Platform statements for the three vacant student government executive positions were presented at the student senate meeting on Wednesday. 

The positions of executive vice president, vice president of academic affairs and vice president of student affairs became vacant after the previous student body president, EVP and VPAA position holders resigned. 

In the vacancy, VPSA Claire Weber was appointed as SBP, leaving her former position vacant. 

During the application process for vacant positions, one person applied for EVP, one for VPAA and two for VPSA. 

The applicants were interviewed by Weber before their presentations on Wednesday. 

Voting for all candidates will be held at the next student senate meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 15. To fill the position, a candidate needs a two-thirds majority. 

Parliamentarian Mason Tegeler, a junior political science major specializing in civic and non-profit leadership, ran unopposed for the EVP position.  

Tegeler previously ran for the position in the spring of this year but lost to former EVP Anna Jones. 

He previously served as the VPSA in the 2024-25 school year. That role was vacant to start the year, and Tegeler was appointed in September. 

“I took up the mantle of leadership and was able to have an incredible amount of success,” Tegeler said.  

Tegeler has served as head of the internal affairs committee and is president of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. 

Tegeler is running on three pillars: connection, advocacy and engagement. 

“I plan to use these as touchstones through my time as EVP,” Tegeler said. 

Tegeler plans to use the pillar of connection to serve the student body. 

“We have to listen to their concerns, their wants and their needs,” Tegeler said. 

Tegeler said he plans to start a series of SGA town halls.  

“Each will be focused on issues like parking, dining [and] housing,” Tegeler said. “The things that students like us and others on this campus deal with every day.” 

He also wants to collaborate with many organizations on campus, including residence halls, Greek organizations, colleges and departments. 

“We will hear from students about what they like, what they dislike [and] what they want to see changed on campus,” Tegeler said. “We use that feedback and their concerns to channel into legislation, events [and] initiatives.” 

For the advocacy pillar, Tegeler plans to use the Student Action Team, which EVP is the head of, and expand it by reaching out to colleges and departments to find new members to advocate for them.  

Tegeler wants to put an emphasis on the SAT’s work for student lobbying day, during which students go to the state capital to meet with and talk to their elected officials.  

“It is a dream to get our student action team to meet with the governor, the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general [or] someone high up in the state of Illinois,” Tegeler said. “This will give our SAT members the opportunity to make their case to those with real weight in Springfield.” 

For the engagement pillar, Tegeler plans to work with Operation EIU Votes to host voter registration drives for the 2026 primaries.  

“There is a desire for growth and improvement on our campus, and we as an organization have the opportunity to bring that forward,” Tegeler said. 

Also unopposed, Senator Emilee Boyd, a junior special education major specializing in early childhood, ran for the VPAA position.  

Boyd ran for the position of VPAA last spring but dropped out due to academic scheduling. 

“I have the time now,” Boyd said. “I’ve actually already sat down and found out what time I will be available.” 

Outside of student government, Boyd is involved in the National Residence Hall Honorary, is the secretary for student council for exceptional children and has served as the social director for EIU pride. 

Boyd said during the meeting that student advocacy is important to her. 

“I want to create a safe space for students to come into the meetings to discuss their own ideas and concerns,” Boyd said. 

Boyd also wants to be transparent with students about changes on campus. 

“They are paying to be here, and they have a right to know about any changes,” Boyd said. “Transparency can help limit other confusions and assumptions made about this organization.” 

She said she wants to work with deans to understand changes on the university level as well as show support to the faculty. 

“We would not be students here without our faculty,” Boyd said. “I want to show them that student government supports them, and the student body also shows them appreciation.” 

Boyd said that furthering student support is also a goal and that she plans to do so by educating about resources students can use throughout the year, especially during midterms and finals. 

She also wants to assist with departments on campus to create an upperclassman and underclassman mentorship program, which she has already done in her department. 

“I’m hoping after implementing this we see more people staying in their original majors,” Boyd said. 

She wants to contact alums, in her role as head of the alumni relations committee, to see what they think should be implemented and what they wish they had during their time at Eastern. 

VPSA is the only contested position, with the senate hearing from two candidates. The senate will hold a primary vote at the next meeting. The winner will be picked by a two-thirds majority vote. 

The first candidate to present their statement for the position was Senator Katarina Maxson, a senior political science major. 

Maxson has served as the chair of the university enhancement committee and has served as the president of the political science association, which she said helped her understand how RSOs operate. 

She said her goal as a senator has been to elevate student voices and find diverse thoughts around the campus. 

“My experiences also taught me how to listen to people and genuinely understand and empathize with their stories,” Maxson said. 

Maxson said she wants to use student feedback to improve Pantherpalooza and to make sure RSOs receive sufficient funding. 

“I’ll work to better understand and promote the RSO funding program, ensuring everyone is aware of their resources,” Maxson said. 

Maxson wants to create workshops to help RSOs meet their desired goals. 

The VPSA position focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion policies, but the position had its DEI related role eliminated earlier this year in compliance with federal guidelines. 

“I recognize the need to alter the official wording and the official documentation for this event,” Maxson said. “I will make sure it never disappears off this campus.” 

Maxson said she still wants to enable DEI initiatives in some way. 

“I intend to change no more [and] no less than exactly what I have to do to ensure the safety of our university’s funding operations,” she said. “Diversity may be a dangerous word to some of the highest policymakers in this nation, but it’s not to me, and it’s not to the students.” 

The second candidate for the VPSA position is Leyana Keener, a senior political science major. Keener is the only candidate running for an executive position who is not currently a member of student government.  

However, Keener previously served one semester as a senator in the spring of 2024. 

Keener is currently the president of the National Residence Hall Honorary, the associate director of the NRHH Great Lakes affiliate, and the campus and community chair for the homecoming committee this year. 

Keener said that members of student government should be available to RSOs but that they should not take up too much space.  

Keener also said that she wants to create a guide to help potential RSOs navigate and meet their requirements. 

“We can’t assume that these RSOs are coming in with that same base knowledge,” Keener said. 

Student life advisors said during meetings that it’s hard for RSOs to find money and advisors to do the extra work for free, according to Keener. 

Keener said that she wants to dedicate one day a week for RSOs and their advisors to come in and work through issues and ideas. 

For student appreciation, Keener wants to help people acknowledge their student identity by creating pop-up events and also wants to use student government platforms to spotlight RSO events. 

For Pantherpalooza, Keener wants to review evaluations by students and organizations to create a better product. 

There are also two candidates running for senator. The election will be held on Oct. 13 and 14. A two-thirds majority vote is required to get the position. 

Emma Garner, a junior criminology and sociology major, is currently president of honors group Tri-Alpha and is the chair of the academic affairs committee. 

Garner said she wants to work to get people who do many different activities in the student body involved in student government. 

The other candidate is Jayriel Kizer, a junior political science major, who has been on the academic affairs committee and is chair of the alumni relations committee.  

She is running for senator to stay involved and to find the best ways to support students. She wants to help first-generation students who are entering college.

Jason Coulombe can be reached at 581-2812 or at jmcoulombe@eiu.edu.