by Dyanna Rivera
As spring quickly approaches, election season draws near even quicker. In fact, presentation of nominations has already begun in late February, with the early stages of team building and campaign facilitation bustling behind the scenes.
Although there are several layers to IE’s student government system, these annual elections are significant due to the fact that the winning team will oversee responsibilities on both the Madrid and Segovia campuses. This kind of oversight means that student government officers receive input that filters in through the lower levels of student government (such as club officers, department representatives, and class delegates) to act directly with administration and ensure that academic and extracurricular objectives are being met across the board. In simple terms – these folks keep business running smoothly.
The way that IE’s student government elections work is also designed to emulate real-life models. This entails a campaign period from late February through mid-March, an elections process, and finally the announcement of an elected team at the end of March. Teams cycle out towards the end of each year, giving students multiple opportunities to run throughout their academic careers if they wish to do so.
There are some guidelines for prospective teams who wish to be nominated, the first being that they must consist of 6 members (of which no more than 2 can be on exchange or an internship at the same time). Teams must also represent at least three different Bachelor’s programs, so as to reflect IE’s diversity in its student government.
However, for many students the election process may feel a bit detached. It doesn’t help that campaigning occurs in the midst of midterms when students are crunching down and doing their best to hyperfocus on their studies. For some, thinking about elections poses the classic question: “why should I care?”
Put simply, the answer is that IE’s student government is here to act as an intermediary between the student body and administration. Students who are looking to run say that their prime motivation is “to represent every student as best [they] can”, and “address difficulties students have with [their] education”.
This is the theme that is prevalent among all nominees, regardless of teams as it encompasses the very essence of what a student government is all about.
With campaigns being adjusted for a virtual platform, teams will be leveraging such flexibility in their favor. Regardless of teams, adaptability is a must for this year’s nominees. Fortunately adaptability is commonplace at IE, promising a strong lineup.
That being said, campaigning has already begun. Nominations will be confirmed March 2nd, with campaigning kicking off and running from March 3-16. The elections process will take place March 17-19. Then, the official announcement of the elected team will be released on March 23.
For now, the best way to stay updated on news regarding elections and all things student government is either through IE’s student government Instagram (@ieustudentgov) or with The Stork as we follow the campaign trail this season. Stay tuned!
