The Student Government Association is holding their Fall elections this week Nov. 15 and 16 from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Students will be voting to fill 15 vacant Senator seats and two vacant Judicial Council seats.

According to its Web site, the SGA exists to improve the university and “strives to preserve the rights and academic freedoms of all students.”

Recently, the SGA has petitioned for, and received and additional $100,000 in funds for student programming and activities, and passed a proposed smoking policy. They were also influential in the decision to adopt a plus-minus grading system at NKU. The also host an annual saftey walk with administrators to point out dangerous areas on campus.

Students can vote in the election on-line on or off campus. Computer terminals in the University Center and Norse Commons lobbies will be available for voting from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. both days.

Along with the candidates listed on the ballot, students are free to “write-in” candidates. A description and picture of the 14 Senate candidates and one Judicial Counsel candidate one the ballot are shown here.

Judicial Council Candidate

Brett Hardebeck Industrial labor relations major, The only official candidate running for judicial council. Currently the chief justice, he makes sure the SGA is running according to its constitution. He feels the judicial council is important to the SGA because “it helps in establishing rules and regulations on the senate.” If re-elected, one of his main goals will be to rework and improve the constitution the students voted on and the Board of Regents approved in 2005, which he said is written without giving meaning to some words, making its interpretation hard. Hardebeck said he wants “to work with all students, past and present, to create a constitution that will be able to stand up to the growth of the university and will not be able to be changed easily.”

Senator Candidates

Aaron Allgeier Construction management major Feels that he can make a positive difference at NKU and can bring a some new perspectives to the current student government. If elected, he would like to see more involvement from the student body as a whole, and said he “would want to get the issues SGA faces out to the student body” and get their input and opinions back.

Alex Voss Entrepreneurship major Thinks she will be a good addition to the SGA because of how much she cares about NKU and it’s students. If elected, she wants encourage fair representation of students and feels that there is always room for improvement in everything, including SGA. She hopes that SGA will “have an eclectic group of students to represent the student body.”

Brian “Buffalo” Hoelker Psychology major Current SGA senator Feels he should stay in SGA because he has already been fulfilling goals that he set out to accomplish. If re-elected plans on working to improve the current SGA, but not necessarily change it, because according to him, ” if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Colin Klayer Business administration major Appointed as a SGA senator earlier this semester. If re-elected, he plans to “work with SGA to bring increased funding and more awareness to our study abroad program.” In order for the SGA to work to its full potential, he would like to see more students stop by the office and share their opinions and concerns.

Jeff Burch RTV major Feels that his leadership skills and love for politics make him right for SGA. If elected, one of his main goals will be just to be there for the students at NKU and set good examples for them. He said the current SGA seems to be working well, with it share of good and bad things, and doesn’t plan on trying to change the system if elected.

Jonathan Dodd Sports business major If elected, he said he would be good for the SGA because he is positive he can make a difference and “will look out for the best interests of the student body here at NKU.” He wants to see the SGA make themselves more known, and let the entire student body know that they are here to help them make a difference.

Kate Brodbeck A senator in the SGA since 2004 Elected Senator of the Year last year If re-elected, she plans to continue researching and working on her current projects, including the pay-for-print issue and recycling on campus, to make student’s experiences at NKU better. As a speech communication major, Brodbeck hopes to continue to encourage better communication among the members of SGA.

Katrina Kimball Radiology major Feels she can bring fresh ideas to the table. If elected, she plans to ask students what they want out of NKU, then doing all that she can to give it to them. One thing that Kimball would like to change about SGA is that she would like to see them around campus more because she said students don’t really know who the SGA is or what they do for the campus and students.

Lindsey Bendure Biology major Feels that because of her past leadership experience, including being senior class president in high school, she will be an asset to the SGA. If elected, she is dedicated to improving the housing situation and parking situation on campus.

Maria Sleder Political science major Has been a senator since August If re-elected she plans on working more with SGA’s Campus Improvement Committee to “create a campus we can all be proud of.” While she feels the current SGA is doing good, she would like to see more involvement from the student body to “create a more diverse, representational and ultimately powerful student government.”

Michael Herald Public relation and political science major If elected, he wants to get students more involved with the SGA and make sure that the SGA in united and speaks on behalf on the students with one solid voice. He thinks that electing a wide variety of students from different colleges would help make the SGA more representative of all students.

Michael Roark Business marketing major Feels he will be a good addition to the SGA because he is devoted to the students and improving their experience at school. If elected, he plans on talking to students about their cares and concerns and then bringing these thoughts to the table of the SGA. He would like to see the SGA reach more of the students population.

Michael Schafer Business major Feels he is right for SGA because he is very involved on campus through his fraternity, the Student Alumni Association and through his job at the Campus Recreation Center. If elected, he plans to relay the student body’s ideas to the SGA, which “will result in their voices being heard making changes for the students by the students.”

Michelle Eviston Political science and criminal justice major Sponsorship chair for the Relay for Life Committee, Delta Gamma Alumna. If elected, she plans on being a liason for NKU’s students and “will work to improve the services offered to the students.”