Executive vice President

Hey everyone!

My name is Russell Erfan, and I’m running to be your next USG Executive Vice President. The core duty of the EVP is to chair the Senate. I’m currently a part of said senate– with almost a year of experience as a senator, I’ve seen firsthand what USG does well—and where it falls short. I plan on running the most efficient, transparent, and effective senate USG has seen in years. And with your support, your vote, here’s how that’s going to happen:

USG needs to realize that its primary duty is funding clubs.

Club funding is typically handled by the Treasury and the VP of Clubs and Orgs, but let’s be real—USG distributes our Student Activity Fee to hundreds of clubs, contracted services, and agencies. That’s not something to put on such a small group.

I have friends and a brother dealing with these frustrations—waiting on approvals, getting vague answers, and watching their clubs get pushed aside. That shouldn’t be happening.

We’re planning on cutting costs in areas of the budget that no longer serve students and making larger decisions that actually impact clubs. As EVP, every senator will be mobilized to represent clubs in the budgetary process, not just those on budgetary committees. That means:

Stricter budget training for each senator—to the point where they know as much as the treasurers themselves.

Doubling Budgetary Meetings—because once a week isn’t always enough.

Personal club liaisons—senators (and myself) will be assigned to clubs so E-Board members aren’t left waiting five days for a short email reply.

Fixing such a large system won’t be easy, but it’s my top priority and my personal promise to you.

Elevating Initiative Work

Initiative work is underrated, and it’s the fun part of being in USG. In my year here, I’ve:

Organized monthly Community@UNITI events—bringing people together over hot chocolate, culture, and live music.

Helped launch a support center for immigrant students (UISSC).

Founded Nexus (nexussbu.com)—a student-run research database with over 750 professors. Last month alone, the site had 15,000 visits from students looking for research opportunities.

Planned an outdoor rave for when things get warm—and not some awkward high school gym dance, an actual rave dude. Fog machines, DJs, you know it.

This is the power of initiative work in USG. How do you think we got Dunkin’ in the SAC? But these things don’t just happen. There’s a ton of bureaucracy, endless emails, red tape, and plenty of people telling you no. I’ve navigated all of it.

As EVP, I’ll make sure senators stay on top of their initiatives—and that their initiatives are actually ambitious. I’ll set up:

Scheduled one-on-one meetings to keep senators accountable.

A documentation system with regularly due updates.

Public initiative updates on Instagram so students can give their input and see exactly what’s going on.

Some initiatives I plan on continuing

Fixing Frey WiFi – I missed a biochem clicker because of this, and I’ll have my revenge.

Expanding Nexus – Right now, you can find 750+ professors on Nexus. But what if you could apply to labs directly? What if you knew which professors actually respond—or don’t respond—to students? This could save students countless hours of their time. That’s the next step, and we’re working with CAS to make it a reality.

Campus Events – We need more fun ON campus. We tried throwing a rave in the library—like the 2011 one (look it up). Understandably, the library wasn’t down for a rager in their new $120K Galleria. So now we’re regrouping. Stay tuned for water balloon fights, athletics engagement, and actually fun stuff going forward.

More Reliable Student Support Services – CAPS, SASC, and other student services need real improvement. Support should actually be supportive.

Rentable Volleyball/Badminton Courts – Staller should have courts available for students this spring.

Dining Dollar Vending Machines – Pretty self explanatory but really cool. How many times have you wanted a snack but didn’t want to bust out that debit card?

Whatever You Think Would Be Cool – Email me!

I’ve spent my year in USG making things happen. As your EVP, I'll ensure that the Senate is more active, engaged, and responsive than ever before. I look forward to working with you all to make this campus better.

Yours,

Russell Erfan

russell.erfan@stonybrook.edu