SGA president-elect Travis A. Williams said Sunday that he’s charged to bring a “jam-packed” and “fun” year to the campus, despite attempts by other candidates to appeal disqualification rulings handed down by the SGA’s judicial branch.
“We’ve kept silent because we respect the electoral process,” said Williams, a sophomore business administration student from Fort Lauderdale. “But we’re ready to get the ‘Genesis’ administration going.
“I’m glad to see that it’s finally coming to a close.”
Williams and vice president-elect Aziza Bowser are making plans for homecoming and other activities scheduled for the summer.
But they’re doing it so far without an administrative cabinet.
“It puts us in a bad state,” said Bowser, a junior political science student from Gainesville. “It’s just going to be Travis and myself planning everything.”
Because the elections were drawn out due to appeals and legal counsel changes, Williams and Bowser were certified Thursday morning as SGA president-elect and vice president-elect, respectively. Bowser said they are looking into asking the senate to hold a special summer session so that a cabinet can be put in place. All cabinet selections must go before the senate for approval.
“At the very least, (the late appointments) will allow the Student Government as a whole to work as a cohesive unit,” Williams said.
But all their work could be lost if an appeal by Larry O. Rivers and Virgil A. Miller, candidates for 2003-2004 SGA president and vice president, respectively, is granted.
The SGA’s judicial branch decided Thursday to uphold an earlier decision by the Electoral Commission to disqualify the Rivers/Miller ticket for amassing too many penalty points during campaigning.
“We’re appealing the decision,” said Micah C. Zeno, legal counsel for the Rivers/Miller ticket in a Thursday interview. “It came to a point where it wasn’t about Larry and Virgil. It’s about the student vote.”
According to Florida House Bill 353, all appeals to decisions handed down by SGA’s judicial branch have to be appealed to the corresponding school’s local circuit courts. Williams said he’s shocked by actions taken by Rivers, who was a lobbyist during the bills transgression through the House.
“If you’re going to respect (the bill) on the front end, respect (the bill) on the back end as well,” he said. “It was all about preserving the rights of the student body.”
Bowser said one of her main concerns, included providing a memorable experience to incoming students, including her sister, who will be a freshman in the fall.
“One of our main goals is to bring student life back to FAMU,” said the outgoing SGA Senate president. “My sister’s coming here next year and I want to make sure her freshman year was as live as my freshman year.”
Their platform includes bringing more activities to campus, decreasing crime, improving upon customer service, making sure the FAMU-FSU School of Engineering is involved in campus happenings and getting more students interested in the College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture.
“Our entire platform is on making sure that student needs are met,” Bowser said. “We care because we’re members of the student body, too.
“And we’re more than ready to lead.”