United Student Government at Lincoln Center (USGLC) election ballots open Oct. 8, but Fordham students expressed uncertainty about the daily operation of their governing body.
Some students said they did not know an election was taking place or felt unsure about what impact their vote might have.
Miles Bratter, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’26, said he would vote, but did not feel sufficiently informed.
“I wasn’t necessarily aware that there was even an election coming up, but I think it’s an important thing to do, so I’ll certainly be participating,” Bratter said.
Some students want to vote in the coming election but feel unsure about what is at stake.
Bratter said he was unsure how tuition payments went toward student life on campus.
“The money that we think of when we send money to Fordham every year should be more represented in the benefits that we get as students,” Bratter said. “For example, I go to the gym and there’s a machine that’s been broken for nearly a month and a half, which is a specific example but is emblematic of a lot of situations at LC (Lincoln Center).”
Some students want to vote in the coming election but feel unsure about what is at stake. Rylan Carroll, Gabelli School of Business at Lincoln Center (GSBLC) ’27, said he does not plan to vote in the upcoming election, but not out of indifference. Carroll said he feels uninformed about what voting in the USGLC election would entail.
“I am really not informed on what that even implies, or what powers they have other than creating and governing clubs,” Carroll said.
USGLC President Fiona Shehu, FCLC ’25, said that Instagram and email are the consistent methods USGLC uses to communicate with students. She said that the current flow of information is satisfactory.
USGLC’s role can be confusing even for students involved with campus activities. Anthony Villata, public relations chair of the Campus Activities Board and GSBLC ’27, said he thought USGLC could do more to involve students.
“I’m a club leader of one of the largest clubs on campus but I still don’t know too much about what happens in USG,” Villata said. “I don’t really see any advertisements for general meetings and stuff.”
Time and location of USGLC’s general meetings are posted at the bottom of the Office of Student Involvement’s “What’s Happening on Campus!” emails, and the Dean’s weekly newsletters occasionally mention student government. USGLC also offers their own monthly newsletter.
USGLC President Fiona Shehu, FCLC ’25, said that Instagram and email are the consistent methods USGLC uses to communicate with students. She said that the current flow of information is satisfactory.
“I feel that the information flow about USG activities is adequate as we promote events on our Instagram,” Shehu wrote in an email.
That said, she acknowledged potential gaps in student awareness of USGLC activities.
“There is always room for improvement! I would love to have as many students as possible involved and have spoken to our senators and e-board about different ways to connect through in person connections with the student body, such as tablings and being directly present in the community,” Shehu wrote.
At the time of publication, @fordhamusglc has posted seven times since the start of the semester. The posts include announcements of the current E-Board, coverage for club day, announcements for a general meeting and information on the election.
Kinsey said that she is hopeful for the future USGLC and emphasized its determination to incorporate student input.
For the 2024-25 academic year, a litany of positions are up for election, ranging from chair of student affairs to class senators. In April, 199 total votes were cast in the spring USGLC presidential election, a turnout of roughly 10%.
Members of USGLC said they believe input from the student body is critical to their mission. Anabel Kinsey, FCLC ’27, is the chair of USGLC’s Operations Committee. In this role, she directly interfaces with students who want to start clubs, have complaints or questions about club leadership or want to be connected to certain club boards.
Kinsey said that she is hopeful for the future USGLC and emphasized its determination to incorporate student input.
“There’s been a push within USG to make it more open for everyone and to encourage everyone to be a part of it, because really USG is what the students make it, and you get out what you put into it,” Kinsey said. “The more you show up, the more you voice your issues, the more those get taken to the people they need to be taken to.”
As part of her vision for this academic year, Kinsey said she wants to help augment USGLC’s on-campus presence.
“We definitely want to drive student engagement and student interest in being a part of USG and also realizing how much impact that can have,” Kinsey said. “Engaging students in USG and wanting to be part of the student life on campus makes life more vibrant on campus.”
Ballots for the election open in the afternoon on Oct. 8 and close at 5 p.m. on Oct. 9. Candidates will be notified of results by 10 p.m. on Oct. 9. Students are welcome to attend USGLC’s weekly meetings on Thursdays at 1 p.m. in SL11B.
