The polls opened for SGA elections Monday morning, and presidential candidates can take a collective breath before voting ends at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27. 

There are three presidential candidates this election and all have SGA experience as well as distinguishable characteristics, qualifications and ideas for the future of UNCW that set each apart from the other. 

Matthew Simpson, Meghan Munch and Zach Steffey have been campaigning, alongside their running mates, since the minute Spring Break ended on March 11.

Meghan Munch, a junior at UNCW, thinks the care she has for her fellow students and her love for the university is what distinguishes her from her opponents.  A Swansboro native, Munch grew up around water and knew her love for the area would take her to UNCW.

Munch’s platform has four elements- uniting campus, negotiating for students, committing to the future and working with everyone.

Munch recognizes a series of gaps that occur on campus- between students and professors or lecturers, students and administration, students and government-that she wants to bridge, uniting the campus.   

Munch is a Teaching Fellow and represents the Watson School of Education in SGA.  Teaching is the ultimate leadership position to Munch and wants to get to know her constituents in the same way she forms a relationship with her students.

“When you are in the education field, you learn that the teacher is the leader, and you’re a leader as a mentor to the students, you’re a leader in helping them learn, you’re a leader in everything you do,” Munch said.  “But at the same time you don’t not know your students, and it’s the same with being student body president- you have to know your constituents.”

Matt Simpson, the second Presidential candidate, is a non-traditional student that transferred from Wake Technical Community College with an Associates degree already under his belt. 

As a 28-year-old, Simpson recognizes the fight it took him to get to UNCW and as a result, has soaked in every aspect of education.

Simpson’s platform includes a specific list of projects and focuses.  Some areas of special attention are Randall Library, transfer students, bike safety and participation in SGA.    

To Simpson, Randall is clearly lacking for the amount of students that utilize its services.  The addition of more electrical outlets this semester were a step in the right direction, but Simpson thinks more space can be used to give students more study space.

The rooms in Fischer Student Union that are rarely used should be open for students to bring study groups, according to Simpson.

As an SGA senator at large, Simpson was amazed to see the senate not fully filled until later in this semester.  Simpson has started talks with several minority groups on campus to not only fill more senate positions, but to give minorities a bigger voice in SGA.

“How can we claim to represent the voice and vision of the students, if we have no minorities on SGA,” Simpson said.

Zach Steffey is the last featured presidential candidate for this election and like, Simpson, highlighted specific projects under areas of the university that Steffey sees as room for improvement.

Steffey thinks having a plan in place for each project gives him a slight edge in the election.

Steffey recognizes the academic achievement students at UNCW work hard for and hopes to implement a rewards incentive program for good grades.

According to Steffey, Parking and Transportation has also proposed an increase in parking fees.  If fees are increased, Steffey thinks students should be offered more parking options as well and recommends converting more space to parking spots.

A main focus for Steffey’s campaign was a plan to get students more involved with campus activities, particularly the athletic program.  Steffey wants SGA to look into the impact that they can have on the athletic program and thinks marketing on campus is a role best suited for student government. 

“Working with school spirit-you know that’s something that everybody puts in their platform, and that’s sort of been the trend for the past couple of years,” Steffey said.  “But I think really taking that one step further and not just saying ‘increasing school spirit’ but having a plan for how we are going to do that.”

Flags on Chancellor’s Walk identifying “game days,” a lit clock tower with every big UNCW victory and more student-athlete visibility among other students are just a few things in a plan that Steffey hopes to implement for the sake of school spirit. 

With three qualified and dedicated candidates, UNCW students have options for their voice on campus.   According to Sammy Pisano, Senior class president and elections committee chair, having three candidates for president may split the majority vote, which is needed for a presidential victory.  A runoff may be possible. 

Despite the competition, the candidates acknowledge that they all share a common opinion about the university as their home and they see themselves as having the students’ best interest at heart.  

Treating opponents with respect is something not often seen in an election but future candidates might take a look at how Munch, Simpson and Steffey carry themselves: give respect to earn respect.  That is what UNCW students will get in this election.