THEVERMONTCYNIC THE ISSUE 21 - VOLUME 138 | MARCH 1, 2022 | VTCYNIC.COM
SGA lacks diversity, looks to find solutions
TANNER LOY/The Vermont Cynic
Members of SGA take notes during a public forum in the Livak Ballroom Feb. 22.
Assistant News Editor
SGA faces a significant lack of diversity due to UVM’s campus climate and additional entry barriers for students of color, said Lina Balcom, interim director of Student Life. Students of color are unlikely to run for SGA because of the lack of diverse individuals represented in the Senate, which perpetuates the situation, said SGA Treasurer Zyakkiriah Rhoden, a senior who identifies as a Black woman. “If you look just in the room of SGA, I’m one of one. I’m the only one that looks like me,” Rhoden said. “It’s a really uncomfortable environment sitting in Senate meetings sometimes, because not everyone has the same background as me.” Students of color are more disadvantaged by SGA’s structures and processes than their white counterparts, Balcom said. UVM’s status as a predominantly white institution within a predominantly white state exacerbates this issue. “SGA is as representative of the general population of students as it possibly can be,” Balcom said. “Our population of students is so highly dominant white that I would love to see maybe over-representation of some of the identities that are a lower percentage of our population.” The historical mistreatment and exploitation of students
of color by UVM also makes need space and tokenism,” recommended SGA remove many hesitant to get involved, Stephens said. “You wouldn’t this requirement particularly want anyone to feel like they’re because of its impacts on Rhoden said. “UVM causes a lot of only there to be the sole students from students of color, trauma for students of color, representation of this entire Pasqualoni said. These signatures were and to have to get up and fight group.” Up until spring 2021, SGA difficult to get for students of to repair these wounds is not appealing to any person, much required senator candidates color because their community obtain signatures of is smaller, Stephens said. less a person of color,” Rhoden to endorsement, which served as Students of color do not often said. feel as comfortable Increasing as white students diversity within do with networking an elections-based and amassing group such as SGA, endorsement presents a challenge signatures, at such a because students predominantly white choose the senators, institution. Balcom said. Still, “Running for SGA this intention felt like a huge barrier is reflected in because I didn’t know recruitment efforts in how I was going to encouraging students get those signatures to run for office and initially,” Rhoden be informed about – SGA Treasurer Zyakkiriah Rhoden, said. “I [didn’t] know candidates. a senior who identifies as 50 people on campus In addition to a Black woman that would write on barriers students something testifying of color face, SGA has barriers for students of an additional barrier, said SGA that I would be good for SGA or verying socioeconomic status President Sam Pasqualoni, a that they trust me to run.” Balcom is in a temporary as well, said SGA Vice President senior who identifies as a white interim position and has Olivija Stephens, a junior who man. “Last year the staff fully not taken on any projects identifies as a white woman. SGA requires significant time, realized that to become addressing the need to diversify both in campaigning and Senator, you really don’t need SGA because of her limited time in being a senator, which is any signatures,” Pasqualoni in the position. The previous chair of the restricting for students who said. “[It] wasn’t really that are employed. Those of lower productive, and was a barrier of elections committee, who would typically execute recruitment socioeconomic statuses are also entry for others.” Pasqualoni ran for and won efforts, recently stepped down, less represented because of this. However, diversity within the position of SGA president as Balcom said. SGA Senator SGA is not just about physical a write-in candidate and did not Shirin Dravid, a senior, recently need to get signatures for that filled this position, according to representation, Stephens said. a Feb. 25 email from Stephens. “There’s a fine line between reason, he said. Much of addressing this Daphne Wells, the previous making sure voices are heard and uplifting the voices that director of Student Life, issue is making sure those in
“ If you look just in the room of SGA, I’m one of one. I’m the only one that looks like me.
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Halsey McLaen
power fight for those who aren’t, said junior Maeve Forbes, chair of SGA’s Committee on Diversity, Inclusion and Equity, who identifies as a white woman. “That’s what [SGA] needs to change to: the white people on Senate and at UVM need to be willing to use their privilege for the greater good,” Forbes said. One of CODIE’s goals is building greater positive relationships with marginalized communities, Forbes said. “There’s still a lot of regrowth [and] rebuilding to do, we’re missing a lot of this base core foundation that needs to happen first,” Forbes said. “Attending meetings and events has been a really big thing because it’s really about having support there.” CODIE focuses on providing small, everyday quality of life improvements for affinity groups, Forbes said. They also provide financial support through the Diversity Enhancement Fund, money made available for any club dealing with issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. Increasing diversity will not happen overnight, Rhoden said. “I don’t know the answer to what can make SGA a more inclusive space, but it takes a lot of time,” Rhoden said. “SGA being more engaged with the community, reaching out and making sure students of color feel safe and welcomed on campus would help the issue of diversity in SGA.”