Out with the old ASUO, in with the new.
Attendees to the ASUO Oath of Office witnessed 43 newly elected and returning ASUO officers take their oaths during the first-ever ASUO Oath of Office Ceremony & Outgoing Officer Celebration of Service May 23 in the EMU Redwood Auditorium. ASUO officers laughed, made jokes and cheered on other officers taking their oaths.
In an interview before the event, ASUO President Maria Alejandra Gallegos-Chacon said that she felt strange taking the oath of office since she has already started working with administration and other departments to hear their agendas.
“I know the UO is its own institution,” said Gallegos, “but, honestly, it could be its own metropolis,” citing the sheer number of departments and student groups as examples.
Since the ASUO Regular Election results were announced at the end of April, new ASUO officers have been undergoing orientation to learn the ins-and-outs of ASUO’s duties.
Internal Vice President Imani Dorsey said the orientations have been helpful and that she is feeling ready to take her place in office. One orientation session was about viewpoint neutrality and implicit bias and taught attendees how to make unbiased and neutral decisions.
“I know throughout the year we’re going to have tough decisions that have intensive time-pressures and urgencies,” Dorsey said, “and I think that’s going to take a lot of collaboration and intense focus.”
External Vice President Ivan Chen also said that the orientations have been helpful, but he added that the inauguration would not mean much to him, as he’s already been working on these campaigns since he was elected into office.
“No matter if it happens or not, we’ll still do stuff,” said Chen, adding that he’s used to the time commitment ASUO requires because of his prior experience organizing ASUO projects as the ASUO organizing director.
Gallegos won the ASUO presidential seat along with external vice presidential candidate Chen and internal vice presidential candidate Dorsey during the 2018 ASUO Regular Election. Ducks Together had all 22 of its officers elected during the 2018 ASUO Regular Election in April. The first official day of office for all new members was Friday, May 25.