Brad Schatzel is a junior history major. His running mate, Kevin Stolle, is a junior sociology major.
Q: What is your platform?
A: We’re both big Duck fans, so we have one main issue: We want to get back all the student seats in Mac Court. Students have been pushed up and out of good seats at Mac Court. We’re going to try to use the power of the Executive office to have a little influence in the Athletic Department and hopefully restore at least some of that seating to the students.
Q: How does the decision to run for office fit into your career goals?
A: It doesn’t. I want to be a high school history teacher, and one way or the other, I don’t think the ASUO Executive will — obviously it shows leadership and involvement in the college community — but I don’t think it would make too big of a difference in me getting a job at a high school.
Q: What specific campus oriented initiatives will you champion?

A: What I talked about originally and OSPIRG. Kevin and I are supporters of OSPIRG as far as what they stand for and even where their money goes. We think it’s a good organization. That and the Programs Finance Committee. We were hearing about the trouble they were having a couple of weeks ago with The Insurgent funding, and we were just talking about that together and how that shouldn’t have even been a conflict or an issue. I don’t know how involved Jay and Holly were with that at all, if the Executive has any say in that.
Q: What would you advocate for on the state level for students, and how would you carry out your plan?
A: We’d probably try and stop, or at least lessen, the tuition increase and the incidental fees that go along with that increase. As far as to carry that out, I don’t know. I would assume that I could talk to local congressmen like [Peter] DeFazio, maybe talk to [Gov.] Kitzhaber. I guess as president of the ASUO at the University I could probably get an appointment with Kitzhaber, talk to him, talk to our senators Gordon [Smith] and [Ron] Wyden, I guess. And try to raise awareness on campus about what’s happening, because I think a lot of students just don’t know about something like that, and if you had a public campaign you could let them know what’s going on. I mean, when students get upset, cool stuff happens, so if you let them know tuition’s going up and they can do something about it, we could get some support that way, too.
Q: What is your definition of student activism?
A: A lot of different stuff. I guess anybody who is running with us on student council to anybody who’s in any of the student groups — the Black Student Union — there’s tons of different groups — the Hillel House — stuff like that. There’s stuff outside of that, too. You can get involved with Greenpeace or any group that’s doing something, and keeping your eyes open and participating. And last year, like the Johnson Hall protest. That was a great example of student activism — just camping out and having a good time and trying to get your point across.
Q: How do you define diversity, and how do you plan to bring together the diverse voices on campus?
A: That’s a good question. I think on campus when you say diversity, you think of the racial makeup of the student body. How to bring them together? I don’t know.
Q: If two student groups were at odds with each other, how would you resolve the conflict?
A: I think the easiest way and the most common way is to just bring them together, and sit them down and have them discuss. I think before you do that you need to sit down with each group individually to see what was going on, and get their side of the story and bring them together in a meeting somewhere. Have a cup of coffee or something.
Q: If there was one thing you could change about the University instantly, what would it be?
A: Mac Court. From what I’ve heard, it was the whole lower ring, all the green seats, and now it’s 35 to 40 percent of that is students, and the rest is alumni. So our goal would be to get it all back. But I think with the alumni you’re dealing with a lot of money, a lot of power.
Q: Recent history shows a tense relationship between the ASUO Executive and University President Dave Frohnmayer. Do you plan on improving that relationship and, if so, how?
A: I would think just saying, “Hey, Dave.” I’ve met him before a couple of times and he seems like a nice guy. Just be like, “I’m the new president. This is my VP, Kev. Here’s what we want to do. The trouble in the past I’d like to be water under the bridge.” When I was hanging out at Johnson Hall last year, I thought the way Dave handled himself and handled the problem was really professional and the way to go.
Q: How would you do things differently than current President Jay Breslow and Vice President Holly Magner?
A: They were the new kids on the block, but I don’t know what they’ve done other than the voter drive. But we have the one campaign promise and that’s it.