The Heights is endorsing Andrew Cimino and Brody Whetzel for UGBC president and vice president.
After in-depth discussions with all three teams and a careful review of their platforms, The Heights believes Cimino, MCAS ’26, and Whetzel, LSEHD ’26, will effectively lead UGBC with an outsider perspective, a focus on transparency, and realistic expectations of what their administration can achieve.
Cimino and Whetzel’s status as UGBC newcomers allows them to spot certain inefficiencies that have become institutional norms. While all three tickets promised to combat internal problems, Cimino and Whetzel’s well-informed outside perspective enhances their ability to do so. Their policies promise to improve the organization in a way that resonates with the student body yet is also pragmatic.
Still, they aren’t strangers to the organization they seek to lead. They have attended Senate meetings as members of the public, reviewed UGBC’s constitution, and met with multiple key administrators in preparation for their campaign.
Their initiative to provide more accessible seating at Senate meetings and move the “public comment” portion to the start of all meetings is a simple but effective way to increase engagement. Holding the public comment section at the beginning of government meetings is common practice—and for good reason. Students are much more likely to contribute if they can quickly present a suggestion and then return to Bapst or O’Neill to finish an essay.
Additionally, the team plans to make its progress available to the student body by proactively releasing weekly videos outlining UGBC’s accomplishments and regularly updating the UGBC website. Of all three teams, Cimino and Whetzel showed the clearest understanding that communicating with students means providing updates and information entrepreneurially, not solely when it’s requested.
This is not to say that Cimino and Whetzel are a perfect ticket.
UGBC operates with a budget of over $400,000, not all of which is spent with the student body’s best interests in mind. A case in point: The organization allocated a whopping $25,000 to its annual retreat this past year, ultimately spending $15,962.90. For all that Cimino and Whetzel’s platform offered, it didn’t give due attention to budgetary concerns.
Cimino and Whetzel also propose to allocate money to “BCBonds,” an online program designed as a platonic Marriage Pact to connect students and combat loneliness. While social isolation and mental health are important issues, “BCBonds” is an unrealistic solution that will likely not gain traction with the student body.
Despite these oversights, Cimino and Whetzel offered a remarkably student-oriented platform. Initiatives like a central database for on-campus jobs and an easy-to-navigate directory for student organizations are innovative and important improvements.
While their policies and disposition earned them The Heights’ endorsement, it would behoove Cimino and Whetzel to incorporate some of their opponents’ strengths.
Though many of their goals are unrealistic, Jack Adams and Chase Gibson, both MCAS ’26, demonstrate an impressive determination to transform an organization that many students find lackluster.
Cimino and Whetzel should channel some of this zeal into their interactions with administrators while maintaining a practical approach.
Cameron Kulbieda, LSEHD ’26, and Reagan Marino, MCAS ’26, demonstrated a desire to improve UGBC in ways that we applaud and appreciate. Both showed a keen eye for spotting student needs that might otherwise fly under the radar.
Cimino and Whetzel can build on their student-oriented platform by taking a page out of the existing UGBC playbook and adopting an eye for medium-sized, pragmatic improvements to the student experience.
Still, Cimino and Whetzel will bring a refreshing approach to UGBC norms through realistic, student-forward initiatives and a proclivity for the transparency students deserve. They are the strongest ticket for UGBC’s president and vice president for the 2025–26 academic year.
Correction (3/18/2025, 11:44 p.m.): This article has been corrected from a previous version to reflect that while UGBC approved and allocated $25,000 for its retreat, it spent $15,962.90 of the allocated funds. Documents obtained by The Heights verified this spending.
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