As Student Government Association (SGA) Vice President Kate Malone runs unopposed in the upcoming SGA election, the current administration passed two resolutions in its final meeting.

The last time SGA held an election with an unopposed candidate was 20 years ago, in 2006. 

Kate Malone, a junior strategic communications major from Germantown, Tennessee, is running for 2026-2027 SGA president with Chief of Staff Tiyah Green, a junior nursing major from North Little Rock, as her vice president.

Their executive board consists of:

• Secretary: Carter Gore, a sophomore political science major from Marion, Arkansas.
• Public Relations Director: Camille Turney, a sophomore biological sciences major from Jonesboro.
• Chief of Staff: Chauncy Betts, a junior strategic communications major from McGehee, Arkansas.
• Director of Cultural Diversity: Denver Brooks, a junior radiological science major from North Little Rock.
• Parliamentarian: Carter Malone, a first-year computer science major from Marion, Arkansas.

When choosing the executive board, Kate Malone said she and Green looked for standout senators and people who care about A-State.

“We also were looking at who would work personality-wise, who is interested in doing these things, who has time to dedicate, who is willing to dedicate time in a busy schedule,” Kate Malone said. “There are a couple of factors, but those are the main ones.”

Green said their executive board ticket is, in one word, impeccable. 

“I really like our energy as a team. I do think we come together as one and just, in general, bond together very well. We’ve always known each other, but never really created a bond. But this week for campaigning, we’re really focusing on doing that,” Green said.

Carter Malone may be a first-year student, but he says he has high goals and a can-do attitude. He tied with Gore for the emerging leader award at Tuesday’s meeting.

“This is my first time being in the executive position. So with that, I planned on gaining experience, but also creating a great impact because I do want to excel in my position. So I’m gonna put forth my best effort throughout this whole term,” Carter Malone said. 

Malone-Green Values

The Malone-Green campaign is running on three priorities: impact, unity and visibility.

Kate Malone said impact outlines how SGA will create a real change that students can feel, unity means they want to bring the campus together and visibility means they want to ensure the voices of all students are heard.

Green said she wants to help the campus learn about SGA. She said many people hear about SGA, but may not know much about it.

“I really want to be able to make sure that a lot of students know what SGA is and how they can get involved, and just in general, get involved in other organizations, on top of collaborating with other RSOs on campus,” Green said.

Malone-Green Goals

In addition to the three previously mentioned priorities, Kate Malone said she wants to pass resolutions students care about.

“I want to look into housing and figuring out what power we have and how we can use it best, and looking into allowing more money for the action fund,” Kate Malone said. ”We want to try to get a student into a board of trustees meeting, so that way there’s a direct relay of information from the board of trustees to the student body.”

The action fund is a source of potential funding for events hosted by registered student organizations. Student organizations may apply for the action fund via an application and hearing process each semester.

Each member of the future executive board has resolution ideas they want to start working on.

Betts said he wants to work on financial wellness for students, especially considering the enrollment increases every semester.

Gore said he is interested in fixing the phone chargers in the Reng Student Union.

Green said by this time next year, she wants to stay consistent in her beliefs for SGA.

Turney said she aims to increase visibility so everyone knows what is going on and when.

“Making sure that people know how to run for an open seat, making sure people know where the student government office is, and also just what we can do. I’d really like to post all the resolutions that we pass so people can see what’s going on,” Turney said. 

Brooks said she wants SGA to connect with minority groups on campus and be a voice for them.

“We have very different opinions. Nobody is just a yes man. We are here to speak for our students and make sure that everybody gives different opinions to make sure everybody’s opinion is heard,” Brooks said. 

Kate Malone said the main purpose of their campaign is to show the student body they matter and that everyone has a voice.

“We want to hear your voice. You matter to us, and our platform is designed to help you or to allow us to help you,” Kate Malone said.

Current administration’s final meeting

Two new resolutions passed in Jake William’s last SGA meeting as president Tuesday night, bringing the total passed during his one year term to nine. 

SR 25/26-08, a resolution to construct sidewalk connections from Pack Place and the Village to the laboratory sciences building and other buildings nearby, passed unanimously.

SR 25/26-09, a resolution recommending an amendment to the student handbook explicitly classifying the use of racial slurs directed at or referencing other students as verbal abuse, passed with only one vote to fail.

Senator Reese McCallum, a senior marketing major from Jonesboro, said the resolution is a recommendation, not a guarantee.

“We are not sitting down and writing it in the handbook. We are making a recommendation, which is the entire point of SGA is to make a recommendation and serve as liaison between student concerns and the people that get to make the choices,” McCallum said. 

Williams, a senior business administration major from Piggott, Arkansas, who has served in SGA in some capacity since his first year at A-State, said he couldn’t believe his term was already almost over.

“It’s been the most important thing to me to be able to serve the student body, and it has changed my life for the better,” Williams said. “I started it for the students, and I’m ending it for the students still.”

He said his advice to the new administration is to be open-minded.

“Listen to all perspectives, and just listen and value everyone’s words, because that’s what gives you the most insight to the student body,” Williams said.

Voting for the Malone-Green ticket begins at 9 a.m. Wednesday and will be open for 24 hours on the SGA Instagram. 

Ella Dobson | Staff Writer, contributed to this report.

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