Year and Major: Medicinal chemistry and political science sophomore
Running Mates: David Hurst (Policy) and Summer Clark (Services)
Why are you running for office?
We feel that students are not given a chance to voice their opinions on the policy formation process, in which adverse policies have been passed that limit each student’s freedom to create his or her own personal experience at Arizona State.
We plan to facilitate openness and transparency and encourage participation in these processes for the students, as it is ultimately their will that should guide our University’s policies.
What experience qualifies you for the position?
We are sensitive to the needs of the student body, especially regarding their experiences at Arizona State. As a ticket, we have been involved with the Undergraduate Student Government, Greek Life, the Programming and Activities Board, the Residence Hall Association, Devils’ Advocates, Multicultural Student Services, the Center for Global Education Services, Arizona State Forensics and much more.
We bring a comprehensive understanding of the problems facing students at Arizona State, allowing us to effectively and competently manage any issue that we will face in office with the betterment of student life expressly in our actions.
What do you think is the most important issue of the election?
We feel that students’ representation is the biggest issue. There are those in student government who have been there for years and have forgotten why they were sent there. These people imposed fees on students. They imposed mandatory meal plans, and they gave themselves pay raises with students’ tuition dollars at the same time students’ cost of higher education continues to grow.
Our opponents are from the establishment student-government crowd. All they know are the same failed policies of the last three years. And you wonder why Student Government does things like impose fees on its own constituents! For them, it’s simple: USG knows best. USG first. Our solution: Students first! We bring a new and real vision to student government. We don’t have years of USG experience. We have real-world experience! And that’s really what matters most.
What is the No. 1 change you want to see on campus?
Transparency. Undergraduate Student Government represents the students of Arizona State University. In past years, transparency has been impermeable. All other four tickets have been in control of Student Government. They have failed to provide any news on their actions that can be used to hold them accountable.
For this very reason, we feel that it is imperative that USG clearly communicates its intention and make students a part of decision making. We are the only ticket that has made this one of the biggest priorities. We believe that opening the line of communication is of utmost importance. We will take every action possible to make sure that your voice is heard and is a part of the decisions that are being made for you. It is finally time when you control and shape USG’s agenda.
Here are a few of the things we would like to do to make sure that your voices are heard: student summit, an actual updated Web site, town-hall meetings, biweekly State Press column, referendums for fees and much more.
How does the University’s current economic state affect your plans if elected?
It would not affect our plans much. As a matter of fact, we hope to minimize the effect of the current economic state on students of Arizona State. We will lobby and propose concrete plans to state legislators for reallocation of state funding where higher education is one of the top priorities. Students will be first!
