By JACK ARMSTRONG News Editor
New ASWOU candidates are starting a three-week process on their road to elections.
The 11 candidates will be spending their time leading up to elections learning the ins and outs of ASWOU election by-laws, introducing themselves and campaigning to the student body, and finally casting their votes.
Candidates have already presented at their first of two open forums. During the forums, the student body is welcome to come and ask questions of the candidates. Each candidate also makes a presentation about their qualifications and their intentions if they are elected.
The last open forum is scheduled to take place Thursday, April 16, from 7-9 p.m. in the Mt. Hood room of Valsetz. The meeting is open to the entire Western community.
After the final open forum, candidates will be campaigning around campus attempting to secure potential voters up until the election.
Voting begins Monday, April 20 and ends Friday, April 24, at 3 p.m. This year, ASWOU is shifting from the Portal system used in past elections to a new, OrgSync-based system.
Cat Bracken, the ASWOU elections committee chair, said “OrgSync will be faster and more efficient than having the votes on the Portal as they have done in previous years.”
In addition to OrgSync, the elections committee will staff polling stations located throughout campus where students can stop by and vote via laptop with directions and help if necessary.
The following photos and information about the candidates was taken directly from their candidate applications. Candidates responded to the question, “If elected, how do you intend to improve or change WOU or ASWOU?”
For more information on the voting process or becoming involved in ASWOU, visit the ASWOU office in the Werner Center room 121A, or call 503-838-8553.
Disclaimer: The Journal does not endorse any candidates or their policy. Photos and information were made available by individual candidates. The Journal made minor edits in punctuation and grammar for clarity.
Senator:
Colette Thomassians
First-year public policy and administration major
“I intend to close the gap between the students and their representatives. I plan to listen to students and get their input on things that affect them – directly or indirectly.”
ASWOU President:
Second-year public policy administration major
“If elected, I want to change the current climate of ASWOU, making it a safe space for the students they serve. I would do that by ensuring that appointed cabinet members, as well as the members of the Judicial Board and Student Senate are an equal representation of the student body they serve. In my time working with ASWOU, countless students have approached me saying that they are not comfortable with the current climate of ASWOU because they feel underrepresented. Another priority of mine would be Tuition Affordability. Keeping tuition low is a high priority for the majority of students, and I would work with the newly institutionalized governing board to do so. Having the hard conversations with those board members and being able to be a voice for our students is a role that I am more than willing to assume.”
Third-year exercise science major
“While external advocacy is an important part of ASWOU’s role on campus, I feel that there are other areas that deserve more immediate focus and improvement. First, ASWOU is in need of better methods to communicate with and involve our clubs and students. This is an issue I have already taken efforts to address, and can ensure the successful transition to these new methods, such as the ASWOU Representative Assembly, as they have been my major project in my first year as president. Another area for improvement is the Food Pantry that ASWOU oversees. I intend to alter an ASWOU officer’s job description to put more focus on the Food Pantry. We need to increase awareness through advertising campaigns and find new ways to reduce the negative stigma about utilizing this amazing resource, such as online food requests to reduce face time in the pantry.”
IFC Member:
Postbaccalaureate
computer science major
“My hope is, that through the IFC, to focus the fee on where it will impact the greatest number of students while keeping tuition affordable to as many prospective students as possible.”
ASWOU Vice President:
Third-year psychology major
“I would continue the course that I have been on while being on this position, by improving the accountability of the organization. I would improve the transparency of the organization, allowing for more student input into larger decisions. Improve the accountability of the organization by continuing to preach the proper use of the funds, keep staff members accountable and supported, and interact with WOU students.”
Senate President:
Jessica Freeman
First-year biology major with a preprofessional
emphasis
“If elected, I intend to improve the ASWOU recruitment process specifically contributing to the Senate body. After participating in the recruitment process this year, I noticed how difficult it became to recruit as time went on because students became involved with other clubs and organizations. If elected, I will focus on recruiting students early in the year in order to build a stronger senate body.”
Dean Wright
Third-year elementary/
middle education major with a history focus
“If elected I want to get ASWOU more out to the public. As the senate should be representing all students on campus, then the senate needs to be out on campus talking with students to get as much feedback as possible. If elected to Senate President I also want to bring life to the Senate, make senate something that is fun and builds leadership for the Senators. How I plan to do this by having senators partake in already established leadership activities, creating leadership workshops for them, and having weekly one on ones.”
Judicial Administrator:
Christina Sekafetz
First-year mathematics
education major
“If elected, I would improve the communication between students and their elected representatives. Students are not informed well enough about programs or events that happen around campus, including but not limited to ASWOU events, and most of them are beneficial to their education or exploring other interests.”
Fourth-year biology major
“While advocating for the students of Western Oregon University is an overarching duty of any student government member, in regards to the position of Judicial Administrator, I am also excited to carry on the work I have been doing these past years. Within the Judicial Board, the Justices and I have been holding all groups within ASWOU to a higher standard. I have implemented a system of legislation
review which has made the Judicial Board more efficient and effective as an interpretive body, and has led to the large scale editing of the ASWOU Constitution and By-Laws, as well as the creation of Statutes for our Clubs and Organizations. This editing process has served to clarify and clean up the governing documents, as well as rectify any deficiencies which have been noted within the documents. This has been hard work, and it is nowhere near finished since these documents have not seen a large scale editing in many years. I hope to continue this work next year with the Senators and Justices so that the Constitution and By-Laws can be clear, concise, and serve the purpose of serving WOU students.”
SAB Director:
Javier Garcia
Second-year business major
“Have different events. I already learned this year what worked and what did not work with some events, so I know where to spend more time in improving.”
Maggie MacKenzie
Second-year
communication studies and dance major
“I want to bring performers that the students want to see, and put on events that students are interested in. I would love to get more students involved in SAB and involved in our events. We love to have students either perform or help put on the creation of the event, and I want to get as many students involved, if they wish, as I can. I also want to make sure that every person who attends an event feels welcomed and that we are glad they are there.”
