As the current and two-term Student Body Internal Vice President and President of Student Senate, I am offering my endorsement of Nick Pokorny as Student Body President. Experience is a necessary attribute to being SBP and a key characteristic of Nick’s. Nick, having been a student senator in the campus improvements committee, Baylor ambassador, chairman and member of the University Sustainability Student Advisory Board, University Judicial Affairs student representative, LEAD LLC program member, among others, has had exposure to key aspects of campus life affecting students. Through this exposure he has built relationships with students, faculty, and administrators that will directly benefit the student body in the months and years to come.

Baylor administrators gave students a chance to offer feedback and ask questions about the university’s draft strategic plan Tuesday at a town hall forum hosted by student government.

Baylor officials released on Dec. 12 the first public draft of the university’s next strategic plan, which will carry the university beyond the Baylor 2012 vision while reaffirming many of the expiring plan’s goals for university development.

It can be intimidating to campaign for a position, but former student body president Michael Wright believes that somewhere within the student government, there’s a seat waiting with your name on it.

Applications for the A.A. & Marjorie Hyden Scholarship, a scholarship for junior and senior student leaders, are due Friday. Eight $500 scholarships will be awarded for next fall. Applications are online at www.baylor.edu/sg/index.php?id=46051 or at the Student Government office in the Bill Daniel Student Center.

Houston junior Zach Rogers defeated Houston junior Ben Aguinaga for student body president and Falls City junior Michael Lyssy defeated Houston sophomore Brian Kim for internal vice president in a runoff election Tuesday.

Vote in the runoff elections between student body president candidates Ben Aguinaga and Zach Rogers and internal vice president candidates Brian Kim and Michael Lyssy from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today. Voting is available at www.baylor.edu/sg/vote.

A runoff Tuesday will determine both the student body president and internal vice president elections.

Every year the Lariat editorial board interviews student body officer candidates in order to understand platforms, gauge abilities and represent the student body’s voice. This year’s editorial board has chosen to continue the endorsements. We are endorsing Falls City junior Michael Lyssy for internal vice president and Corpus Christi junior Angela Gray for external vice president.

I am a senior who has been involved in student government for all four years of my time at Baylor. In my time as a SG member, I have worked with all three IVP candidates.

It was with deep regret that I emailed Electoral Commissioner Gregg Ortiz on Wednesday to inform him that I would not be able to be in attendance at the SBO Debate on Thursday. The candidates first learned on April 1 that the debate was tentatively scheduled for April 7.

A panel of campus leaders met with students to answer questions on topics ranging from Baylor’s stance on conceal and carry legislation to the university’s denial of a charter for the Sexual Identity Forum in a university town hall meeting Wednesday.

Student Government will hold a town hall meeting Wednesday during which students can participate in a Q&A session with President Ken Starr, Dr. Kevin Jackson, vice president for student life, and Houston senior Michael Wright, student body president. The meeting will be held at 4 p.m. in Draper 116.

Today marks the start of full campaigning for student body officers as students seek leadership positions to give back to our community. Each year the Lariat interviews the student body officer candidates and endorses one candidate for each position.

Student body senate passed several bills and revisions in yesterday’s meeting, several of which financed events held by various student organizations.

While most students were enjoying the beach or mountains during spring break, five students from Baylor’s student government and the Baylor student ambassador program traveled to Washington, D.C. for the “Big 12 on the Hill,” a program lobbying for causes that affect the Big 12 conference as well as Baylor in particular.

Students from all over campus played their part in planning the future of Baylor on Tuesday by going and voicing their opinions at Student Government’s strategic planning input sessions.

As Baylor begins to look forward to a time after Baylor 2012, it is beginning to further plan the future direction of the university. Student government will help produce the goals of this new strategic plan by collecting student opinions and passing on the reports to the strategic themes committee, which analyzes the responses to determine major themes.

A response to a survey on Baylor’s sustainability efforts has sparked debate on the hot-topic issue on campus: parking.

Baylor Student Government hosted the fourth annual “Blinded” event in Barfield Drawing Room on Tuesday in a continued effort to encourage discussion between students on controversial topics.

Student government is collecting box tops to benefit J.H. Hines Elementary School for the second year, this time to raise money for the school’s library.

As the semester starts, Student Government is searching for students to fill vacancies in the Senate.