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**Name two goals that you will have accomplished by the end of your Senate term. **
My candidacy is centered on student advocacy and group support. My main worry regarding the Undergraduate Senate is that, while it exists to represent the interests of the student body, it is not responsive enough to groups’ needs. To rectify this, I plan to create an open forum for students to give feedback and express concerns directly to the Senate.
My campaign’s other cornerstone is ethics reform. Several missteps this year – from failing to publish minutes to mishandling ASSU funds – have cast the Senate in a negative light. I will apply proper scrutiny to uphold the Senate’s ethical obligations.
**Which two current ASSU initiatives or programs would you push to eliminate? **
Balancing priorities is difficult, especially in times of financial constraint. I would push to remove ASSU Spending on the Wellness Room. I believe that funding for the project should be dictated by students, which could be accomplished by making the room like a VSO to lower costs. Groups such as Bridge Peer Counseling Center and other interested parties could also help in maintaining an open Wellness Room.
ASSU salaries are another initiative I plan to reduce. While it is necessary to compensate work-intensive positions, the budgetary loss from high position salaries is unnecessary when weighed against other financial considerations.
Notable Issue Positions:
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*Appropriations Policy: *
Appropriations is a difficult problem to resolve in a period of financial belt-tightening. I will change the tendency of this year’s Senate to dictate appropriations policy to voluntary student organizations by spearheading initiatives to work with student groups on appropriations issues. There is a way to reconcile competing budget-related interests in the ASSU, and only by allowing all concerned parties to voice their opinions can an optimal solution be reached. I will use public forum discussions to engage the Senate, administration, Executives, and students to weigh different demands and create policy in the best interests of the undergraduate body.
*National and International Issues: *
I do not see it as the Senate’s place to release positional statements on national and international issues. The Senate exists to represent the entire undergraduate student body. Students hold a variety of opinions, with widely varying perspectives on different issues. To avoid marginalizing any groups, and to promote a diversity of dialogue on global issues, I will fight the push for public Senate statements. The Senate exists to address immediate student concerns and problems. The perspective of 15 students is not an accurate representation of the diversity of opinions at Stanford, and is not part of the Senate’s job.
