Letter to the editor: Palli, Ingram announce SG ticket

Jake Ingram and I are proud to announce our candidacy for Student Government president and vice president. With our diverse Senate ticket and the support of the student body, we plan to strengthen student relationships with the administration, the city of Lexington, student organizations and Student Government itself in order to bring our university’s community closer together.

Our experience has given us both the ability and drive to effectively carry out our plans. Jake and I have a combined four years of experience in the Student Senate. As Appropriations and Revenue chairman, I have personally overseen the allocation of $130,000 in SGA funds to a variety of student organizations. Jake’s service on the Committee on Committees has given him responsible for delegating tasks and overseeing regulations on the Senate body. This combination gives us a solid background to carry out the responsibilities of Student Government.

As president and VP, our fundamental role is representing student interests in the most effective manner possible. To this end, we plan to form a Presidential Advisory Board. The PAB, composed of a diverse group of major student leaders, would engage in direct dialogue with the administration to address large-scale issues facing the university.

We fully support a review of many campus policies, including on-campus parking, the basketball ticket lottery, a fall break and the campus alcohol policy. The PAB is the perfect vehicle through which to present the full spectrum of student voices to the administration.

In order to provide better opportunities for student voices to be heard in the community, we will improve our relationship with the city of Lexington through an expansion of the Town & Gown Committee and student internships. It is essential for us to our strengthen the connection between the city and campus.

We plan to bring many student organizations together by integrating their leadership development programs, ensuring that future student leaders benefit from a diverse range of experiences and perspectives.

Finally, we hope to increase SGA’s presence with prospective future Wildcats, and increase the visibility of the Legacy Program, which allows all students to submit their ideas for campus reform. We believe this will bring more perspectives to Student Government and allow us to more effectively represent the interests of all students.

Jake and I, as well as our entire team, fully believe in these goals. And, with your support, we can make them realities. By strengthening the bonds that tie us together — as a student body, a university and a city — we hope to build a more closely knit community that will benefit us all.

Please join us Monday at 7 p.m. for our formal campaign announcement in the Student Center Small Ballroom, where we will introduce our Senate candidates and field questions about our platform. Visit www.PalliIngram2013.com and follow @PalliIngram2013 on Twitter to learn more about our initiatives and our team.