has made since they have been able to control her seizures, how talkative and expressive Haleigh has become, and how happy she is to bring Haleigh back home to Georgia. This young girl certainly doesn't look like a pothead to me!

Haleigh Cox, www.facebook.com/HopeForHaleigh

The disease list is certainly not complete, and WSBTV reported that Fibromyalgia was removed from the list when the bill passed through the Health and Human Services Committee where Senator Renee Unterman serves as Chairman. According to WSBTV, the list includes sickle cell anemia, cancer, Crohn's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease, multiple sclerosis, mitochondrial disease, Parkinson's disease, and seizure disorders. It is also worth noting that smoked forms of marijuana will not be legalized, and the cannabis oil has lower amounts of THC or tetrahydracannabinol which makes the user feel dizzy or high.

What do you think? Can we change the stigma of marijuana and see it for the benefits it offers to those suffering? Or will we always see it as the comedic stoners getting high and eating Cheetos?

SGA Elections...What You Need to Know!

SGA Elections and Presidential Debate

3/24/2015

Student Center- LVIS

                First: You should know how to vote. Log in to the GetInvolved site at ggc.edu. Above the “Events and News” box there should be a little banner with a clickable link that says “Vote Now!” Once you click it you will be led to the instruction page and can proceed from there. Beside each candidate’s name there is an icon which shows the candidate’s answers to questions about the role of the SGA. All students can vote for executive offices (like the president) and the Judicial Council, but the senate seats are slightly different. Students who have a declared major can only vote for the senators running to represent their school, but undeclared majors can vote for Liberal Arts as well. There are a lot of positions in the Student Government. Here’s a quick rundown of the students who introduced themselves at the meeting Tuesday, and the school they will represent:

For Senate:

Erin Lucier – Business (Senate Chairperson)

Esmeralda Trevino – Education

Ana Bedon –Business

Dreyvis Perez – Business

Aizaz Shaidh – Business

Mychaela Garner – Health Sciences

Tammy Lu – Science and Technology

Akeia Lyles – Health Sciences

Flurim Aliu – Liberal Arts

Fethi Basha – Science and Technology

Ivan Magana – Science and Technology

Obu Obu – Science and Technology

Students running for Judicial Council:

Roshan Joseph

Rachel Patti

Monica Sandoval

Cassie Spell

Dejan Cavic

Rodica Kajanovic

* Other students may be running for office that were not in attendance at the event *

                There is a lack of time and perspective involved when it comes to GGC’s elections. The deadline for students to submit the application to run is March 16^th. Those students who are accepted have about 2 days to submit their campaign materials for approval. Campaigning cannot begin until March 21^st. The elections are held from March 25-27^th, and there is one official event to meet the candidates and for the presidential candidates to debate. The LVIS event was only available for one hour, so the debate between President Chase Goodwin and Senator Joshua Sims consisted of 8 questions decided on and asked by the Election Committee and 1 question asked by a student in the audience. Current Vice-President Esteban Gonzalez spoke for about 30 seconds and Mr. Sims’ Vice-Presidential candidate Keiota Jones was absent due to illness. Ms. Jones has also been absent for Judicial Council meetings so far this semester.

                There are many ways that the candidates are similar. They both agree that students need to become more involved, and that athletics and non-traditional students are important and should be supported. However, there are some important ways in which they differ and these represent different visions for the school moving forward.

                The first major difference is on a stipend that is paid to the President and Vice-President every semester, $1,200 and $800 respectively. President Goodwin believes that the stipend is important, and allows the President to devote more time to being involved on campus rather than needing a part-time job to make it through school. His contention is that the job of being President is a demanding one, and that the number of hours devoted per week to the office make the stipend less than minimum wage. There are conditions on the money and it can be taken away if the candidate in office does not live up to the expectations. Mr. Sims says he would not accept the stipend, and that it should not be a part of holding the office. He believes that service should be the number one reason for becoming president, not money. Mr. Sims accused President Goodwin of hurting the relationship with the administration by asking for more stipend money. President Goodwin denied this, saying that the stipend was created by the administration before he came to office. Goodwin also explained that he is willing to fight with the administration as he did when the school did not accept an offer to host former President Jimmy Carter on campus for free. President Goodwin when asked after the debate said that the stipend doesn’t go to his personal use and he would run for President with or without it.

                Another major difference is on the subject of fraternities and sororities on campus. President Goodwin fully supports bringing in Greek Life and introduced the idea as a Freshman senator. He believes that fraternities and sororities are about service to the community, and that they will help bridge the gap between students at GGC. Mr. Sims is against fraternities and sororities on campus. He believes they represent the negative aspects of college life and increase the chances of drug and alcohol use as well as risky sexual behavior. Mr. Sims says that he is personally opposed to Greek Life, but if it is the will of the students then he won’t stand in the way.

                The question becomes what you the student believe is the vision of GGC for the future and what makes the SGA as effective as possible. Should the president be given a stipend for his or her service? Does having a stipend in place serve as a reason to get elected to office and stay there or does it provide a way for a student of lesser means to be able to achieve the same office, regardless of finances? We certainly don’t want to show favoritism to those of greater means, but we also don’t want students to seek the office for monetary gain.

                Should GGC become more like a traditional college campus and have fraternities and sororities, and should that be a focus of the SGA? Do fraternities and sororities give more options to the students for networking and service, or do they provide a distraction to learning while facilitating the use of drugs and an increase in the chance for sexual assault? Perhaps the introduction of Greek life could serve to connect students on campus where there is traditionally very little connection and communication between commuters, residents, and athletics.

                And finally, it comes to how you believe effective governance happens. President Goodwin has been in this role for a year. He knows the processes behind how things happen at the school and has a relationship with the administration, which he described as “love/hate.” President Goodwin because of his role has a deeper knowledge of the college’s plans and who to contact to get things done. Mr. Sims believes that he would better represent the needs of all students, needs which he says aren’t being answered now. He says he does not want the role of president for his own gain and would not take the stipend it comes with; he only wants to serve the students. Would his service mean revitalized efforts, or would his service prove an uphill battle where President Goodwin has already laid the foundations for change?

                Voting ends on March 27^th at 5pm, tables will be set up around campus to make voting easier. Take the time available to get to know the candidates and the issues, then go vote!

As always, if you need more information we are here to help! Contact us at TheGlobeGGC@gmail.com, @TheGlobe_GGC or www.Facebook.com/TheGlobeatGGC

John Arnold