The race for the 2022-2023 student body president (SBP) and vice president (SBVP) is underway; an uncontested race for the first time since 2016.
Juniors Kenley Blake and Josue Villalobos are the only candidates from the junior class to put in their bid to be SBP and SBVP. They are running on the platform of “Fearless.”
“Fear is an epidemic that negatively affects much of our society,” their Instagram page says. “As college students, we are constantly surrounded by circumstances that instill fear … These fears can easily distract and deter college students from discovering their purpose. But as followers of Christ, we know that our hope is not found in our circumstances or our future, but only in Jesus Christ, who has given us a spirit of power, love, and of a sound mind. Holding tightly to this truth, Josue and I believe that fearlessness should be a quality that sets Taylor University apart from other college campuses.”
Steve Austin, associate dean of Student Leadership and director of Student Programs, said that the ticket of Blake and Villalobos is an excellent one, and he is thankful for their candidacy.
However, though a student body election running uncontested is not unheard of, it is unusual and less than ideal for the candidates and the process, said Austin.
“Different candidates tend to highlight different student issues and student perspectives,” Austin said. “Additionally, since Taylor is a highly relational network, two or three tickets of candidates also create a larger network of student awareness and involvement in the campaigns themselves which helps amplify student voice on our campus — that students are a key constituency in all phases of our community life.”
That being said, the processes and timeliness of the election will mostly be unaffected.
“Kenley and Josue are serious and thoughtful about representing themselves and their peers well through their campaign and will work hard regardless of running unopposed,” Austin said.
Voting for the election will take place Wednesday, March 2, between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. Students are encouraged to vote by visiting the Tower platform on their MyTaylor account and selecting the “Student Services or Personal Informations” then “Elections or Surveys.”
Austin encourages all students to vote as he cites it as a way to share your voice, your convictions and your concerns. He says voting, even on an uncontested ticket, helps students remember they have an important voice when it comes to life on campus.
“Listening to how Kenley and Josue hope to best represent students’ voices, asking questions of them and our Student Senate and Inter-Class Council candidates, and the sharing of concerns and perspectives from one student to another is the healthiest pathway to meaningfully voting,” he said.
Results of the election will be announced publicly on Thursday, March 3.
