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Morton and Eisner prioritize resources for students

Morton and Eisner are running parallel to Andre DiFilippo and Vilma Okey-ewurum. (Courtesy of the Morton-Eisner campaign)

Kelly Skelton
Connector Editor

As UMass Lowell’s yearly Student Government Association (SGA) elections approach, students must decide which candidate will lead next year’s inevitable rebranding. This year’s presidential and vice-presidential ticket features David Morton and Eric Eisner against Andre DiFilippo and Vilma Okey-ewurum.

In a case of fellow colleagues turned running mates, Morton and Eisner’s agenda rests on empowering the SGA senators to be more involved in club relations and offering better resources for the student body.

Morton, a double major in business management and political science, is a Merrimack Valley native and current junior at UMass Lowell. Serving as the vice chair of finance for SGA, he approves special event and activity grant for student-run organizations, objectively evaluates how to award money and oversees club budgets. Morton is currently developing an easier way for new clubs to be established on campus, including simplifying the initial constitution process.

In addition to Morton’s efforts in SGA, his involvement in campus life is diverse. As both a UMass Lowell EMS cadet and the International Student Club’s chair of events, his passions have transitioned into his campaign efforts. The Morton/Eisner ticket is committed to providing more on-campus job opportunities for international students and promoting eco-friendly, sustainable practices such as more hydration stations in dorms and academic buildings and more outdoor seating for warm months.

Morton’s partner, Eisner, immediately connected with Morton’s beliefs and the two senators banded together to make an impact. “SGA has the power to open up conversation,” said Eisner. As the task of running the SGA senate falls onto the vice president’s duties, Eisner, an environmental science major that also minors in business and political science, welcomes the opportunity with open arms.

Eisner is also a Massachusetts resident and is originally from Blackstone. He is a sophomore with a heavy interest for leadership. “It’s definitely where my passion lies and I have a lot of experience teaching, demonstrating and applying leadership,” said Eisner. His experience in the SGA finance and governance committee is far from his only involvement on campus. Eisner is also a member of the business analytics society and serves as a student alumni ambassador for university relations.

Morton and Eisner helped fund and organize a recent “hate has no home” event with the UML College Republicans and Democrats. They wish to further this initiative by improving inclusivity and establishing an LGBTQ resource center on campus. “Students should actually feel at home on campus,” said Morton. The event demonstrated the unity of politics on campus and promoted an anti-negativity message.

In his first year of SGA, Morton’s influence was long awaited as previous commitments kept the aspiring politician from making his presence known quicker. “Being a senator was always something that I wanted to do, so [this year] I made sure that my school schedule could accommodate this priority,” said Morton. His campaign now rests on adding fresh ideas, new perspectives and better communication to SGA and the student body.

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One Comment;

  1. Brian said:

    Which candidates are going to push for safe pedestrian infrastructure and protected bike lanes between campuses? It’s pretty non-existent at this point. Shouldn’t need a car or have to take a bus to get around an urban campus.

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