Typically the Student Government Association (SGA) has multiple teams running for president each year, but the 2021-22 campaign has one team, Ally Feiner and Katie Brust.
Feiner, a sophomore studying political science and criminal justice, is running for president. Her running mate is Katie Brust, a junior studying studio art and biology double major who ran for SGA president last year, losing to the current president and vice president Abuk Jiel and Carter Larson.
“The reason why I decided to run for president was because this past year I really saw the effects that COVID and regulations had on all my peers, and I feel like I have a good connection between various different types of peers on campus,” Fiener said.
The focus of Feiner and Brust’s platform is mental health and international student scholarships.
“So our platform mainly is, we focus a lot on mental health because we feel like that’s been really prevalent because of COVID this year,” Fiener said. “But also we really think that it’s important to establish a scholarship for all international students here at USD.”
Brust said that they want to make students more aware of the Cook House and the services it provides students.
“It’s also important for the Cook House to have more visibility so students know that’s on campus, know where to find it and how to get in contact with them, as well as having virtual opportunities for meetings,” Brust said. “I know a lot of students feel that stigma walking into the building, they don’t want to be seen maybe getting support for mental health.”
Feiner and Brust believe they are able to reach most people on campus.
“Katie and I cover good amount of campus,” Feiner said. “She’s in the FA. She is an RA, I’m an arts and sciences ambassador, I’m in Greek life, she’s also in Greek life. So I think that we really cover a good amount of campus where we are able to make connections with people. We’re able to be approachable to all students, and we want to hear what is going on and we want to help you. I feel like SGA often is seen as a point of, I guess being scared or intimidating, a point of authority, and we don’t want that at all. We’re here to work for you.”
Voting for SGA president closes today (Wednesday) at 5 p.m. Students can vote through the MyUSDPortal.
