SGA Treasurer Reaffirms Salary Pledge

Everyone makes promises during their campaigns, and it’s not often those promises are kept.

Michael Baldwin acknowledges that he has not fulfilled all the promises he made while running as a reform candidate for SGA treasurer.

During his campaign he made two big promises: create a student union and put 100 percent of his treasurer pay back into student organizations.

In an interview with The Vanguard, Baldwin admitted that he might have promised too much.

“I think I was overambitious when I suggested [a student union],” Baldwin said. “But I think we’re doing a lot of things that are like that. I encourage everyone to communicate their questions and concerns with me … I think I’ve compromised a bit, so we can get a more effective system rather than stay the course and not get anything done.”

Baldwin said he wasn’t envisioning a new building on campus, simply a place where student organizations could voice their opinions.

“[I was envisioning a] group of people, possibly other than the SGA members that would … organize the voice of the students for the administration,” Baldwin said.

So what have been the roadblocks to that goal?

“Well, we already have the Student Government Association, and … many people think that would be redundant,” Baldwin said.

As far as putting 100 percent of his stipend back into student organizations and campus activities, Baldwin was not willing to provide proof to The Vanguard, but offered his word that he had put “more than half” of his pay back into the campus.

“Whenever SGA just doesn’t quite cover it,” Baldwin said, “or philanthropy events, or if people are raising money, I try to help them out. I’m definitely on my way to spending 100 percent of it. I actually have a little spreadsheet to make sure I don’t overspend on my bank account.”

Baldwin would not provide a copy of his spreadsheet to The Vanguard, nor would he indicate which organizations he has offered money to.

“My concern is that … I wouldn’t want people to feel I was treating them unfairly because I was giving money away,” Baldwin said. “I don’t want to be asked for money.

“If people ask me for money, I never would do that. If someone expresses concern, and I think they’re genuine, I’ll help them out. I don’t want to show favoritism … I am absolutely going to give it away, and I am halfway there,” he said.