Student Association Vice President Dela Yador told The Spectrum on Thursday that he plans to run for SA president this spring.
He did not disclose any other members of his ticket, but said they will be people who share his vision to strengthen UB.
"The people I work with have to share the same visions as me and Anthony, and continue to strengthen SA and take SA to new heights as every E-board does every year," Yador said.
In a separate announcement concerning the upcoming SA elections, a new ticket emerged for the four SUNY SA delegate positions. Matthew Pelkey, president of the College Republicans, will head the "Reform Our Campus Party" with Elizabeth Salzman, Robin Padliya and Francisco Baiocchi.
The four SUNY SA delegates, along with the SA president who counts as a fifth delegate, represent UB in Albany in the overall SUNY Student Association.
Currently, SA President Anthony Burgio, Robert Batdorf, Russell Cox, Thomas Martin and Emily Johnston serve as UB's delegates.
The spring election will be held March 29 through 31.
Yador said he is pleased to see students starting to announce their candidacy.
"I'm happy people are trying to get involved and make things happen, as long as the job is done efficiently and accurately and progress is made, I'm happy with it," Yador said.
Baiocchi, of the Reform Our Campus party, said his group's main goals are to improve the student voice in delegate decisions and to reform the current SUNY SA structure.
"My own personal spin on it is that the core of student government needs to be student advocacy, and that is not the case in the system as it stands," Baiocchi said. "I feel there needs to be greater accountability. It's an honor to be a delegate and it bewilders me that the current delegates haven't taken the position as seriously as it should be. UB students deserve better."
Yador said in the event he wins the SA president position, he wants to get over the errors made this year and work with people who will strengthen organization.
"My main focus is to work with people who want to continue making progress," Yador said. "I'm ecstatic and I'm happy that someone wants to come in and change how SUNY SA is run. This year a lot of errors were made, and we have a lot to learn from."
According to A.J. Baynes, the Reform Our Campus party's campaign manager and a senior political science major, the party feels there is no current checks and balances system in place with SUNY SA, and they want to reform the way the system is run.
Baynes added that in previous elections, SA's candidates have practically run unopposed.
"We want to make sure the voice of students are heard and make sure the student body is understood," Baynes said. "In years past, no one took it as seriously as they are taking it now."
Pelkey, who was unavailable for comment, said in a press release he wanted to take SA to a higher level with new ideas and commitments.
"As a group of politically active people both on and off campus, we feel we have the leadership, determination, and skill to take the position of SUNY SA delegate to a new level. With such an extensive list of goals and ideas, it is important to remember that we are here to serve the students, not the other way around," Pelkey said in a statement. "We are united in our goals of not only reform at a campus level, but also at a state level."
Yador said he, too, is not satisfied with the way SUNY SA is currently run, and hopes to change the level of organization.
"I have concerns where the criteria is set, where SUNY SA is at, and it's my job to make it better," Yador said. "I've heard a lot of things about how unorganized it is in Albany and I think whoever goes in there has to be up for the challenge."
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
