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Subject to Change...
“It is past time that the leader of such an organization steps up to guide and inspire” is a quote from the former vice president (VP) of the Student Government Association (SGA) in a letter of apology to the Student Senate.
It is hard to know when you are in the dark if that is all you have ever known. For many students, the SGA has been this mystery that has existed, and it was just assumed that there would come a time when students would actively know the SGA’s processes and procedures.
That time has come, and it starts with you asking questions. After all, there was just one question that was asked which prompted this entire article. One question that could potentially change the dynamic between the SGA and the student body for many years to come.
“Do you know who your student senators are?”
The Student Senate is a branch of the SGA which serves as a bridge between the student body and the administration of the university.
The Avion asked a group of 25 students a more general question: “Do you know what the Student Government Association does?” While The Avion understands that this is a small polling number, there is still a need to better inform the student body about what the SGA does overall. Most students gave vague answers, but no one was 100% certain. is somewhat proved that there is this disconnect between the SGA and the student body.
What is the SGA though? The SGA is a group of student leaders who take on tasks relating to news, entertainment, medical care, finances, legalities and so much more. Nearly the entirety of the SGA is housed in the Student Leadership Suite (SLS) on the second floor of the Student Union.
When you want to appeal your parking tickets, the SGA handles that. When you want to get funding for your Registered Student Organization (RSO) the SGA does that too. What happens though when the SGA is not all on the same page? Without the umbrella that is the SGA, the student body would fall apart. For example, there would not be a shuttle service to take you back to your apartment. More importantly, you wouldn’t have a place to go to when you wanted to make positive change. at is what the Student Senate helps to accomplish.
After further investigation, The Avion learned that in addition, articles of impeachment were filed in late November. During the December hearing, a verdict of “not responsible” was reached.
The Avion acknowledges that these two events are not directly related. As of Jan. 18, College of Aviation senator, Ander Turueno Garcia has been appointed as the new vice president of the SGA.
Your next question might be, “What does the vice president even do?” the SGA Campus Groups website says that the VP is the chair of the Student Senate and sits on the SGA Executive Board, which consists of various leadership positions within the SGA. Nonetheless, the VP’s main role is to ensure that the Student Senate continually reaches out to the student body. In the past, senators have worked on projects that allow them to connect with students. An example is the fifth-floor study space in the College of Arts and Sciences. These projects aim to educate the students on how to reach out if they notice any areas of improvement with their respective colleges or how to get involved in Student Government if they are still determining where to start.
Meet the new VP!
WHO AM I?
Hi, I’m Ander! I am a student at Embry-Riddle because of my love and passion for aviation. Mexico City was the place where I was born and raised until I moved to Daytona for college. I am graduating with a B.S. in Aeronautical Science with minors in Air Traffic Control and Airline Operations. My experience with the SGA Senate takes me back to 2021, and I have served in the SGA ever since as COA Senator. My leadership experience outside of the classroom and the SGA is being the President of the ALPA ACE Club, President of the Flight Professional Conduct Board, Co-Chair of the COA Dean’s Student Advisory Board, and more. I love to fly for lunch, ride, skydive, and explore new places during my free time. A fun fact about me is that I don’t like spicy food.
So, what comes next?
We interviewed the new vice president, Ander Turueno Garcia, who has many new plans for the Student Senate and for the SGA as a whole.
The Avion (TA): “Did you even expect to be the new vice president? How do you plan to move forward from last semester?”
Ander Turueno Garcia (ATG): “To be honest, I didn’t expect to be the new vice president. A er the vice president stepped down, a few senators came up to me and were like, “Yeah, we’re gonna nominate you for VP.” My plan for the Senate is to rewind, and once we are all on the same page, then we can continue moving forward.”
TA: “So, why should students care about the Student Senate?”
ATG: “Students pay the SGA fee each semester and since the Senate is the communicators of the SGA. I really feel like as a student that we should care about the Senate because it is just like the state; you reach out to your state representative to make changes, which is the same way that the Student Senate is here at Embry-Riddle.”
TA: “How do you plan to bridge the gap between the SGA and the student body as the new vice president?”
ATG: “Genuinely reaching out to the student body. Nothing too crazy — just talking to the RSOs that we are a part of, even just for five minutes, we can make impacts that will help students to realize what we offer as the Student Government Association.”
TA: “Finally, how do we move forward? How do we do better as an SGA and as students?”
ATG: “So, looking forward is looking at mistakes and seeing what did and did not work and then just caring about making those changes happen. If a student shows up to your office, you must make them heard. Oftentimes, students don’t know what we are capable of. Many times, I have had people reach out to me because they know that I am in the SGA. I want to show them that the SGA, and the Senate, is capable of so much more.”
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The Avion’s interview with Ander provided many insights into the situation, especially since he has now stepped up to the role of vice president. However, The Avion was still left in the dark regarding why the impeachment trial was even brought up and why the former vice president eventually stepped down. The Avion reached out to the SGA president, Evgeniia “Jane” Egorova, who provided an official statement.
-OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM THE SGA PRESIDENT-
Last semester the Senate went through a lot of change. The former Vice President and I were trying to change the culture of how senators operate with in SGA as well as with students. Bylaw changes were made to make the Senate more efficient and encourage more outreach. For example, senators mandated one outside of office hour during which they have to table at their college, or go to club meetings pertaining to their college/community.
They also worked on the new committees that were implemented at the beginning of the semester, which any student could join. This semester, senate is starting with a game plan. They are ready to continue on the projects they started last semester, and have the best forum day for the student body. The senate office has also gone through a lot of changes and has some fun swag for you to grab if you decide to stop by during our senator’s office hours! All of them are posted outside their office door in the Student Leadership Suite. If you don’t know who your senators are, reach out to our VP Ander Turueno Garcia so he can introduce you to your senate representatives!
Kind regards,
Evgeniia Egorova
SGA President
