Sean Groh (he/him) is a sophomore majoring in law, politics and society, as well as American politics and English. @seangroh4vpso
What do you believe the role of the Vice President of Student Organizations is?
The role of the Vice President of Student Organizations is to advocate for the student organizations on campus to Student Senate. Not only does the VPSO review and approve Temporary Registered Student Organizations (TRSOs), but the VPSO is also responsible for assisting TRSOs in becoming RSOs when chairing the Organization Council. The VPSO works on behalf of the students at Drake, and they meet with organization presidents to ensure that they are being adequately supported and thriving! I want this VPSO position to go out and attend as many on-campus events and student organization meetings as possible, and I will ensure that people are able to reach me if they have any questions or need support for their student organization!
What are your goals for this position? Are there specific issues you hope to address through initiatives or projects in this position?
I have three main goals for the VPSO position. The first is to address Lounge and help ease students’ frustrations with the app. As the president of an organization that is required to use Lounge for all events, there were times when I was left confused on how to navigate the app, and the lack of communication between the presidents and Student Life office resulted in increased questions on why we were switching to Lounge. As VPSO, I want to help ease navigation with the app, collaborating with organization presidents and the Director of Student Life to relay information and measure student feedback as we continue using the app. My next goal is to increase Senate outreach between student organizations and the student government. By reaching out to individual presidents and understanding what their organization needs from Senate, it will allow me to effectively advocate for the interests of student organizations during Senate meetings. My third goal is to continue showing my commitment as a member of Senate to our campus and all the great things our student organizations do. Using my Senate Instagram, I will continue highlighting the events as they are being planned! In the end, I’m running for the VPSO position to gauge how Senate can continue showing up for our organizations, while working to address the flaws that have come about with a new platform we are expected to use to promote our organizations.
What experience has prepared you for this position?
Serving on Student Senate for two years now, I have had a plethora of experience representing and advocating for students within our student government. Serving as the First-Year and Academic Affairs Senator, I have taken the time to get to understand the evolving needs of Drake students and how Student Senate can best represent them. From taking the initiative to expand Narcan programming across campus to serving as a student representative on the provost search committee, my time on Student Senate has been a commitment to ensuring that all voices are heard and that Senate is taking measurable actions to help address the concerns within our student body. As VPSO, that commitment will not change, and I will continue to work for students in making sure the student organizations on campus are flourishing.
How will you ensure that you and the Student Senate will represent the interests of the student body?
I will ensure that Student Senate and I represent the interests of the student body by holding each other accountable in our respective positions. If students feel that Senate is not adequately representing the interests of the student body, it is our job as a collective governing body to understand why students feel this way. Do students feel disconnected from their student government? Do they not feel comfortable approaching Senate with their concerns? These are the questions Senate needs to ask itself as they undergo these roles for the next school year, and if a member of Student Senate is not carrying their weight, we have to lift each other and help the member achieve the goals they set for themselves when they were running for their position. Student Senate is not an “every person for themselves” ordeal– — we celebrate our successful initiatives and pick each other up when someone is struggling with a project they are trying to execute. As VPSO, I will continue to carry this mindset and spread it throughout the governing body because at the end of the day, if students’ interests are not being represented, we are not as successful as we want to be.
