During the past 20 years of SGA, this year’s election will set a record for the highest number of senator candidates.

The executive and senator candidates of the spring elections were released Tuesday, and a total of 68 candidates are running for senator positions.

SGA President Demario Jones is pleased with the high number of candidates.

“I think that’s its great, people are getting out and wanting to be involved,” Jones said; however, there are only 40 positions available. In addition, four students are each in the running for comptroller and secretary, while two are running for vice president and president.

Jones, who knows most of the candidates through their involvement with SGA, thinks that students will be able to see a real competition.

“In previous years the comptrollers and secretaries are usually unopposed,” Jones said.

“I’m excited to see that there are people who really want these positions.”

ones is also aware of the high number of Greek members running for senators, but believes that there can be a balance.

“I think that just as long as everyone does their job, it will make for a better organization.” During Jones’ time in office, he has also played a defensive tackle position on The Blazers football team.

“They just have to find a happy medium,” he said.

Jones advises all of the candidates to be realistic about their goals and to spread awareness by going out and meeting their fellow students. “You may have a lot of issues you may want to change, and then you find out that you can’t,” Jones said.

“You should also bring issues to a head. In me and Adrian’s campaign, we went out and got to know a lot of new people and it helped a lot.”

At the SGA meeting Monday, Jones along with the rest of the members discussed Africa Night and “Student Employment of the Year Week.”

SGA senators also allocated money to the African Students Association (ASA) for “Africa Night” and partially funded “Student Employee of the Year Week” after a long debate.

Sen. Iye Karbo spoke on behalf of the ASA about “Africa Night,” a night for students to get to know the positive things about Africa and its culture.

“Our biggest goal is to destroy stereotypes of Africa and report the positive aspects of Africa that most media forgets,” Karbo said during her presentation.

Karbo informed the senators that Nigeria has the third largest film industry in the world behind Hollywood and Bollywood, but according to UN News Centre, in 2009, Nigeria has surpassed Hollywood to become the second largest.

Nigeria’s moviemakers are also called “Nollywood.”

Africa Night will feature traditional African music, a fashion show featuring traditional clothing, and games for students who attend.

Traditional food will be served in a separate venue across the street from the event during the reception afterwards.

Africa Night will be held in the UC Magnolia Room onThursday at 6 p.m.

Miranda Larimore, on behalf of Student Employment, asked the senate for an allocation but was only granted a small amount for Student Employment’s “Student Employee of the Year Week.”

Student Employee of the Year Week is an event celebrating this year’s student employee of the year and the other nominees.

Student Employment is the largest organization on campus and employs more than 1400 students.

Larimore stated that the organization saves VSU more than $460,000 a year because they do not have to hire full-time workers.

Student Employee of the Year Week will start on April 11 with its Movie Night in the Student Union Theatre. They will be showing the movie, Social Network, and will end the week with a banquet for the student employee who wins Student Employee of the Year and others invited.

Senate members debated on how ethical and beneficial the banquet is to the students.

Larimore asked for $2,350 for all of the week’s events, but came away with only $400 for refreshments at the movie night.

SGA meets every Monday in the Student Union at 8 p.m.