Editor’s note: The Northern Star Editorial Board Staff communicated to every student running for a Student Government Association Executive Board position via email to represent themselves in a filmed interview regarding their campaign for their positions. The Northern Star Editorial Staff is endorsing the chosen candidates based on the interviews filmed, experience of the candidates and the debates that occurred Thursday.
The Northern Star editorial board does not support voting purely on tickets, students should vote for the candidate they support.
Based on the criteria above, the Northern Star Editorial Board is endorsing the following candidates:
Musgraves, a junior public health administration major, has already held numerous positions in SGA such as DEI chairperson and clerk and is currently the senator for the University-At-Large. Additionally, Musgraves has provided more to the campus beyond SGA by chartering her own student organization on campus, Aspiring Women in Health.
Musgraves said her goals as president would be to get more involved with the student body, push for more teamwork on campus and improve the success rate of students’ academics.
“I want people to know that every single thing that I do is genuine,” Musgraves said. “I am here for you. I want you to succeed. I want you to have fun, I want you to have the support that you need, and I want you, that if you feel like no one is there for you, just know SGA and me, we have your back.”
Innis, a junior accountancy major, is the SGA’s current director of organizational development. One of the main reasons the Northern Star Editorial Board is endorsing Innis is because of his efforts to help strengthen NIU’s student organizations. The SGA has currently helped recognize 26 student organizations, and three more organizations will be voted on Friday.
“I’ve really developed a passion for helping students found student orgs,” Innis said. “They are creating their legacy, and I’ve kind of felt that that was my legacy, was helping other students create their legacy.”
Innis has not only three years of SGA experience holding the positions of chief of staff and director of organizational development, but Innis has life experience serving in the Army for more than six years.
Kramer is a sophomore finance major and current deputy treasurer of the SGA. As a finance major with experience in the SGA treasurer position, the Northern Star Editorial Board believes Kramer is the best decision for the position.
“I am the deputy treasurer currently, so going from deputy treasurer to treasurer will be a very smooth transition,” Kramer said. “I already know what to do. I already know how to do most things. I am already involved in the finance committee. I haven’t missed any meetings yet, I take notes for it, I am very involved in the finances of SGA and I know a lot of what’s going on.”
STUDENT TRUSTEE: AIDAN O’BRIEN
O’Brien, a junior marketing major, is our pick for student trustee. O’Brien has already held two presidential positions prior to his campaign for student trustee. O’Brien is the president of the Sigma Nu Fraternity as well as the president of the Campus Activities Board. O’Brien also has SGA experience previously serving as a senator in the SGA under the college of business constituency.
“I’m running because I really want to establish the importance of that student trustee position,” O’Brien said. “I’ve got a lot of background in SGA, I used to be a senator under the College of Business constituency. I’ve also served as the Campus Activities Board president. Kind of through that role, I’ve worked to provide the fun for students, and I’ve kind of seen on a ground level what students need.”
For more information about SGA executive board candidates, check out the Northern Star’s coverage of the debate.
