What is Grinnell? A home, a place where we know that the key to success, the key to understanding, and the key to an education all lie in the hands of the students. We were brought here on different paths and for different reasons, but the fact remains that we all are here. We all chose to come here. We. Us. Grinnell holds this fact dear, as it is the students that make this place what it is. It should be as we envision it—inspired by the culture of justice, accountability, and dialogue. This is our school. We need to remember that it is ours, and that our voices are the voices of Grinnell. It is our voices in tandem, in harmony, that will allow us to wipe away the feelings of mistrust between students and representatives. We need transparency. We need approachability. We need to put the “student” back in student life and student affairs.

The current administration is working to truly explain what self governance is. I want you to be clear on what I see it is because it’s crucial to know as a Grinnellian. Self governance means you are your own moral compass.  Self governance is about choice, about determining for yourself where right and wrong truly are. While part of self-governance is making the choice, the other side of the coin is taking responsibility for the choices you make—good or bad, right or wrong. It is the freedom of choice with the understanding of responsibility.

I’m currently a senator for Clangrala. I enjoy being able to connect with my constituents and bring their issues to Joint Board, making sure that your concerns are my concerns.  A glance at the minutes show that I am not one to sit quietly and let issues slide by. I engage individuals and try my absolute best to make sure I am the representative of my constituents, not for my constituents. To me, Joint Board is an essential part of our student government, and thanks to it, I have learned much about the bureaucratic side of SGA.  Joint Board has allowed me to participate in STIFund/StIC committee, Budget Committee, and soon, an ad-hoc Joint Board Reform Committee. While it has been an interesting opportunity to sit on these committees, I have noticed one thing: bureaucracy is suffocating. It is a precarious balance between procedure and efficiency, but knowing how to navigate the system is the first step towards being able to objectively begin to reform the system.

The crucial part of the title Vice President for Student Affairs is “student.” As an involved member of many campus groups, I feel closely connected to the campus—to the students, to the faculty, and to the ideals that define Grinnell as an institution. It is my goal to share this connection and make sure the student voices are heard. The focus is you. I want to help make this campus something to believe in, to prove that what you have to say, what you think, where you stand makes a difference.

I hope this has given you some insight into who I am, what I believe in, and what I will be sure to do if you, kind reader, choose to elect me, Mona Ghadiri, for VPSA.

Email [ghadirim] with any questions. I would love to discuss any and everything with you.