The Black Student Union presidential election will be held Tuesday, ending the term of current president Shannon Harris, elementary education senior.
This semester’s candidates are Derrick Petit, political science junior; Alex Frilot, African-American studies sophomore; and Shayla Edwards, business administration sophomore.
Students can vote Tuesday at the African American Cultural Center from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. The winner will be announced at 5 p.m. Wednesday in the AACC.
The AACC will host a meet and greet with candidates today at 5 p.m.
 
“The Next Level”
Petit’s campaign, “The Next Level,” pairs him with vice-presidential candidate Ashanti Corey, psychology junior.
Petit said he wants to see the BSU become the respected Student Government organization that it should be.
“I think the BSU has become more of a student organization instead of a government organization, and it shouldn’t be on that level,” Petit said.
Corey said that this semester, the BSU should have taken a firmer stance on issues concerning the purple and gold Confederate flag and the sanctioning of Student Equality Commission President Collins Phillips, general studies senior, for his alleged violations of the Student Code of Conduct.
She said the SEC had to form because of the passive nature the BSU had developed, but Corey said she hopes to change that under their administration.
“We should be the SEC,” Corey said. “When there’s unrest and injustice on campus, the BSU should be the first to make a statement.”
Petit said he has been active in the BSU and is president of the organization’s Political Action Committee.
He is a senator in SG and served as parliamentarian for Student Government at the University of New Orleans.
 
“Your Voice is Our Voice”
Edwards, whose campaign is “Your Voice is Our Voice,” said she wants to unify all of the organizations linked with the BSU.
Edwards said she wants to create a leadership seminar, which two leaders from each organization under the BSU will attend and represent the concerns of students “to work as one unit to develop solutions and plans of action to solve these problems.”
Edwards said her past experience with the BSU has trained her to “take the reins as president.”
Edwards was a member of the BSU’s Educational Outreach Committee, co-chair for the Race v. Class forum and was involved with the Black History Month’s forum for bridging the gap between Southern University and LSU.
“I’m in touch with a lot of different types of people on campus, and I have a good relationship with administration,” Edwards said. “I can represent [the students’] voice.”
 
“Project Rebirth: Bridging the Gap. Bringing the Agenda Back.”
Frilot is running with vice-presidential candidate Ada Goodly, international studies senior, under the campaign “Project Rebirth: Bridging the Gap. Bringing the Agenda Back.”
Frilot said her main objective is creating civic engagement on campus.
She said she wants the BSU to become more active with SG, and she wants the bridge the gap between LSU and SU.
Frilot also said she wants the BSU to become more active in social issues on campus.
“There was so much drama last semester,” Frilot said. “The BSU should be spearheading that kind of thing.”
Frilot said she also wants the BSU and SG to become more active in helping to rebuild New Orleans.
Frilot said she has been an active member in the BSU and a committee member of the Political Action Committee. She was the chair for this year’s Black History Month Tribute Program and Springfest.
 
Contact Rebekah Allen at [email protected]