This year, the Student Bar Association (SBA) is running a contested election for both the President and Treasurer positions. Each of the candidates’ arguments are featured below, and voting will be open from Thursday, February 20 until Sunday, February 23. The Law Weekly Facebook page and Instagram have more information about the debate, held on Tuesday, February 18. We encourage you to learn more about the debate and the candidates, as well as exercise your right to vote for your upcoming SBA representatives!
These statements are presented unedited so that you may consider the candidates based on their own work.
From Left to Right: Daniel Seidita ‘21 and Katharine Janes ‘21, candidates for SBA President. Photo Courtesy of Eleanor Schmalzl ‘20.
Candidates for President
Katharine Janes
Hi, UVA Law! My name is Katharine Janes, and I am running for SBA President. Over the past year, I have loved serving as Secretary of SBA. While some of the highlights of my tenure have included organizing memorable events like the NCAA Tournament game watches, what I've appreciated most in my position has been helping to facilitate everyday student activities on a more individualized basis. This has, for me, included aiding in the establishment of new student organizations, coordinating communications amongst student representatives, and (yes) sending bi-weekly emails about everything happening on Grounds. I deeply appreciate the way that working with SBA has allowed me to connect students to resources and opportunities they may not have known existed, particularly to the extent that it has promoted an inclusive environment at the law school. I hope I can continue this work next year as President, and I appreciate your vote!
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kmj4vg@virginia.edu
Daniel Seidita
UVA is a special place. I have loved every moment of my time here as a member of this community. I am running for SBA President because I want my fellow students to know that they have an institutional advocate—one that will constantly strive to make students feel welcome, included, and capable of thriving while at UVA Law.
Our time here is short, and I have too often heard murmurs of apathy as students begrudgingly accept that they will not have time to affect change before they leave Charlottesville. I want to correct this misconception. I want to be an SBA President who is accessible; one who actively listens to each member of our community. I am running for SBA president because students should have confidence that their voice will not only be heard, but encouraged. I envision an SBA that is active and open; one in which no opinion on any matter goes without note.
I have loved UVA because of the people—because every day I walk through the halls and know I have a community that supports me. I want to ensure that the SBA is an active part of each of our lives. I want an SBA that is more inclusive. I want an SBA that places student groups and their missions at the forefront of the student experience. I want an SBA that is adaptive and responsive. I want an SBA that is open and transparent. And I want an SBA that is not just an office in WB, but rather an organization in which each student feels like they serve an important role. I want an SBA that is a bridge to change.
UVA is a very special place—but unfortunately it doesn’t always feel that way. I am running because I hope the SBA can be a more active force at enabling members of UVA Law to express their voices. Indeed, I am running simply because UVA isn’t perfect, and the SBA is a brilliant platform that has the ability to be a catalyst for change.
Humbly your servant in service,
Daniel V. Seidita
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dvs9qz@virginia.edu
Candidates for Treasurer
Chance Maginness
As Treasurer, I want to make sure that we're directing funds towards events that benefit a majority of students—such as Fauxfield, Barristers, and SBA socials—and doing so in a way that keeps costs low for students that want to attend. Having served on SBA for a year, I've seen how we allocate our funds and create our budgets, and I want to make sure that we're prioritizing our budgets in a way that maximizes the money that we have. Furthermore, as an undergraduate, I served as our student government's finance committee chair, which allocated a $24 million dollar budget across the university—which gave me valuable insight into how we can cut out unnecessary costs while directing funds to programs that students enjoy the most.
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clm7hk@virginia.edu
Josh Short
I believe that next term’s SBA has an opportunity to further the excellent work of our predecessors. As an active member of the law school community, I look forward to bringing the same energy and enthusiasm to the SBA Executive Board. Having truly enjoyed my first two years at UVA, I would relish an opportunity to give back to the community that has given me so much.
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jbs9bb@virginia.edu