Avoiding this year’s squabbles is the main concern of the newly elected Student Association executive board members as they train for office.
“Every office is different, but the one constant is that the best way to learn is to work with the current E-board member and begin doing their work and going to their meetings,” Adam Amit, president-elect of the Student Association, said.
Despite the SA’s difficulties this semester, such as conflicts regarding the position of vice president for multicultural affairs, a drawn-out executive board election process, racial slurs, police being called and more, the new executive board members are working with the current E-board to create a smooth transition for next year.
Amit has been shadowing current SA President Matt Landau since he was elected.
“He [Adam Amit] is invited to every meeting since he has been elected,” Landau said. “We have also been working on his transition with one-on-one meetings.”
To prepare for his position as vice president for finance, Matt Allwood has been working closely with Administrative Director of the Student Association Jackie Zagorsky, who acts as a liaison between the SA and the administration.
“I met with Jackie to see what needs to be done over the summer and for the beginning of next year,” Allwood said. “I have a meeting with [current vice president for finance, Alice Liou] set up to find out what I need to be doing.”
Jared Kirschenbaum, execute vice president-elect, has training sessions twice a week with current executive vice president Boris Tadchiev.
“We have recently been working on a program taking place Wednesday for student groups who are confused about the PAWS registering process,” he said. “This will help with my transition by making sure the student groups are properly registered for next year.”
Allwood is confident the new E-board will work well together and put personal conflicts aside, separating the SA from personal lives.
“I think that we’ve really learned a lot from this year’s E-board,” he said. “If there weren’t so many problems this year, then we wouldn’t have learned as much. We’ve learned primarily not to take things personally. I think that we are going to have a good work dynamic; I am not too concerned about that. I will not be involved in anything that does not involve my office and I think they will all do the same.”
Amit agreed that the future SA E-board has learned from the mistakes of the current board members.
“While unfortunate events did occur this year, our E-board has begun to set the pace for a far better and more productive year in which we can hopefully unite this campus and help make student lives better,” he said.
Amit said that with a positive and professional work ethic, there is hope for an improved SA. The new E-board plans to create a code of conduct for themselves.
“We are in agreement that if we set the right tone from the beginning, one that includes respectful and courteous behavior toward others, each other and ourselves, any differences of opinions we have can be settled amicably,” Amit said.
Kirschenbaum said Saturday’s protest against racism in the SA showed that students want their government to change, and that the new E-board is going to bring this change.
Landau claims next year depends on the Binghamton Review, whom he blamed for the recent conflicts. Every executive board thinks they will be different from the last, but conflicts always arise, Landau said.
“I am confident that next year’s E-board can handle their positions,” Kirschenbaum said. “Our E-board is standing up to the previous actions of the SA and Assembly. They are intolerable, and we plan on moving past this and making this an SA for everyone.”