Shelby Sims, now well into her current term as Student Association Secretary, ran unopposed in April with her platform promising to help utilize organization, transparency and communication within SA.
Sims said she became aware of student complaints regarding transparency between SA and its student body.
She said she felt the SA executive council have done a better job this year of being transparent with mistakes and what exactly is happening within SA.
She also said transparency is a tough issue, but that she felt that this year’s council has done an excellent job of making the SA as transparent as possible.
Sims said one of the main focuses of her job is the SA senate.
The secretary’s role works heavily along side Vice President Park Wynn and student senate.
Sims said when working with senate, as well as cabinet, communication is key.
“Communicating with the senators and just making sure they know how to write legislation, and know they can ask ‘Do you know what can I do?’ and being more accessible,” Sims said.
Last year’s senate passed legislation restructuring the Senate, which lead to a downsize in the amount of elected senate seats.
Sims said communication between her and the senators has been easier this year with a smaller senate.
Sims described her position as the “catch-all” of the SA executive council and said organization is a pivotal attribute of the position.
She said her job involves helping President Shelby Balius with anything she needs, along with the other elected positions.
However, her main role involves keeping the attendance at cabinet and senate, along with the voting, legislation and minutes at senate.
“My main focus is being everywhere, and making sure everyone has everything they need,” Sims said.
Sims said she has been assisting Wynn with planning a Senator Outreach Day, a day dedicated to the SA senators going out into the Starkville community and giving back.
Additionally, Sims has been working on and publicizing for a Meet Your Senator Night.
“I feel like people do not realize if they have a problem they can go talk to their senators and they can write legislation,” Sims said. “This past year and this year have been monumental years for Senate and they really are gaining power and utilizing that power.”
Along with the Meet Your Senator Night, Sims said she is also trying to encourage senators to go and speak to student groups on campus associated with their senate seat’s college and making senators more accessible.
Overall, Sims said she has enjoyed her time as SA Secretary and it has been an excellent learning experience.
“I have loved being secretary. It has been a huge learning experience,” she said. “I do not feel like any of the five of us who are elected are really that more knowledgable about student government than anybody else, but we have learned so much through this.”