Student Senators are responsible for representing their college or school to Texas Tech’s Administration. Photo by Arturo Mora.
What does a student senator do?
Student senators are tasked with serving as their college’s liaison to the Texas Tech University administration, but Palak Ghetiya, a senator candidate for the College of Human Sciences, said she feels most students are not aware they have a personal spokesperson.
“I don’t think a lot of people within my college know that there is someone there to represent them,” she said.
According to the Student Government Association website, student senators are charged with addressing problems faced by their constituency and producing legislation to amend these issues. Senators are elected from every college on campus, including the Graduate School and School of Law. The number of senators a college or school can elect is based on its size.
Ghetiya said a senator’s job is to shine light on issues the Texas Tech administration may not be aware about.
“Human Sciences is one of the least updated colleges,” she said. “A lot of the other colleges have gotten new Wi-Fi and new labs. There hasn’t been a lot of that going on here because no one’s been there to say much about it.”
Andrew Diaz, a candidate for College of Arts & Sciences senator, said recent student legislation will make it easier for senators and students to open lines of communication.
All senators will soon have their contact information available on their college or school’s homepage, he said.
“That’s a good way for students to reach out to their senators and voice their opinions on what may need to change at Texas Tech,” he said.
Senators must hear these opinions and voice them at student senate meetings, he said.
Ghetiya said a senator’s foremost responsibility is to improve their respective school or college.
“If you need change or have a complaint within your college, you go to your senator,” she said. “They can make a difference.”
Candidate Profile: Andrew Diaz
For Andrew Diaz, a chance to represent the College of Arts & Sciences is a chance to serve Texas Tech.
Diaz said he’s been interested in bettering his university since his freshman year.
“I didn’t just want to be another student,” he said. “I wanted to be involved. Texas Tech has done a lot for me. I want to give back.”
The junior international business major said his involvement with Delta Sigma Phi has provided an outlet for him. The fraternity works with several Lubbock service organizations, including Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest.
“It’s been awesome to get to prepare dinner for these families of these kids who are facing some terminal illnesses and hopefully brighten up their day by serving them a hot and fresh meal,” he said.
Diaz is running as part of the campaign bloc OneTech2015.
Candidate Profile: Palak Ghetiya
Palak Ghetiya knows the importance of being involved.
The candidate for College of Human Sciences senator said she’s a part of five different organizations within Texas Tech University and the College of Human Sciences.
However, she said most organizations aren’t aware they have a voice in student government.
“I don’t think a lot of the organizations are aware that there is someone there to voice their opinions,” she said. “I want to be the person that’s there for them.”
As a member of SGA Freshman Council, Vitality Dance Company, Kappa Delta Sorority, the Student Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Pre-Physical Therapy Club, Ghetiya said she hopes she can relate the needs of the student body to Texas Tech’s Administration.
“Everyone deserves a say,” she said. “I want to be the person that’s there for them.”
Ghetiya is running as part of the campaign bloc Techsan Tradition.
How many representatives does each college or school elect?
- College of Agricultural Science & Natural Resources: three senators
- College of Architecture: two senators
- College of Arts & Sciences: 13 senators
- College of Education: three senators
- Whitacre College of Engineering: seven senators
- Graduate School: nine senators
- Honors College: two senators
- College of Human Sciences: four senators
- College of Media & Communication: three senators
- Rawls College of Business: six senators
Who is running:
OneTech 2015
Senators At-Large
Mitchell Gilles
Parker McCullum
Trey Morgan
Cole Mozjesik
Alissa Payne
Nicole Polito
Chris Sims
Clara Tarigan
Madison White
Agricultural Sciences
Wes McHutcheon
Arts and Sciences
Sarah Alnesr
Andrew Diaz
Avery Martinez
Dhruv Patel
Kara Sipowicz
Business
Blake Bennett
Walker Franz
Tayler Gore
Evan Hayes
Gavin Howell
Luis Marroquin
Mason Sieling
Education
Sarah Fulton
Engineering
Tanner Culp
Taylor Hicks
Chris Mitchell
Stewart Park
Easton Turner
Honors
Farah Mechref
Lauren Pert
Human Sciences
Baylee Bettencourt
Larken Lundgren
Techsan Tradition
Senators At-Large
John Michael Getz
Lauren Hutchens
Haley Neal
Lauren Schulman
Arthur Thomas
Agriculture
Gracen Daniel
Ben Seth Ramsey
Jordan Vogel
Architecture
Nathan Brown
Arts and Sciences
Payton Cassidy
Chelsea Clark
Cailene Conrad
Brandon Finney
Antonio Galdean
Evonne Heredia
Cindy Iwuagwu
Robbie Meyer
Stacie Moss
Teniola Omopariola
Sophie Tabe
Derek Udeh
Danielle Villarreal
Business
Austin Cadd
Evan Estes
Matt Klingemann
Witt Westbrook
Austin York
Engineering
G’Derek Tabe
Adam Telfah
Honors
Leslie Amaya
Emily Jenkins
Human Sciences
Dre’Quan Colquitt
Palak Ghetiya
Media and Communication
Austen Smith
Graduate School
Shumpreeth Bezawada
Krishna Dhungana
Sakrishna Nandagopal
Muzeeb Shaik
William Tritch
Sai Verkatesh
About David Talley
