Opinion

The strengths, weaknesses of the SGA presidential candidates

It’s campaign season here at UH, and this year we have three solid candidates for Student Government Association president.

Here’s a breakdown of their strengths and weaknesses.

[tabgroup] [tab title=”John Fields”]
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| Justin Tijerina/The Cougar

PowerHouse party

Fields mentions it in his slogan “Experience, Dedication, Service,” and the fact is he has had the most experience with SGA out of all the candidates. In his op/ed, he discusses issues like improving academic advising, a major issues other candidates haven’t discussed much. He focuses on a broad range of issues and solutions that actually will impact students and takes a realistic stance on the fact that parking issues aren’t something that can be fixed quickly. His biggest fault may actually be one of his best qualities: his positive attitude. He might have trouble on occasion with using his executive position to strong-arm the Senate.

[/tab] [tab title=”Edwin Mascorro”]
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| Justin Tijerina/The Cougar

Hype Party

Mascorro has one main focus: increasing student engagement. He wants to work toward increasing funding for student organizations to increase student involvement, therefore creating a better student atmosphere. He prides himself on the successes of UH students. He is a veteran, a minority and a member of Greek life, so he represents a good demographic that isn’t represented in the other candidates. But student involvement isn’t necessarily an “issue” per say. School spirit has been getting better over the years, so I think the students are more concerned about UH trying to increase tuition fees and trying to fix parking than the desire to be apart of an organization.

[/tab] [tab title=”Shane Smith”]
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| Justin Tijerina/The Cougar

Project Red: Better Food. Better Wi-Fi. Better Parking. party.

Smith focuses his campaign on three main issues: food, internet and parking. In his op-ed, he outlines his plans specifically for parking and how to make it more efficient. Smith has experience on many committees, including the Transportation and Parking Committee, so he knows the ins-and-outs of the system. He plans to propose digital “space available” signs for the parking lots, something that would probably cost a lot of money. He said the way to pay for it is by selling advertisements in the form of billboards and painted pavement ads. SGA has essentially no power over the parking situation, so this could be an issue.

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CORRECTION: The breakdowns have been edited for clarification.

Opinion editor Anthony Torres is a political science junior and can be reached at [email protected]

9 Comments

  • “SGA has essentially no power over the parking situation” BUT JOHN FIELDS IS GOING TO STOP UT FROM EXPANDING AND DECREASE TUITION!!!

    This article is clearly biased towards John and the writer needs to be removed from his position and/or banned from writing about the election.

  • This is the most bias article I’ve ever read from the cougar. Honestly disappointed. It’s better to fact check and understand your own limitations before arguing others CREDIBLE points through their years of experience. Author should apologize for this miscommunication.

    John – dude quit his SGA position half way through the year, and had minimal effort in the grade replacement, in fact, it’s this year upcoming administration that would vote on it! and you don’t bash on his ideas to stop UT expansion and decrease tuition to be out of SGA’s reach, which it is??

    Shane – was on FSAC, SFAC, and Transport & parking committee, along with SGA. He clearly understands what can be done and how. You can’t deny an idea because you lack the information for it?

    Learn how to report properly without bias.

    • For the record, John was forced to quit his position so that he could run for President – it’s in the rules.

  • Johns idea to shut down UT and lower tuition (which is out of SGAs reach) isnt idealistic and unrealistic but Shanes ideas to do things he is already on committees for such as parking and food is idealistic? Tad confused. Also, grade replacement was not done by John. Paul and many other senators on that committee worked tirelessly on that. Note paul is project red.

  • Ha, hahahaha. These comments are funny. Hi Shane, hope you and your team are enjoying commenting on the Daily Cougar. Let’s just forget that Shane quit his role as Attorney General to run for President his freshman year (Oh right, when he already agreed to run with Charles Haston, and then quit to do his own thing? Sounds like he is REALLY good on his word) and then when he LOST he decides just to drop SGA like the child he is, and do something else? Why not try again the next year? Right right, yes we all hate John.

    • Hello, anonymous commenter. To set the record straight, yes, I resigned my Attorney General role the year I ran for President. There wasn’t any rule against me remaining in that role, but since the Attorney General has a great deal of influence over the election, that would have been completely unfair. I resigned because it was the right thing to do.

      Second, I never agreed to run with Charles Haston. In fact, Charles Haston is the one that originally convinced me to run before he decided to run himself. Note that I’m not saying anything negative about him here, just noting that your timeline is incorrect.

      Also, after I lost, Charles Haston decided not to allow me back into SGA. I did indicate to him that I would be interested in participating on committees and/or in the senate. Again, not saying anything negative – that’s his decision. But I didn’t “drop” it.

      Finally, John was not required by rule to resign his position as Speaker. In fact, this year’s current President, Shaun Theriot-Smith, was the Speaker last year and I don’t believe he resigned his role (though I’m not entirely sure of that, but I am sure that it’s not required by rule). John has indicated publicly that he resigned to take an internship. Once again, note that I am not saying anything negative about John, but simply repeating John’s own statements in an effort to correct one of the numerous errors in your post.

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