Hayden Nix said if elected Student Association president, he wants to bridge the gap between the SA and the general student body by showing students the SA is not just a organization that works behind the scenes but is there to work directly with students.
“One of the things I’d like to see better improved upon is the connection between the Student Association and the students. I feel that right now, that there’s really not a good relationship and to build upon that, to make it better. I want to be out there with every one of the students,” he said.
Nix, a junior broadcast meteorology major, has worked with the SA for the past two years as assistant director and director of Environmental Affairs on cabinet.
Through his experience running programs such as Dawg House Deals and working on other SA programs, he said he believes he knows how to improve the student experience.
“With being in the Student Association for two years, I have been under two different executive-style leaderships. From that viewpoint, I can see what has and has not worked and maybe work from there to try to do something better,” he said. “I have had a lot of knowledge with behind the scenes, especially with Bulldog Bash and Cowbell Yell and other different events.”
 If elected, Nix said he hopes to work with the Mississippi State University administration to see adding a full-week Thanksgiving break and a Mardi Gras holiday to the academic calendar is a possibility.
“I have heard a lot of people argue back and forth about which holiday they want more – a fall break or a full week off for Thanksgiving,” he said. “More than likely, the administration will not give us both because of the number of days we are required to have per semester. The best way I feel that we need to do is put it to a vote to clarify to the students who wants a fall break and a Thanksgiving break.”
He said he would work with Information Technology Services to create a question that would be asked of students during the registration process to see what students would be most interested in.
Mardi Gras holidays, if added to the academic calendar, would give students a break between Martin Luther King, Jr., Day and spring break to help alleviate the burnout students face during that period.
The role Nix has played in SA’s environmental affairs division has influenced his campaign. He said he hopes to establish a recycling program for sorority and fraternity and revamping the current on-campus recycling system.
Nix said he would work with Jeremiah Dumas, assistant research professor who is involved with the Physical Plant Administration, to initiate the Greek recycling program.
“I feel that there are 3,000-plus students who live over there and that is just not utilized to its fullest potential,” Nix said. “That’s a lot of recycling that could happen, but it’s just not being used right now.”
He said he also plans on working with Dumas to spread awareness of the current recycling program.
“I’m adamant about recycling programs and I feel this university has a great initiative started, but I feel like there’s always room for improvement. I have seen a lot of problems with the current recycling program as far as public knowledge,” he said.
In addition to his work with recycling, Nix hopes to work with Aramark to extend dining services that cater to students who require gluten-free items and special diabetic meals.
He said a dining committee has been recently set up and, as SA president, he can address those issues in the committee and work with Aramark. Nix said he wants to see statistically how many students would have special dietary needs so he can show these are students who need representation.
Parking in commuter east, according to Nix, needs its limited parking issues resolved. He said he wants to work with Mike Harris, director of Parking Services, to rezone the gravel lot that was moved to the  south parking zone this year back to commuter east within the next semester.
He also said, in order to promote pedestrian safety, he would like to work with the administration to see if crosswalks could be placed in high-foot traffic areas behind Burger King and the Health Center lots in commuter east.
Nix said if elected, he hopes to balance between policy and programming because they both play a vital role in executive positions.
“I’m doing this because I feel that this is what is best as far as being able to make an impact here at the university,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to be a part of something great, and I always take everything that I do whole-heartedly. I’m not doing this just for a title. I’m doing this for the students at the university … to make a difference.”