The UNITED ticket is one of two groups running in this year’s student government executive elections. UNITED is campaigning on a platform centered on academic accessibility, campus life improvements and increased transparency between Student Government and the student body.
It is made up of presidential candidate Jaell-Ann (JJ) Auguste, vice presidential candidate Alex Barrowclough and treasurer candidate Grace Wheeling.
Auguste is a junior majoring in finance with minors in broadcast journalism, accounting and dance. Barrowclough is a junior majoring in political science with minors in business law, law & politics and disaster relief & humanitarian aid. Wheeling is a junior majoring in health science on the pre-dental track with minors in chemistry, biology and religious studies.
According to their Instagram account, UNITED is committed to enhancing the student experience at the University of Miami. They want to ensure “every voice is heard and every perspective is valued.”
Academic initiatives
UNITED’s academic initiatives include improving wifi and internet access on campus. It looks to implement online office hour availability, introducing financial and AI literacy curriculum in First Year Direction courses and expanding pre-professional advising for pre-dental, pre-physical therapy and pre-veterinary students.
They would also like to provide an advisor’s guide for transparency before registration, implement a letter of recommendation policy in syllabi and improve tutoring by increasing tutor training and increasing availability for upper level courses.
Campus life initiatives
To improve campus life, UNITED’s initiatives include expanding food options on campus, implementing a grace period for parking violations and revamping the lock out policy for on-campus housing to reduce fees for residents.
For physical renovations, plans include new crosswalks to Red Roads, Cloisters and House 57. It also pushes for updated accessibility routes and location markers, a survey on sooner renovations for Whitten LC as well as more transparency with campus renovations and housing projects.
Social initiatives
As for social initiatives, the team will work to get food trucks to frat row on game days and open the dining hall during Greek recruitment. They also want to allow fraternities two RP events per semester, with an ABM cleaning fee.
UNITED wants earlier hours for intramural sporting events and to add a new guard house near Centennial Village for late night access.
Reducing housing waste with a ‘Canes resale program and granting student organizations access to the Vibelink platform is also one of its goals.
Student Government initiatives
UNITED hopes to host student leader roundtables led by the president, create a clearer timeline between SAFAC budget submission and approval decisions and hold student government general body meetings to encourage new initiative and strengthen the executive and senate bond.
They would also like to increase visibility to student run business, implement a Student Activities & Student Organizations timeline guarantee for reimbursement for organizations and increase transparency between SG and students.
“The UNITED campaign stands ready to usher in a new era of Student Government,” the UNITED Instagram wrote. “An era defined by opportunity, transparency, and action. We stand UNITED as one, prepared to serve the ‘Canes community in every facet.”