Mason Quiroz, a senior math major, is running for ASUO Programs Finance Committee, At-large position, two-year term.
 
Emerald: Quickly summarize your priorities.
Quiroz: My priorities are just to make sure the process of allocating fees to student programs is done fairly and with integrity and respect that represents the entire University and entire student body.
Emerald: What’s your fiscal philosophy in regard to the incidental fee?
Quiroz: I take it very seriously. That’s money we all put out every term, so I think it should be done within the best interests of all students, or how I feel all students would like their money to be spent, responsibly, with good decisions and have a positive effect on the student programs that it funds.
Emerald: Where do you stand on spending money for off-campus purposes, such as the United States Student Association, the Oregon Student Association and OSPIRG?
Quiroz: I would say that before I allocate money to them I understand a little more about the group and what they actually do with the money off-campus. I want to make sure that they’re not doing anything that’s contrary to the ideas of the University, anything that’s even too controversial or too radical. Not that I’m conservative, but I don’t want them to just go out there and blow a bunch of money on stuff that’s just not going to have a positive effect or reflect good on the University.
Emerald: How will you work to ensure a viewpoint-neutral PFC process?
Quiroz: Well, I know because I’m a part of MEChA, I would say that just for them alone I would have to abstain from voting for or against, just because it would seem biased. Since that’s the only group that I’m a part of, I think that I’d be able to participate and be able to vote yes or no on what money’s going to be allocated to them.
Emerald: What’s your favorite reality television show, and how does it relate to your campaign?
Quiroz: How does it relate to my campaign? Wow. My favorite reality TV show — I would have to say The Garden of Eden. I think it’s just called Eden. It’s on Fox. And I guess the one way it would deal with our campaign is that, what we’re trying to bring attention to is what is the way — how can I say this the best way — our present student government isn’t always what it seems, just like the show. Eden seems like it’s this wonderful system, process or wonderful place to be, and in reality it has its twists and turns and all these other things kind of going on behind the scenes and you realize that it’s not as beautiful a place as you thought it would be. So I guess that’s how — our goals, what we’re trying to change is that people see, seem to view our student government as this beautiful thing, it’s flawless, it’s perfect, and in reality there’s a lot of things that aren’t as perfect or beautiful as people would like them to be.

— Ayisha Yahya