Bryson Riggleman, a Fairmont State University’s Student Government Association member, is campaigning to be SGA Vice President.
Hoping to continue his progress in the SGA, Riggleman began his campaign. While he admits he is new to the campus scene, he has plans to improve it. Riggleman plans to waive printing fees for students. He says the cost of tuition should cover all printing expenses, and the fee to use the printers is unnecessary. He also plans to talk to the administration about creating drop boxes around campus where lost student ID cards can be safely placed and returned to their owners.
“When I get elected, I’m going to make sure that we create a positive campus environment for everyone,” Riggleman said.
The college sophomore joined SGA in August of 2024, dedicating most of his time in the Rules and Bylaws Committee, where he helped draft two new amendments to the SGA Constitution. He also played a significant role in the Campus Carry Act that went into effect last summer. Riggleman expressed his desire to put his feelings on campus aside and become an unbiased conduit for the FSU student body and their needs. He said he is optimistic about creating a positive perception of SGA and extending its reach across the campus.
SGA is a campus committee of students who allot funds to various clubs on campus and plan events for students and offers students a legislative body on campus. Every Fairmont State student is afforded the ability to vote SGA members into office.
Riggleman is willing to ask the administration faculty and his fellow SGA members difficult questions to fulfill his constituents’ needs.
Dexter Simon, a member of the Student Government Association of Fairmont State University, is running for SGA parliamentarian against sole opponent and fellow member Liam Savage.
Simon is a political science major at FSU and is an active member of many SGA committees. Simon believes SGA should run less like a governing body and more like an engagement initiative.
“As the SGA, it is up to us to put on events, make our names known, make our faces known, and make it seem like we are ready to help,” he said.
Simon first became involved with the SGA by helping the caucus read over new amendments and bylaws of their constitution before they passed the desk of the SGA President. He shared that he is comfortable in the role of parliamentarian because his interests already lie in the political sphere. Simon advocates for a minimum GPA of 3.0 for all members of the SGA who hold office. He believes that one’s grades are a manifestation of their competency. Simon spoke about the current division in the SGA and said that if he is elected, he plans to amend the constitution and return unity to the group. Simon hopes that by streamlining the constitution, meetings will become more productive.
“There are a lot of things in the constitution that were relevant, but then we stopped using them, and they are still lingering,” he said.
Campaigning has begun, and the student body is encouraged to vote. If elected parliamentarian, Simon hopes to bring more events to campus and create more community among students and faculty. He hopes that by working from within SGA and then branching outwards into other communities on campus, he will be able to achieve these goals.
Simon is confident in his campaign and his vision for the future of the SGA. He thinks the SGA’s strength is its diversity of members. If elected parliamentarian Simon said he would like to work on incentives to encourage SGA members to join other clubs and see other perspectives.
Liam Savage, an active member of Fairmont State University’s Student Government Association, has resolved to run for Parliamentarian against fellow member Dexter Simon.
If elected, Savage plans to hit the ground running and begin reviewing the current constitution. He believes that when this pressing issue is remedied, true change can be affected on campus. Savage emphasized the importance of the student body’s role in student government and plans to involve RSO’s in the drafting of a new document.
“I want to involve the student body in the process of changing the constitution,” he said.
Savage has committed to returning a sense of order to the SGA. He is invested in updating the SGA’s constitution to better serve its present members and using his knowledge of the current constitution to steer decisions.
Savage is intent on creating a committee to review, revise and amend the current constitution. When asked about the upcoming election and who is able to vote, Savage stated every student has the right to vote and participate in this election. The power of the ballot is extended to all who wish to participate in the election of SGA officials.
Savage is an SGA member and student writer for the Fairmont State Columns. He recently decided to campaign for the parliamentarian position within the SGA. “I want to be a problem solver, I want to be a leader,” he said.
