Through my time as last year’s ASUO vice president, I have learned that two of the most important features that students can ask for in their ASUO Executive is strong advocacy and the courage to stand up for student interests to the University administration and to the state legislature. That is why I am so impressed with the incredible work that Katie Taylor@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Katie+Taylor@@ has been able to do in her time as the current ASUO vice president.
Her tough stand for the right to a student vote in the EMU project was one of the biggest victories for students in my time at the University. Her continued advocacy for more state funding and for a bill that will help lower the price of textbooks have been truly inspiring. In addition, she was the sole whistleblower when the Department of Public Safety began secretly buying weapons against the wishes of students, and she is also sitting on two committees seeking to protect and expand student procedural rights on campus.
Not only has she shown strong advocacy and courage, she has reached out, empowered and included more students than any other ASUO official I can recall. The work she has done to support and empower students from underrepresented communities on campus through her work with the UO Truth Coalition and the EMU renovation process has strengthened ties between the ASUO and multicultural unions in a way that few members of the ASUO Executive before her have been able to do.
Katie Taylor should be applauded for the great work she has done as ASUO VP. Her refusal to get swept into petty politics as many do, and her courage and relentlessness in fighting for an affordable, inclusive and quality education — as well as an inclusive and equitable ASUO, is not only an achievement but a precedent. I hope that there continues to be excellent leaders like Katie in the ASUO for years to come.
Maneesh Arora
Former ASUO Vice President