Hetali Lodaya is the right candidate for student body president because she displays a capacity to perform the multiple roles of the student body president.
The most important job of the student body president is serving as an advocate for students. Her focus on building coequal relationships with members of the Board of Trustees and of the UNC-system Board of Governors in order to effectively advocate for students is spot-on.
This goal of interacting with administration members as peers might seem overly optimistic, but she has the sensibility to make it happen. Her presence, though unimpressive in a debate setting, is marked in a smaller group setting — more akin to the scenarios the student body president has to actually face.
Moreover, her past experience with the Association of Student Governments shows an institutional knowledge that somehow coexists with a refreshing outlook on student government’s role in working with student organizations.
Her vision to make student government into a better resource for students and organizations is the most realistic and pragmatic of the candidates. She aims to meet them where they are at, rather than creating unnecessary and unsustainable programming.
Lodaya also thankfully demonstrated a clear understanding of what students want from student government and the need to consistently get feedback from the relevant stakeholders.
She showed intimate knowledge of her platform and the most pressing campus issues. She also displayed a keen awareness of the stakeholders whom she must work with on those issues.
Her tuition plan lacked specificity, but she recognized the urgency of creating one as soon as she gets into office.
This is indicative of the sort of pragmatism that underlies Lodaya’s platform and presumptive governing style. Lodaya has a level head, clear vision and a natural inclination toward leadership and difference-making.
