Editor’s Note: The Cavalier Daily Editorial Board interviewed two candidates for Student Council President, two candidates for Vice President for Organizations and two candidates for Vice President for Administration. Each interview lasted approximately 30 minutes, and all candidates were asked the same baseline questions. The endorsements below are based solely on the content of these interviews and the Student Council debate held by The Cavalier Daily and the University Board of Elections.
The upcoming Student Council elections arrive at an inflection point for student self-governance. As the Student Council faces pressing challenges of financial dependency, low student body engagement and a transitioning Board of Visitors, the next student administration must come equipped with a steadfast and comprehensive dedication to reaffirming its institutional values. The Editorial Board evaluated candidates not only on the breadth of their initiatives, but also on their capacity to translate campaign goals into actual lasting institutional reform.
For these reasons, we endorse Michael Mitchell for President, Saehee Perez for Vice President for Administration and Harper Tran for Vice President for Organizations. While we have questions about Tran’s capability to meaningfully contribute, this Editorial Board commends the ticket’s central priority of a Student Council endowment — a long-term financial anchor designed to stabilize their fiscal plans, deepen student engagement and strengthen their bargaining power with University stakeholders.
Mitchell is a third-year Commerce student and the current Vice President for Organizations, bringing a deep familiarity with both the internal and external operations of Student Council that has informed his practical, forward-looking initiatives. A focus on alumni outreach, strategic adjustments to the Student Activities Fee and improved internal budget utilization are key components of Dream Ahead’s broader mission to end Student Council’s reliance on temporary presidential gifts. Mitchell has overseen more than 880 student organizations and administered approximately $850,000 in annual funding, providing him with an in-depth understanding of both the strengths and structural vulnerabilities of Student Council’s financial framework. Although the creation of a Student Council endowment has been a recurring campaign promise, Mitchell brings to the table a specific and attainable strategy for bringing it to fruition.
Beyond financial reform, Mitchell recognizes that Student Council’s influence depends on relationship-building with surrounding institutions, particularly through consistent presence at Board of Visitors meetings and deliberate coalition-building with other student self-governed organizations. His approach to a reshaped Board is an optimistic one — Mitchell hopes to ensure student perspectives are represented in institutional decision-making by prioritizing a working relationship with the Board.
That optimism, however, must not supersede a fundamental loyalty to the student body. Mitchell’s decision not to sign the Student Council’s vote of no confidence after former University President Jim Ryan’s forced resignation leaves the Editorial Board concerned about his ability to stand up for students in contentious times. We encourage Mitchell to take an assertive posture when student interests are at stake. Occasions where external pressures oppose the consensus of the student body are times when the Student Council President’s voice matters most. Mitchell would benefit from emulating the passionate, confrontational strategy displayed by his running mate, Perez, whose willingness to stand up to the Board reflects an unwavering commitment to her constituents — the student body writ large.
Third-year College student and VPA candidate Perez has served on Student Council for three years, leading 11 agencies in her current role as Chief of Cabinet. The Editorial Board was particularly impressed with Perez’s nuanced understanding of Student Council’s inner workings — the culture, dynamics and internal communications which help the organization efficiently thrive. Perez demonstrates candor in shedding light on the inefficiencies Student Council currently experiences, such as delayed leadership appointments and complacency within executive positions. Furthermore, Perez expresses a passion for elevating student voice even when doing so requires direct conflict with University stakeholders. This willingness is exemplified through the resolutions she has passed to lobby for low-income students by demanding transparency in the financial aid process. Perez recognizes the significance of Student Council remaining an independent student self-governing body to represent and advocate for its constituents.
Alongside Mitchell, Perez agrees that the best way to further Student Council’s goals for increased student outreach and advocacy is through the establishment of an endowment. No candidate possesses a greater awareness of Student Council’s needs internally and externally, making Perez an integral member of the Dream Ahead campaign. Through evidence-based advocacy and a clear-eyed vision for meaningful structural improvements, we believe Perez can facilitate the direction this Editorial Board would like to see the Student Council take towards meaningful internal transformation.
We believe Mitchell and Perez, backed by Dream Ahead’s mission, will turn their campaign into observable structural changes. In contrast, Tran neither demonstrated tangible policy goals nor articulated much of her vision on how she will contribute in her role. Given that Tran is running as Vice President of Organizations, a role central to ensuring clubs are well-equipped with resources, we hope to see her streamline onboarding processes and provide fiscal support for the CIOs she would represent. Dream Ahead’s ambitious goals — financial and institutional independence, the creation of opportunities for students and student-backed advocacy — are stewarded by candidates whose institutional knowledge and passionate vision will empower swift and long-lasting change.
The Cavalier Daily Editorial Board is composed of the Executive Editor, the Editor-in-Chief, the two Opinion Editors, the two Senior Associates and an Opinion Columnist. The board can be reached at eb@cavalierdaily.com.
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