SDSU students will get the chance to vote for new student leadership as the Students’ Association election opens March 25 and 26. Students will vote on the president and vice president as well as senators for the upcoming academic year.

Polls open on March 25 at 8 a.m. and close March 26 at 5 p.m. This election marks the first time in two years that the president and vice president nomination is contested.

Current vice president Hayden Bentz is running for president, alongside current senator-at-large Eleanor Wehseler as vice president. Additionally, senator-at-large Sophie Spier is running for president. Her running mate is current senator for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES) Wesley Siira.

Bentz is a junior human biology pre-med student with plans to go to medical school after graduation. Bentz has been active in senate since his freshman year, when he was a senator-at-large. He then served as student body vice president his sophomore and junior year.

“I’d always really enjoyed student government things in high school and thought this was kind of the natural progression,” Bentz said. “It also just seemed like a really unique opportunity to learn more about SDSU and to make some hopefully meaningful change on campus.”

Wehseler is a junior agricultural communications and public relations double major. She joined SA as a senator-at-large last September.

“What really struck me most about Eleanor is just her ability to find common ground with everybody around the table at SA meetings and wanting to find a solution to problems,” Bentz said about his running mate. “That’s really important when you want to lead the body.”

Spier is a freshman pre-pharmacy major. She joined SA this past September. Before coming to SDSU, Spier was the South Dakota Girls State governor as well as student council president at her high school.

“I kind of jumped in [to senate] right away,” Spier said. “I enjoy leadership and I especially enjoy student involvement.”

Siira is a junior animal science and agricultural science double major. He has been involved in student government for two years.

“We were kind of just told by our peers that we have two corresponding personalities, and he (Siira) actually wanted to run for vice president,” Spier said. “He felt like that fit his strengths the best, he was looking for a partner and I was told that I would be a good partner.”

Bentz and Wehseler’s campaign motto is ‘Change that works.’ Bentz said he and Wehseler want to focus on change that SA can accomplish.

“It has been really beneficial to have the experience both Eleanor and I have in knowing what SA can do, but maybe more importantly what SA can’t necessarily do and accomplish,” Bentz said.

If elected, Bentz and Wehseler want to focus on how to support students academically. Bentz highlighted various colleges that he feels could use additional resources.

“I’m really lucky as a human biology major to have lots of different resources

available to me, with supplemental instruction and tutoring, and lots of really, really awesome stuff,” Bentz said. “But I know in speaking with other majors across campus, if it’s not always the case. A really good example comes in the form of engineering majors and students in the CAFES as well.”

They would also like to expand the hours that Briggs Library is open. Bentz pointed out that other universities similar in size to SDSU have increased library hours.

Bentz-Wehseler also hopes to increase inclusivity for international students, multicultural and disabled students and first generation students. They plan to do this by increasing connections between the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Accessibility (OMAA), TRIO and students.

“I really think for all of our propositions that we offered up during our campaign, we feel that we can really accomplish those,” Bentz said. “In particular that library piece, keeping that open.”

Spier and Siira’s campaign motto is ‘Building on progress, brick by brick.’

“We feel that SDSU is in a really good place right now,” Spier said about their motto. “So we basically want to add on to that with continuous change that will stick around, even when SA leadership overturns.”

If elected, one thing Spier and Siira hope to improve is commuter parking lot efficiency. Spier approached the parking committee with an idea to “expand the technology that would allow commuters to track the ins and outs of lots,” according to Spier.

“I just will preface, this is a big change,” Spier said. “Just specifically regarding technology in general, you have to jump through basically seven rings. But it’s something that I’m personally very passionate about just because I know that SDSU, again, campus is great, but parking doesn’t always seem the best 100%.”

Another initiative Spier and Siira want to implement at the SDSU campus is the green bandana project, a mental health initiative. Wearing a green bandana on a backpack, water bottle or purse is a symbol that you’re a safe place, Spier said.

The last ‘brick’ of Spier and Siira’s campaign is what she calls “executive socials.” She hopes this will foster collaboration between clubs and organizations.

It’s an opportunity for clubs and organizations throughout campus to come together and collaborate.

“We will come together, maybe have some treats,” Spier said, “but also just talk about how SA can benefit these clubs and parts of campus, as for funding, representation, support in general, but also clubs can communicate to collaborate with each other, share ideas.”

A debate between the two pairs of nominees will be held at 12 p.m. on March 24 on the Market stage in the Student Union. The debate is open to the public and will be moderated by current SA president Trinity Peterson and communications chair Gabrielle Fink.

“Basically each candidate will get a chance to make an opening statement, kind of just talk about what they’re doing, what their platform is and why they’re running,” Peterson said. “And then we’ll have some kind of generic questions to start. It’ll also be open for people to submit questions as well, during the debates or before the debate too.”

Students can expect to get an email with an online form to vote. Students will be able to vote for president and vice president as well as senators for any colleges they are a part of. Last year some students reported issues with being able to vote more than once if they were a part of more than one college.

Peterson says those ballot issues should be resolved this year.

“If you’re a double major, you’ll be able to vote in both of those colleges,” Peterson said. “And then, the College of Ag, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES) also has an advocate position that’ll be on that ballot as well.”

There will also be in-person voting on the Market stage in the Union.

“Your SA president and vice president, we meet with President Dunn monthly and a lot of university leadership,” Peterson said. “So, who you elect is really who is advocating for you to those higher up people – to the mayor of Brookings, to the president and even those senators who are meeting with the deans of your colleges and advocating for you based on all of your needs. It’s just really important that you make your voice heard and that you elect people that you feel like you want to represent you, essentially.”