For Ed “El Ramos” Brown, the position of student body president means valuing the restoration of a sense of unity, spirit and tradition among Aggies, and some extra legwork.
“I think everyone should be sick of seeing (the SBP),” said Brown, a senior economics major and Appelt Hall secretary. “He shouldn’t hide in his office. (The role of SBP) is making students feel like they’re a part of A&M, that this is a family, not just a school you go to.”
Brown said his most important goal as SBP would be restoring a family atmosphere on campus.
“My main priority is really reaching out to students and going out and finding a way to start tying them back together,” he said.
Brown said he wants Bonfire to return to campus, but the first step in bringing it back is reminding students how great the tradition was.
“If we take steps now and remind these future classes of what it meant and have them work on getting Bonfire back as much as the previous classes worked on building it, then we will have it back eventually,” he said.
Brown said he applauds members of the Unity Project off-campus bonfire for attempting to remind others of the Bonfire tradition.
“It’s not Bonfire, and it’s not going to replace Bonfire because Bonfire involved all Aggies,” he said. “I think it’s good, though, that we have Aggies that take initiative.”
Brown said he voted against the three fee increases proposed in the February referendum.
“I’m not saying I’m completely opposed to having a fee increase, but I want to see an examination of where this money is going,” he said.
Brown said the motivation behind increasing diversity at A&M should not be filling quotas.
“We need to make it possible for anybody no matter what their color is or what their background is,” Brown said. “We need to make it possible for these people to be Aggies because they want to be Aggies.”
Brown said his lack of Student Government Association experience is an advantage because he interacts with students and hears their views on a one-on-one basis.
“You get so high up with some of these positions that you’re not talking to the people that you represent, the people that you’re there for anymore,” he said.
Brown’s name will appear as “El Ramos” on the ballot.