Student body president Connor Clegg launched a new Twitter account. The handle, @POTXST, made its online presence July 10, but was deleted the next day after Clegg wrote he was too busy to maintain the account.
In Clegg’s first night, he tweeted out 23 tweets.
“Students can expect me to expand upon policy by talking about what we are doing and keep them up to date, mostly about student government,” Clegg said. “Expect me to have some fun at the end of the day. We are students who are trying to find a way to get through college. Can’t all be politics, arguing and bickering. If there is misinformation out there I will do my best to inform in an accurate manner.”
Clegg has used his account to discuss topics such as textbook prices and the Common Experience program. Clegg has also used the handle to publicly address individual students, announce student government meetings and post about his administration’s policy.
One of those students addressed was Russell Boyd, public administration senior and former student body presidential candidate.
Boyd issued a tweet about the enforcement of a financial aid policy June 19.
Using his new account, Clegg responded to Boyd’s position July 10.
Boyd quoted Clegg’s tweet, pointing out grammatical errors and ended the thread by asking the student body president to be a campus leader.
Boyd said the student body president should carry himself professionally and be equipped to accept criticism as someone in a leadership role.
“I am not the president,” Boyd said. “I did not win the election, and I have made peace with that and have wished his administration the best. So for him to single me out regarding my views of the financial aid policy was honestly inappropriate and very juvenile.”
Clegg continued to engage with students using his new account.
Ben Salinas, political science sophomore and communications director for College Democrats at Texas State, quoted Clegg’s tweet from his twitter account, @WokeBen.
The tweet was in response to a previous message Clegg sent. The tweet was then removed. However, a screenshot of the tweet was saved by Salinas.
When asked about the deleted tweet, Clegg said he was still adjusting to his new social media account.
“It wasn’t appropriate, and I realized that a few minutes later,” Clegg said. “It’s not really how I feel. I’m new to this Twitter thing and am not used to this very permanent platform.”
In response to Salinas, Clegg published a series of tweets.
Clegg added one more tweet attached to the thread.
Salinas said the tweets by the student body president were interesting and surprising, especially as a representative of the student body.
“During the election I openly supported Russell,” Salinas said. “When he lost I reached out my hand to Connor. I took it upon myself to apply to be his chief of staff, stressing unity and bi-partisan. I wanted to give him a shot and put a liberal in the administration.”
Salinas said he felt the need to respond because he didn’t understand the intentions of Clegg’s tweet.
“Why would he attack a newspaper of the university he is serving, that is ran by students that he is serving?” Salinas said.
Salinas also added that he intends to stay fully involved with College Democrats at Texas State, and as of right now, doesn’t see a presidential campaign in the future.
Following the series of tweets, Clegg returned to talking about policy and his administration.
After the release of tweets on July 10 and 11, Clegg issued a final tweet before deleting the account, referring students to the student governments twitter account, @TXSTSG.
Student Government will be holding their first meeting of the fall semester Aug. 28^.