Kristin Kato
Age: 20
Major: Japanese and Journalism with a Magazine focus
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
Year: Junior
Emerald: Can you give me your platform summary?
Kato: My position that I am running for is the Senate Seat number one. It’s the PFC seat. I have a lot of experience with ASUO programs. I’m the co-director of the Hawaii Club right now, commanding a club of like 200 plus members, coordinating a lu’au CQ that cost $2,500 to put on, is a major event on campus and I feel that my experience through the Hawaii Club has given me a very good understanding of programs at large. Getting into the senate seat would be awesome for me because it would show that I can take it to the next level. I can bring what I know and apply it and bring this new knowledge to everyone. Through the senate seat you can directly help all the programs instead of just me helping Hawaii club and I feel I can make a big difference with that. Also being on PFC and understanding how programs are financed. I know I have a good understanding of where money is needed and about stipends and how things should be judged and how things should be allocated appropriately. If I am elected to this position I want to see to it that allocations are justified and everything is done accordingly and just. I have very strong morals and values and I want to apply that here. I strongly believe in everything being morally correct.
Emerald: Why do you want this job?
Kato: I want this job because I know that I can manage finances really well and this is the ultimate position at the University to do that, to help groups manage their money and go through finances and everything. I can contribute the most through these positions because of my experiences with the programs already.
Emerald: In light of the ASUO retreat to Sunriver Oregon, what is the best way to ensure proper accountability from student leaders next year?
Kato: Being a student leader you have accountability held to you no matter what. You’re stepping up and you’re taking this very important position and you need to realize beforehand the responsibilities that you hold in your hand and represent yourself well and represent the University well. I think the best way to ensure that is, um, I think that’s the job of the executives, you know.
Emerald: In light of the actions taken with the Oregon Commentator, what aspects of a student group would you take into consideration when considering the approval of a mission and goals statement?
Kato: In light of all of that I believe that everyone should get a fair shot and everyone deserves to get their voices heard, speak what you need to speak, and if you’re true to your mission statement and your goals, then that’s fine. As long as you follow that it doesn’t matter what you talk about.
Emerald: What areas of the budget do you plan to target to bring PFC spending within it’s benchmark?
Kato: I’d like to look over the different events that are funded more and not go towards stipends anymore. After what happened this year, stipends got fully re-evaluated and redrafted, so I’d like to look more towards the each individual events that are funded and make sure that those are funded more appropriately rather than stipends.