By Elianna Novitch
The Bridge UI party announced its campaign officially at a kickoff event on April 2 as the University of Iowa Student Government election campaign began.
The ticket consists of 34 senatorial candidates and presidential-candidate Jacob Simpson and vice-presidential candidate Lilián Sánchez. The top two on the ticket are running uncontested.
The party espouses a platform advocating bridging the gap among students, administrators, other institutions, and the state.
Simpson and Sánchez’s platform addresses issues of campus environment, sustainability, education, affordability, student organizations, health and safety, and leadership and engagement.
“Personally, what I’m most excited about on the platform is anything that relates to retention efforts,” Simpson said. “Around 26 percent of students who come to the University of Iowa don’t graduate, and that’s a tragedy that these students have such an opportunity to grow here as people but also professionally, and then that opportunity is taken away or it’s lost because of factors such as affordability, campus climate, or sexual assault.
“We want to make sure in everything we do that we are creating a supportive, safe environment in which people can grow.”
Bridge UI’s platform was created collectively based on input from senatorial candidates running on Simpson and Sánchez’s ticket and by talking with students around campus to understand what issues they want to see addressed.
“I’ve seen what [UISG] can do for students and how much we can accomplish for institutional change for years to come, and I think that Jacob and Lilián are able to articulate that in how they lead,” Sen. Lindsey Rayner said.
Although the two run unopposed, senators will compete for seats on Bridge UI’s ticket against candidates who are running independently.
“The attraction of running with such a big group is being able to lean on one another and create a really cohesive platform,” Rayner said. “There are some really intelligent and brilliant people on this ticket, and I’m excited to hear what their thoughts are for student government.”
Sen. Elli Lenz also runs on the Bridge UI ticket for this year’s UISG election.
“I think the most important thing is to elect people that not just students relate to but people that have all student interests in mind,” Lenz said. “I have seen the campaigns and policies that [Simpson and Sánchez] have backed and pushed for, and I know they genuinely care. They want to comprehensively address students’ needs.”
Simpson said he and Sánchez decided to run for UISG president and vice president together because they felt that they brought very different perspectives to the leadership positions in student government.
“I was extremely honored when Jacob asked me to join him on this journey to creating Bridge UI, because I feel like as students, sometimes we undervalue our experiences and our potential, and we forget that we are capable of anything that we really put our minds to,” Sanchez said.
“I think that gave me a boost of confidence and allowed me to think that ‘yes, the experiences I’ve had with leadership on campus are valid and that I have something to bring to the table.’ With our voices joined together, and with our team backing us, we’ll be able to bring the change that we want to create next year.”
Voting for the UISG elections can be done on the MyUI page on April 12 and 13.
“For voters, I think it is incredibly important to look at the platform and understand what issues we have identified. We are always open to listening to new issues,” Rayner said. “Student government campaigns are one of the most visible periods that we have as student government and it is crucial that we engage with students and identify ways we can improve.”
Winners will be announced on April 14.
“This campaign period is about us hearing what students want to see done with student government next year,” Simpson said. “We have our platform published, but it is not finalized. We want to hear people’s feedback because even though we are a group of 36 people with a lot of good ideas, I think those aren’t the only ideas on what needs to be addressed.”
