As the ASUO election season winds down, one thing becomes evident: Slates have taken their toll on the election process. The majority of candidates advancing to this week’s general election belong to either the Progressive Action Coalition (Pac-8), which is not running an executive candidate, or Sara Hamilton and Athan Papailiou’s Campaign for Change. The reality of this becomes apparent while slogging through transcripts of interviews, in which slate candidates repeat their talking points from rote memory. In one glaring example of how the slate system does not pass the most promising candidate through to the general election, Senate Seat 1 candidate Matt Rose did not make it past the primaries. He was the most experienced candidate running, but his independence from the slate system ensured that he would not get elected.
Below we give out recommendations for each of the contested Student Senate positions. In doing so, it is our hope that all students vote for the most deserving candidate. In this case, it many of our recommendations fall under the campaign for change slate. This is not ideal, but is inevitable because several of the best candidates fell in the primaries to slates. Aligning oneself with a slate does a disservice to the process, as it has in the primaries, it often weeds out the best candidate.
Senate Seat 1
Kate Davis: The race for Senate Seat 1 is between two ASUO neophytes, though Davis is clearly the less qualified of the two.
– In her interview with the Oregon Daily Emerald, Davis said that one of her goals was to teach students how things operate within the ASUO. However, Davis’ lack of knowledge was evident; she did not know what stipends were.
Recommendation – Keith Bassett: The lesser of two evils, Keith Basset has experience allocating funds and appears to understand the PFC process.
– Nevertheless, his proposed policy of determining funding for student groups based on their perceived “benefit” comes close to attaching an overly subjective funding model to the supposedly objective PFC process.
– Experience as the residence hall association president.
Senate Seat 3
Shalan Ryan: She wants to emphasize accountability and education, the two main planks of her slate’s platform. Her slate is Pac-8.
– Wants to educate students about the ASUO by holding regular workshops. She believes this would promote openness.
In her interview with the Emerald, Ryan said she couldn’t say whether she would change stipends, and said she would have to wait to see what the politics are like next year in order to make a decision. This suggests she is impressionable and could stay especially beholden to her slate.
Recommendation – Neil Brown: As an ASUO outsider, Brown is surprisingly knowledgeable about student government, including the realities of his position.
– Emphasizes accountability in the budget process.
– Correctly believes the ASUO can be a “bubble.” Brown’s presence may burst this bubble.
Senate Seat 14
Recommendation – Kate Jones: Like Brown, Katie Jones is well informed for someone with limited experience within the ASUO. As a 20-year-old law student, Jones has shown she has drive and ambition.
– Important to have more law students in student government in order to bridge the divide between the law school and the campus at large.
– She wants to make improvements to the EMU, to make it more “green” and energy efficient and less of a financial drain.
Oscar Guerra: Oscar Guerra is an extremely capable and knowledgeable leader, but his Pac-8 positions are vague.
– Guerra wants to promote greater student participation in the Diversity Plan process and make the ASUO more accountable.
Senate Seat 6
Recommendation – Samantha Brodey: This recommendation was difficult, as both candidates repeated their slates’ talking points in a near-verbatim fashion. Brodey, however, proved to be more knowledgeable.
– Wants to implement the EMU Master Plan.
Diego Hernandez: The Pac-8 platform is the basis for all of his answers.
– Along with every other Pac-8 candidate, he emphasizes the indeterminate and uncontroversial notion of “accountability” and “education.”
Senate Seat 7
Michael Reta: It is difficult to recommend Reta, as he did not answer all of the questions posed to him during his Emerald interview. The answers he did provide were vague and seemed uninformed.
– Wants to hold himself accountable.
– Intends to provide tighter security at sporting events, while not explaining how to do this.
Recommendation – Karen Trippe: Karen Trippe is experienced within the ASUO, but whether she can be a voice of reason and a strong leader is a point of contention. On Senate, she has been one of the more reticent members.
– Understands the limitations of the ADFC position.
– Wants to institute electronic ticketing to take care of the “no show factor.” This is a major issue for both Emily McLain and Sara Hamilton’s campaigns.
Senate Seat 9
Recommendation – Kari Herinckx: She answered the Emerald’s questions articulately and to the point. She has already proved herself as a student leader.
– She wants to create changes within the ASUO, a common-yet-promising response to why she wants to be a part of the process.
Donnie Kim: As a member of the marching band, Kim has a remedial amount of experience. He, too, wants to remedy the “no show factor,” though he does not explain how to do this.
– He contends that the classy fan behavior policy is sufficient.
Senate Seat 15
Samantha Brotman: Brotman’s campaign emphasized cutting costs and expanding services, the type of impossible position shared by the Bush administration.
– She puts a high premium on lobbying, though 2007-2008 will be a difficult year for ASUO lobbying efforts.
Recommendation – Noor Rajabzadeh: Unfortunately, Rajabzadeh does not believe that the Student Senate needs to have a clearly delineated ethics policy. However, she appears to be informed, ethical and motivated.
– As a Muslim Iranian-American, she wants to represent those not traditionally represented in the ASUO.
– Correctly believes that student government should only discuss national or international issues if they pertain to students.