Student Association | Seivert begins write-in campaign

The mystery Student Association presidential write-in candidate revealed himself Wednesday to a small, yet adoring group of supporters on campus.

A sophomore in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, Larry Seivert unveiled his campaign at a press conference in Schine Student Center with a firm promise to do more to "address the needs of all students on campus."

As a write-in candidate, Seivert failed to meet the Monday deadline to be included on the ballot for SA president. Even so, Seivert will run a campaign, and students wishing to vote for him can directly enter his name into the MySlice ballot. Marlene Goldenberg, current SA vice president, is the only official candidate for the 52nd session presidential race.

As former chair of the Committee on University Affairs, Seivert said he has experience in dealing with the concerns of students as well as the bureaucratic structures impeding change. He said time constraints prevented him from collecting the 500 signatures necessary for representation on the ballot.

In his five-minute speech, Seivert went into the finer points of his campaign to better represent the student body. He said he plans to bring additional computer and printer resources specifically to Schine, alongside more lounges and study areas to complement existing locations that have remained stagnant as the student body slowly outgrows them.

He said he would work toward greater scholarships for returning students as well as more medical and wellness centers to parallel the increased physical and mental awareness among students.

He also touched upon the growing divide between student organizations and the administrative sector, bringing up his previous successes in pressuring administrators to make the bus service from South to Main Campus more frequent and accessible.

Seivert, a brother in Delta Sigma Phi, was eager to promise consistency in all his actions to not only help bridge the divide, but to reform SA to become the "first line of contact" for students involved in organizations or greek life.

Despite a relatively small number of people at the conference - possibly due to Seivert's former obscurity as a candidate - the response was positive.

Junior Kevin Martin, a management major and fellow Delta Sigma Phi member, noted how Seivert is considerably more active and impassioned about student affairs than most comparable students.

Sophomore Chris Keeler, a supply chain management major, said he was struck by how Seivert's policies and campaign were designed to "encompass everyone on campus."

He also noted that despite some misconceptions, his late announcement was in no way designed to subvert any existing procedure. He claimed a good working relationship with current SA members, as well as his opponent, Goldenberg, whom he informed prior to announcing his candidacy.

Seivert promised to follow up his press conference with an aggressive campaign. He said he plans to utilize all advertising resources, including setting up a Facebook group.