The race for Student Council president is contested for the first time since 2012. The Cavalier Daily spoke with Locher Grove and Abraham Axler about their platforms and their visions for the next year in student leadership.
Locher Grove
Third-year College student Locher Grove is one of two candidates running for Student Council president this year.
“The inspiration [to run] came from being a Co-Chair of the Community Affairs Committee,” Grove said. “When it comes down to it I think committees are the heart and soul of Student Council.”
Committees undertake a series specialized initiatives throughout the year. The Community Affairs Committee is involved in eight to nine initiatives each semester.
“What I began to see is we stopped helping committees and enabling action,” Grove said. “I want to refocus Student Council energy away from outside programs and initiatives and focus on committee initiatives. [By] refocusing Student Council energy, we’ll get even more done and be even more effective.”
Grove said his experience with the University and Student Council operations during his three years at the University is what sets him apart. He said it comes down to motivating people, finding out what they’re interested in and having them act on it.
Grove said one of the largest problems currently facing the University is the relationship between the administration and students.
“I think in general my ability to communicate with all parties involved, gather those that need to be gathered to the table and have in depth conversations that get to the heart of matter will be important when it comes to conveying the needs, concerns and opinions of students to the administration and emphasizing the importance of student self governance,” Grove said.
Grove said he hopes to create a long-term initiative blog similar to Kickstarter. The blog would feature ideas for programs, and would create connections and partnerships in response to “bites.”
However, he said he is wary of setting a concrete agenda.
“I think this is one of the pitfalls of running for Student Council president or Student Council in general is going in with a large agenda you feel compelled to work on immediately when you come in office,” Grove said. “It doesn’t free you up to manage and do the leadership you were elected to do. I take pride in the fact that my platform and what I stand for is much more a leadership council.”
Abraham Axler
Second-year College student Abraham Axler is also running for Student Council president.
“I think its a natural continuation of my service in Student Council thus far and my service to my class as class president,” Axler said.
He said during his time as Class of 2017 president the school dealt with a great deal of tragedy and crisis, and he engaged in tough conversations about safety issues and sexual violence.
Axler also serves on Student Council’s executive board as the chair of the representative body.
Axler said his experience at Quaker High School sets him apart. He said it taught him the importance of decisions made by consensus and policies made in collaboration.
“I think one of the biggest problems is making sure everything we’re doing … is sustainable and informed by student needs,” Axler said. “[We] committed to lots of new programs, and we need to be cautious to ensure continuation and expansion are done as students want.”
Axler’s platform emphasizes numerous specific policies and initiatives from increasing the integration of Greek philanthropies to building a multicultural center. He said his areas of interest include safety, diversity, academic affairs, greek life, sustainability, space reservation, athletic affairs, internal reforms, infrastructure, national concerns, AccessUVa, living wage, mental health and increasing Council transparency.
“One thing I’d like to do is make the sense that Student Council is approachable,” Axler said. “It troubles me that people think Student Council is alien. [T]ruly it’s a collection of students who are dedicated to being responsive to student needs and concerns.”
He said the Council needs to be wary of taking itself too seriously, for it is an iteration of the University and all the students enrolled here and thus operates for their benefit.
Axler said if he is elected president, he would want to focus on development at every level of the organization and be accessible to all students.
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