Tomorrow morning promptly at 8:00 AM current GPAC President, Garry Davis, will be sending the LBJ student body a link to vote online in the 2013 GPAC elections. Polls will close on Friday, April 5th at 5:00 PM. This time frame should give LBJ students ample time to decide which candidate to vote for in the Vice Presidential race, the only contested position this year.
The Baines Report editors were in attendance today as each candidate highlighted their platform in a speech and took questions from the audience. Below are some of the main points the editors took away from today’s speeches. We encourage the LBJ student body to review each candidate’s biography and platform in the official GPAC Spring 2013 Election Handbook. Remember to cast your vote by Friday, April 5th at 5:00 PM.
GPAC Presidential Candidate, Will Payne
- GPAC needs to take a proactive role in addressing diversity at the LBJ School.
- Student participation in GPAC events has been a recurring concern. While some events produce significant interest, others do not. In order to increase student involvement GPAC needs to make sure it is serving student interests and needs.
- Continue to facilitate constructive communication with the administration.
Vice Presidential/ Director of AIAC Candidate, Amanda Briggs
- Advertise deadlines for feedback from students to the administration to ensure concerns are heard with time for the administration to take action.
- Greater transparency with respect to where GPAC funding is allocated.
- Identifying what LBJ students want and making them a priority. The current debate regarding the school’s New York Times subscription was cited here and Amanda proposed using alternative funding initiatives through business/local partnerships.
Vice Presidential/ Director of AIAC Candidate, Lena Proft
- GPAC needs to be more visible within LBJ and LBJ needs to be more visible throughout the University of Texas.
- Improve communications between GPAC and the student body through social media and town hall meetings.
- Bridge disciplines throughout the University of Texas by working with the School of Government or developing an integrated graduate/undergraduate class.
- Focus on students to promote LBJ by presenting student profiles.
Internal Finance Director Candidate, Kyle Bradbury
- Unable to deliver a speech due to prior work-related engagement-see Handbook*
Student Life Director Candidate, Lindsay Ochoa
- Need more events at the beginning of the academic year that will increase cohesion between first-year and second-year students.
- Increase awareness of LBJ through events like LBJ Field Day.
- Finding new ways to increase attendance at events.
- Student Life should plan social events at the beginning of the academic year to “catch up” incoming students who missed out on Camp LBJ to facilitate cohort cohesion.
Community Outreach Coordinator Candidate, Bonnie Hough
- Look at more events that promote friendly competition within the LBJ community like “Movember,” which increased participation and interest.
- Co-sponsor service events with other student organizations.
- Create more service events during Camp LBJ to get incoming students involved.
Outreach and Professional Development Director Candidate, Meredith Vinez
- Address the frustrations students have had with the administration concerning professional development and solidifying the skills we need to secure a job.
- Improve professional and expand professional workshops by working closer with career services and the writing center.
- There is a great opportunity within LBJ to create a career services base from within. Formalizing a process where LBJ students can utilize the connections the student body already boasts would be beneficial.