As this year's Student Association (SA) elections draw near, endorsements for candidates trickle in from people and organizations across campus.
On Wednesday, backing from the People of Color (POC), Sports, Academic, and Engineering councils were announced, with The Student Party and the Unified Party fighting to the top.
The POC endorsed Unified candidates Cheryl Mohabir and Andrilisa Read for president and vice president, respectively. Also endorsed were Unified's Greg Robbins for treasurer and Evan Hamberger and David Zimmer for SUNY delegates. Delegate hopefuls Amanda Jonas and Nicholas Baxter of The Student Party were also endorsed.
"It's good to know the students agree with our platform," Mohabir said. "I'm happy they trust us to lead SA for one-year term."
The Sports Council sang a different tune. They endorsed The Student Party candidates Hassan Farah and Ernesto Alvarado for SA president and vice president, respectively. Robbins (Unified) was endorsed as treasurer. SUNY delegate-hopefuls Baxter (Student Party), Jonas (Student Party), Emily Bauer (Student Party) and Zimmer (Unified) were also endorsed by the Sports Council.
"[The endorsement] meant a lot since UB is in a transition with the athletic department," Farah said. "It shows how important athletics is for UB's student body."
In the match for the Academic Council endorsement, Mohabir and Read (Unified) prevailed, winning support for their candidacy as president and vice president. Robbins (Unified) was also endorsed as treasurer, along with Unified's Jennifer Lewis (a Spectrum staff writer) as a potential SUNY delegate. Other delegate hopefuls endorsed were Bauer (Student Party), Alex Wallach (Student Party) and Hamberger (Unified).
The Unified Party got the wheels turning for the Engineering Council, who endorsed Mohabir and Read for president and vice president, along with Robbins for treasurer. Endorsed delegates included Hamberger (Unified) and Zimmer, Baxter and Jonas (Student Party).
Thursday evening, Maaz Memon, Change UB's candidate for SA Treasurer, announced his party's backing of The Student Party after reading each party's platform in detail.
"We are going to endorse The Student Party," Memon said. "We see them achieving the goals of the student body."
Farah feels that the endorsement proves what his party is all about.
"I think it shows that [Memon has] done his research," Farah said.
Mohabir said she respects Memon's decision.
"It's his personal choice," she said. "If he believes that they can do a better job, that's his call."
In the treasurer endorsements, Robbins (Unified) was backed by every club. He was very pleased with the results.
"It's a great feeling," Robbins said. "I'm happy that these clubs realize that SA needs to be run like a government rather than a business."
For those who endorsed delegate-hopefuls from The Student Party, Farah believes it is because of the quality of work his candidates show.
"My delegates show an understanding of the job requirements," Farah said. "They've done their research, and from what I see, they cover different aspects that are important to the University at Buffalo and the community."
Mohabir was pleased that three of four of the groups endorsed her and Read, her runningmate on the Unified ticket.
"It's nice to know that [the clubs] can count on me after two years," Mohabir said.
The endorsements followed Tuesday's highly-contested match between the Unified Party and The Student Party for the support of the International and the Special Interest Service and Hobby councils.
On Tuesday, the International Council endorsed Mohabir and Read (Unified) for president and vice president, as well as Fried (Student Party) for treasurer. SUNY delegate endorsements were handed down for Baxter, Jonas and Wallach (Student Party) and Lewis (Unified).
The Special Interest Service and Hobby Councils had their eye on the Unified Party on Tuesday, endorsing Mohabir and Read (Unified) for president and vice president, respectively, and Greg Robbins (Unified) for treasurer. The Student Party's potential SUNY delegates caught the attention of the council, with Baxter, Jonas, Wallach and Bauer (Student Party) receiving endorsements.
Look for future coverage of the SA elections and the results in upcoming issues of The Spectrum.
Additional reporting by Senior Managing Editor Chris Ryndak
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
