Yuval Saar steps into new role in SGA

At the most recent Student Government Association (SGA) Senate, a special election was held to fill the vacant position and name the new assistant vice president (AVP) of student advocacy and community belonging (SACB). Four students ran for the position and current Student Trustee Yuval Saar was announced as the winner. 

Beyond just being the student trustee, Saar is the president of the Philosophy Club, campaign director for Rowan Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), and treasurer of Rowan Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). 

Managing all of these roles is no easy task and Saar believes learning the power of “no” is very valuable. 

“My big thing is, knowing when to say no to things because that was a skill that I really had to develop my freshman year. Honestly, the way that I got to where I am now is because, for a really long time, I had no idea how to say no,” Saar said. “Literally, it took me a long time to learn how to say no to things, and I’m so grateful for all of the opportunities that I’ve had. And what I had to realize was just because you say no to one thing doesn’t mean that’s gonna cut off all the others.”

Saar steps into this role in the midst of a nationwide pushback against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives by the current President Donald Trump’s administration. The position of AVP of student advocacy and community belonging was originally named the AVP of DEI, but legislation from the Trump Administration caused Rowan to have to change its language related to any DEI programs.

Despite the changes to DEI, Saar emphasizes the importance of facing difficult conversations head-on, believing that true progress begins with acknowledgment, even when the issues at hand are trying to get erased.

“I said it even in my last report to the Board of Trustees, not speaking about it doesn’t make it go away. The reality of it is, and this is an objective fact, no matter which way you look at it, there are students that are scared,” Saar said. “No matter what language you do or don’t want to use for it [DEI], there are queer students on this campus, there are students of color on this campus. There are immigrants on this campus like there are people who are, objectively speaking, affected by what’s going on right now.”

Saar says that her role on SGA’s board fits into the larger goal of the government body’s role of advocating for students, emphasizing its necessity even in a tense political climate.

“I feel like a big part of the role of SGA is being there to acknowledge that [advocacy] and I think that the first part of advocacy is not being scared to face what’s actually happening in front of you,” Saar said. “So, yeah, it definitely is hard to talk about certain things right now, but I think by not talking about them, you’re kind of giving that fear more power.”

Stepping into a role like SACB comes with many different challenges, as she will be championing for many different groups on campus. Saar believes rather than speaking on behalf of others, the focus should be on creating spaces where people can represent themselves. 

“I have my identities and I have the groups that I’m a part of. I’m a Jewish woman and I’m queer. I have the things that I’ve experienced, but there’s obviously limitations to that. Like, I don’t understand what it’s like to be like a person of color,” Saar said. “I think for anyone in any sort of advocacy role, it’s understanding the limitations of your own lived experience. You have to just know when to not talk. I don’t view this role as speaking on behalf of other students, I view it as making opportunities for students to speak for themselves.”

As a seasoned member of SGA’s board, Saar will be stepping into a new yet well-known territory and the newly elected SACB. Despite the challenges she has yet to face, there are many things that she is excited about when stepping into this new position. 

“I’ve been an SGA for three years, but I feel like all of those years, my role was kind of similar. In this role, there are things I haven’t experienced yet, and there’s a lot of room for growth, both as a person and professionally, which is exciting,” Saar said. “Chairing a committee was always one of my favorite parts of SGA. I loved talking to senators more directly and getting them involved. It was super fulfilling to see underclassmen develop the same excitement I had as a freshman and I’m excited to chair a committee again, to see what I learn, and to work closely with certain people.”

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