Patrick Wurtz
Age: 19
Major: Business Administration
Hometown: Bend, Ore.
Year in school: Sophomore
Emerald: What qualifies you for this position?
Wurtz: I take pride in my work. I’m pretty personable with people and I think I’m socially capable of doing a good job and working with other people and working hard.
Emerald: Have you had other student leadership positions on campus?
Wurtz: No not here.
Emerald: Why do you want to be a senator?
Wurtz: I think because I’ve really not done anything like this before and I think it’s a good opportunity for me to step outside of my comfort zone and get involved and try to make a difference and listen to people. I guess that’s pretty much it.
Emerald: In light of the ASUO retreat to Sunriver, in your opinion what is the best way to ensure proper accountability from student leaders in the future?
Wurtz: You mean as far as getting everyone to show up, is that what you’re asking?
Emerald: Not necessarily getting everybody to show up, but accountability in general, making sure the people follow the rules?
Wurtz: I think you have to trust your senators. I think if somebody is putting himself in a position to run for something like this, they should be mature enough and smart enough to take on the responsibilities that being a senator may bring about them. But, it’s really hard to have everybody watch everybody and make sure they’re accountable. I think it’s a personal thing for each senator to step up and do it for yourself.
Emerald: Should the senate be dealing with any other issues that it’s currently not dealing with?
Wurtz: As far as I know, no. I think they’ve been some good responsibilities and it’s hard for a student coalition to get too powerful. But I mean they do have enough power and I think their responsibilities are pretty good.
Emerald: Please summarize in a few sentences what your platform is, what your hoping to accomplish?
Wurtz: I’d say my seat is business administration so I would obviously work to try and strenghen the ties between the ASUO and the business department — that’s my position. And, as far as — I think we have to hold office hours, if I’m not mistaken and I don’t want to be like the person that people come into and say “you know I’m nervous to go talk to” — I just want people to come and talk, talk student to student. And even if they have other issues like student issues I want to be that kind of person where someone can come and open up and not be all nervous because they’ve gone to talk to a senator. I can talk to them like a friend.