Both of the campaigns putting forth candidates for next year’s vacant ASUO seats have announced their platforms on social media, and both platforms emphasize giving students more influence in campus decisions.
Ducks Together and United UO are the two ASUO campaigns this year, and they’ll be facing off for the 32 open spots in next year’s ASUO administration until election polls open on April 9.

Ducks Together

Ducks Together describes itself as “the representation this campus needs,” according to its Facebook page. Its platform emphasizes ensuring students have influence in campus decisions and that the right of students to voice themselves on campus is protected. A major goal of the campaign is to institutionalize student voices in tuition decisions.
“Too often these decisions are made behind closed doors and without vast student input,” stated Ducks Together on its Facebook page, “and we are here to tell admin that we are not just a piggy bank, but that we have a seat at the table.”
Other goals of Ducks Together include protecting student access to resources such as Safe Ride, counseling services and the Student Food Pantry.
Maria Gallegos is the Ducks Together candidate running for ASUO President, and she is campaigning alongside Ivan Chen for ASUO External Vice President and Imani Dorsey for ASUO Internal Vice President.
Gallegos said that she believes in community organizing — echoing the tagline of Ducks Together — because she has seen how it can bring communities together to collaborate on a common issue.
“No one will know more about the tuition increases than a student who just got priced out,” Gallegos said. “Students, community members, the people who are impacted by these decisions, they know what the issues are, they know what they need.”
“I know that when it’s organized and you do the work, people show up and people make a difference,” she added.

United UO

United UO is focusing primarily on advocating for student voices and on making ASUO more transparent. It describes itself as “determined to give all students a voice and to make a difference in the University of Oregon community,” according to its Facebook page.
Jacob Faatz is the United UO candidate for ASUO president, and he is bringing in Karishma Shah as the candidate for External Vice President. United UO does not have a candidate for Internal Vice President, and Faatz said that it was because he believes that it would be simpler to communicate with only one vice president.
Faatz also said that United UO wants to hold town halls with students and focus on ensuring student safety on campus and keeping off-campus housing affordable.
“I think that now more than ever, there needs to be more lighting on campus,” said Faatz, referencing the recent surge of crimes near campus.
ASUO will be holding a candidate town hall debate on Monday, April 5 from 4:30 to 6 p.m., with its location to be determined. Campaigns will push their positions on social media until ground campaigning begins and the 2018 ASUO election polls open on DuckWeb at 9 a.m. on Monday, April 9. The polls will close on Thursday, April 12, and election results will be posted on DuckWeb the same day by 6 p.m.