DSCSA Election 2010

Three different teams are in the running for the positions of student body president and vice president for next school year.

Abby Hirschi, a junior dental hygiene major from Layton, is running for student body president, and her running mate is Thomas Leavitt, a sophomore business major from Bunkerville, Nev.

Another student body presidential candidate is Nick Rhodes, a junior communication major from Bluffdale. His vice presidential candidate is Tim Poll, a sophomore communication major from Morgan.

Clyde Barton, a junior communication major from Orderville, and Mike Sheffield, a sophomore business major from St. George, are also campaigning for president and vice president, respectively.

Each team has a specific campaign, and students may want to know where candidates stand before casting their votes today. All six candidates participated in a question-and-answer session. The following are their responses.

ABBY HIRSCHI & THOMAS LEAVITT

Q: What is your biggest concern for Dixie State College? A: Hirschi said: "Our main platform is empowering the students. Through the powers of club council and student senate, the student voice does need to be heard. Especially this last year I think student leaders have really caught the grasp of what they can do for the students, so we'd like to continue with that." Q: How are you planning to address these concerns? A: Leavitt said: "This year we've set up some amazing new structures. I think that's something [that] will be very key in making sure that the senators that are chosen to represent the students come from the different programs. Then as a senate we will push forward and use that voice to become action with the administrators and faculty." Q: Why should students vote for you? A: Hirschi said: "Along with that, I think the main differences between Thomas and I and our opponents is we are the team that has the most heart and soul invested in this institution. This is a great opportunity for us, but that's not why we're doing it. We're doing this for Dixie because of our love and passion we have for our school." Q: How do you plan to promote student involvement? A: Hirschi said: "Our activity growth rate has increased exponentially, and it's a direct result of how it's been broken down into structure. Through our activities, we've held a higher standard this year, which we plan on doing again. It's just going to keep getting better. We know how to publicize. We're going to continue with that, and it's through that communication that student are going to want to come to the events. The solution to getting students more involved is going to be through clubs-a club for everyone. You're always going to have an activity to join, places to go and people to be with." Q: How do you plan to get student feedback? A: Leavitt said: "We're going to encourage discussion in lots of different forums around campus. We're really going to push our senators to talk with their constituents. With the club representatives, we're going to ask them to go and talk with the clubs, not just be a nameless face." Q: If you were an animal, which one would you be and why? A: Leavitt said: "I raised pigs as a child, and that's probably the one I would pick. They seem to be the smartest farm animal. While they have the reputation for being messy, and I could probably fit into that category, I think that they are probably the smartest and one of the most organized." Hirschi said: "I'm going to say puma because they're fast. They're strong. They have the edge. They're definitely out there to compete and be the best to survive. That's what we are-we're the best team out there."

NICK RHODES & TIM POLL

Q: What is your biggest concern for Dixie State College? A: Rhodes said: "My biggest concern is maintaining mediocrity and going on the same path. I think that if we don't continue and we don't progress in this changing world, we will really plateau out. A lot of people still see DSC as that two-year community college, but if we can move past that we can see that we have so much to give if we could truly recognize our potential." Q: How are you planning to address these concerns? A: Poll said: "I have talked to a lot of students now and they just don't know that their voice can be heard and that it means something. We have a lot of opportunities especially now with the new organization that Dewey (Denning) and Nate (Jensen) have put into place. Now the students really do have more. It means more what they say now and if they understand that completely, they have a better chance of reaching their potential, [and] understanding what they can do here and what they can become." Q: Why should students vote for you? A: Rhodes said: "Hopefully they are seeing the vision along with us. . .Tim and I are hoping to establish a system where people can work with us. We are asking the student body to vote for us because we are throwing out our attitude, our commitment to endurance and our commitment to excellence. [We need to] work together as a team, not just as student government taking care of things." Q: How do you plan to promote student involvement? A: Rhodes said: "We are looking to establish a 'dream team part two,' surrounding ourselves with people who have good communication skills that can really reach out to diverse groups so we aren't just getting all the big numbers but also the underdogs, like the one, two, three groups of people." Q: How do you plan to get student feedback? A: Poll said: "We have all the senate and representation in all the degrees and if the students understand what that is, that would really help them in their lives. I think if we help them see that transparency of what they want to do and where they want to go, then they are going to easily be able to tell us what they think and how we can improve." Q: If you were an animal, which one would you be and why? A: Poll said: "I would be an orangutan. Their walk, first of all, is hilarious. It makes everybody around them laugh and they are pretty tough." Rhodes said: "I would be a bear; either a big grizzly bear or a panda bear. I like the fact that they are big [and] they are strong. If he wants that fish he goes for it and gets it done. Not that I should be intimidating, but bears can also be nice and cuddly."