Burgio to unveil new platform at press conference

For the staff members, senators and assemblypersons of the Student Association, the spring semester ball officially starts rolling Monday when SA President Anthony Burgio will unveil a new "platform" at a press conference in the Student Union.

The new proposals won't exactly knock anyone's socks off, but they should lead to a stronger SA for the long-term, Burgio said.

"What I asked each department to do is to set a few goals. What are some things you want to accomplish outside of what we set out to do?" Burgio said, stressing long-term feasibility and stability.

The 5:30 p.m. press conference will be held in 330 Student Union and open to the public. It will be taped, but Burgio said he is uncertain whether it will air on SATV.

"(The press conference) is really just a time to let everyone know what we're doing, what we will do, and to ask any questions," he said.

In the days leading up to the press conference, Burgio has been meeting with his individual staff directors and chairmen to set a motivational tone in the new semester and shake off the rust of winter break.

"As far as the presidency is concerned, our biggest thing has been getting the staff back on the same page," Burgio said.

SA Senate Chair Mazin Kased said he had been worried the winter break would dull the staff's dedication.

"I really had my doubts coming into this semester," Kased said. "But they've surprised me."

Burgio added the winter break was a welcome reprieve from a hectic fall semester. "I'll be honest, we were getting burned out," he said.

Now that SA is back in the swing of school, Burgio said he feels the entire staff is ready to run on its second wind. Part of the drive to refocus his administration's goals has to do with leaving a presidential legacy, Burgio admitted, but the move to stabilize and strengthen SA long-term is something every SA president should consider.

As SA Vice President Dela Yador put it, "We don't want to leave the next E-board coming in with a big question mark. We want to be able to leave the next E-board with something concrete to work on."

Yador highlighted the quality of student life at UB as something SA will become increasingly focused on this semester. He added the spring semester can be an easy one to coast through because of all the traditional events, which makes the Monday press conference and new goals somewhat unique.

Burgio echoed the call for continued motivation and called the new platform "the next step in the process."

"Once you're in office, you have blinders on because you're so focused on what you're trying to accomplish," he said. Now, however, Burgio said the blinders are off, which has allowed SA to look towards a broader horizon.

Among the different groups Burgio has met with recently - communications, student life, entertainment - the assembly is the one with the greatest potential for change this semester, which has Assembly Chair Hassan Shibly excitedly anticipating a handful of new members.

"Right now I'm looking forward to getting as many new members as we can," Shibly said.

Shibly called joining the assembly one of the best ways to get involved in SA and campus politics. Application petitions are available in the SA office and can be handed in through Feb. 14.

Last semester, the assembly had 22 voting members. "It might have been small," Shibly said. "But it was very efficient."