SBA elections are today, Feb. 24. This article provides a summary comparison of the election profiles of each candidate for Student Bar Association (SBA) President — Amanda Hichez, Jo Slaughter, and Nigel Walton.

Candidate Summaries

• Amanda Hichez
  As the current Vice President of Finance, Hichez has a deep understanding of the SBA’s inner workings. She takes a proactive approach, identifying problems and proposing concrete solutions. Her plans include expanding mentorship programs for 1Ls, eliminating the R Fund/C Fund distinction to allow student organizations to retain funds year after year, and collaborating with the Career Center to enhance resources for public interest students. She also prioritizes open communication with the administration to ensure student concerns are consistently addressed.
• Jo Slaughter
  With a background in public interest and experience as a drug addiction counselor, Slaughter is driven by a passion for service. She is Vice President of Student Affairs and highlights past student government successes, such as securing free coffee, and emphasizes the need for stronger career services. She aims to foster a collaborative relationship with the Dean of Students office and advocate for student needs. Additionally, she plans to implement flexible academic support for evening students and ensure LL.M. students are more integrated into campus life.
• Nigel Walton
  Walton is focused on serving students and addressing their concerns through stronger administrative relationships. He plans to partner with the Career Center to expand opportunities, enhance student success through mental health programs and study spaces, and support evening students by advocating for flexible administrative hours, recorded major events, and expanded study resources during critical times.

SBA Finances and Operations

Each candidate emphasizes the need for increased transparency with SBA’s Finances and that the SBA should have to fundraise itself. Hichez has extensive experience in SBA financial management and believes the SBA should encourage the administration to provide more assistance and/or transparency as it navigates tracking its funds through the various student organizations. Slaughter plans to conduct a thorough review of the SBA budget to identify and eliminate redundancies and hold office hours with her Vice President of Finance. Walton would encourage the Senate to adopt an inclusive approach to student group funding that would prioritize diverse student groups’ programming.

Advocacy and Administration Relations

Each candidate pledges to improve student-administration relations. The candidates each emphasize the need for regular communication and building relationships. Each candidate recognized the need to stand firm for student interests in the right situations in order for the SBA to be an effective advocate.

Support for Specific Student Groups

Each candidate agrees that there is a need to better support non-traditional J.D. students. Hichez believes that the SBA bylaws should offer incentives to student organizations for hosting evening events to support GW Law’s evening students. She also wants LL.M. and S.J.D. students to have access to the mentorship program offered to 1Ls. Slaughter says that the SBA must push the school to provide more flexible academic support for evening students and resources for LL.M. students to ensure they can find adequate housing. Walton highlights his track record helping to found the Evening Law Student Association and will push for visa support services with OPT/CPT guidance and immigration attorney consultations.