The UGBC presidential campaign officially kicked off Thursday, with three teams announcing their candidacy ahead of the election on March 20.
Jack Adams, MCAS’ 26, Andrew Cimino, MCAS ’26, and Cami Kulbieda, LSEHD ’26, are running for UGBC president.
Their respective running mates are Chase Gibson, MCAS ’26, Brody Whetzel, LSEHD ’26, and Reagan Marino, MCAS ’26.
A year after an unprecedented, uncontested presidential election, the Elections Committee first announced the candidates in an Instagram post Thursday afternoon.
Adams and Gibson said they aim to realign UGBC’s efforts with student priorities.
“We want to be clear: we intend to represent student interests, not the administration’s,” Adams wrote in a statement to The Heights. “If those interests diverge, we will fight for you. Our campaign is based on three simple principles: transparency, accessibility, and accountability. Instead of telling you what you need, we will listen to you.”
If they win the election, Adams and Gibson said they plan to ensure UGBC’s actions reflect the needs of the entire student body, not just those involved in the organization.
“We will always hold ourselves accountable to every BC student through transparent communication of our work,” Adams wrote.
According to Adams, their platform includes establishing a UGBC advisor to help students navigate the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA), creating an independent LGBTQ+ resource center, and condensing all BC meal plan money into a singular form of currency.
Drawing from their leadership experience across various extracurriculars on campus, Cimino and Whetzel said they will focus specifically on what students want from UGBC, rather than maintaining the status quo.
“From E-boards to mentors to Resident Assistant and Retreat Leader, we are a UGBC ticket with diverse leadership experience across all corners of the Boston College campus,” Whetzel wrote in a statement to The Heights. “Our approach prioritizes empowerment, offering a fresh alternative to the current status quo.”
If elected, Cimino and Whetzel said they would prioritize students’ social lives through various initiatives focused on connecting peers with one another.
“Our focus is not on conflict, but on students and tangible progress: revamping the student involvement process, ‘BCBonds,’ creating a centralized student employment network, increasing Montserrat subsidies, and fostering transparency,” Whetzel wrote. “By balancing advocacy with action, we aim to build a student government that truly serves and unites all Eagles.”
Kulbieda and Marino, for their part, said they hope to improve the undergraduate government and amplify student voices.
“Reagan and I’s campaign is grounded in three key promises: personalis, purpose, and progress,” Kulbieda wrote in a statement to The Heights. “These words authentically encompass our vision for UGBC, which is to transparently and accurately represent and empower student voices through outreach and advocacy.”
Both sitting UGBC student senators, Kulbieda and Marino said they plan to leverage their connections and leadership experience to collaborate with administrators and advocate for students.
“Our experience in and knowledge of UGBC provides us with important administrative and organizational contexts and relationships, that will guide us in turning this vision into tangible action,” Kulbieda wrote.
If elected, Kulbieda and Marino aim to utilize UGBC’s resources to enhance students’ academic and social experiences.
“Cami and I’s 6-Point Plan focuses on enhancing academic affairs, improving student life, increasing inclusivity, ensuring experiential equity, promoting sustainability, and optimizing UGBC’s productivity,” Marino wrote. “We are committed to amplifying student voices, improving resources, and ensuring transparency in our governance.”
All three tickets will meet this Wednesday, the eve of the election, to defend and argue for their respective platforms in a debate, hosted in the Heights Room at 5 p.m.
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