LSU Student Government presidential candidate William Jewell and vice presidential candidate Taylor Scott aim to improve the University while creating a fun atmosphere with the support of the 200 students on their “Elevate” campaign ticket.
Jewell and Scott’s ticket is the largest of the five groups vying for SG’s top executive positions, and they said they could not campaign without their staff and supporters. Their campaign staff includes 25 to 30 students, who Jewell and Scott interviewed prior to giving them positions.
“When I looked [at] the campaign staff, it was pretty incredible because we saw some of the best leaders and most involved people we’ve seen on campus,” said Jewell, a finance junior and SG’s chief adviser to the current president and vice president.
Scott, a mass communication and African and African American studies junior and SG’s director of student outreach, said they drew support from a variety of students, including Greek Life and student organization leaders, resident assistants and students with and without SG experience.
“I think that’s why when you see our ticket, it looks so diverse because everybody has influence,” Scott said.
Jewell and Scott said they developed seven core values that they and their staff must exude — be honest, initiate ideas, be inclusive, remain transparent, be intentional, be diligent and be effective.
Scott said if they are elected, they will be honest and transparent with students and their staff, and they expect honesty in return.
“We just wanted to create an environment [where] we [are] honest with one another,” Scott said. “We want people to hold us accountable.”
Scott said inclusivity is essential for students to voice their opinions and initiate ideas. The candidates have five platforms that encompass their ideas.
The first is Enhancing the Tiger Experience, which includes initiatives that will improve the day-to-day lives of students.
Scott said she and Jewell are happy with the direction the University is headed, but there is always room for improvement. They plan to ”Elevate” LSU.
“‘Elevate’ brings so much energy,” Scott said. “I think that energy [at] this campus will enhance the experience.”
Transportation Reform is another key platform, and if Jewell and Scott get elected, one of the first initiatives they will push is the Parking Lot Vacancy Status. Jewell said they plan to partner with administrators to create an app that lets commuters see available parking spots by putting sensors in parking lots.
Scott said she hopes this will eliminate the time-consuming act of trying to find a parking spot while rushing to class.
Jewell said improving campus safety is also important, so they want to work with LSUPD and administrators to ensure resources are being effectively utilized.
Other platforms are Fight for Funding and Health and Wellness, which Jewell and Scott might reveal more about closer to the election.
“You want to have [a] set of initiatives you know you can get done, but you also want to have your ‘reach’ initiatives that might not be doable within the next year,” Jewell said.
Jewell said some initiatives may spill over to future administrations if they cannot be completed within one administrative year.
“We work so hard to get all these things done, but it’s also about having fun and creating a positive atmosphere on campus,” Jewell said.
Jewell and Scott have both been SG members for three years, and Jewell said most of his leadership qualities have come from observations. He said he has seen what has and has not worked for SG in the past.
“Let’s use our past successes and learn from our previous failures to take it to the next step — to elevate,” Jewell said.
Students can visit @jewellscott2019 on social media to learn more about the campaign and candidates.
The SG debate will be at 7 p.m. on March 12 in the LSU Student Union Magnolia Room, and the five presidential candidates and their respective vice presidents will speak.
*Editor’s note: click here to see The Reveille’s full SG election coverage.
