Oregon Daily Emerald: So why don’t you start by telling me a little bit about yourself. What’s your year and major?
Mena Ravassipour: I’m a sophomore, and my major is general science, with high hopes to go to medical school. I grew up in Portland and went to Metropolitan High School.
Emerald: Are you currently involved in any groups or activities here on campus?
Ravassipour: Well I’m a senator right now, and so that has a lot of subcommittees that I’m involved in. The Faculty Personnel Committee, the University Senate, and I’m also on the University Exec as well.
Emerald: What seat are you currently?
Ravassipour: I’m Academic-Undeclared, Seat 11.
Emerald: Why are you interested in student government?
Ravassipour: Well I’ve always been interested in student government. When I came in as a freshmen, I was an intern with the ASUO, and I had wanted to do it when I first started, but unfortunately with classes and everything it didn’t work out. So I ended up doing it, I believe for two or one term last year, and then I was actually appointed to Seat 11 by Rachel (Pilliod) and the Exec. But I had been planning — I was going to run. I just think it’s really amazing and it’s very important for people to get involved, especially for people who have — I think everybody has a voice that should be heard, but I think some people are too intimidated to always stand out and say what they believe in. So I’d like to think that I’m a good liaison between the two. I’m not always the most articulate, but I do think that the underdogs need to be represented.
Emerald: How will you figure out how to spend the surplus?
Ravassipour: Well I don’t think it lays on one individual person. I think it’s definitely a group process. I think PFC did a pretty good job this year, and, well, I know that senators are required to go to — I believe it’s eight, the equivalent of one night or eight senate meetings, something like that — and I did that, and I thought it was really amazing and hence I’m running for PFC, because I think it would be an amazing process to get involved with and I think it’s important to be responsible when allocating student funds. And so — you’re question was why, or how?
Emerald: How will you figure out how to spend —
Ravassipour: Oh, responsibly. I think that you should take a look at each individual group and go from there with how you’re going to go about it, and I think that all senators should be aware. I feel like I look at each individual group. I think that there’s different circumstances for each one, and so I definitely think it’s a group process.
Emerald: A group process in that —
Ravassipour: Well a group process, I think, that not only should the PFC be aware of other people’s budgets, but also I think that it’s important that the representative for the different groups have a good connection or are letting the different groups know how the process goes, so that it’s not like the groups always have to come to the PFC member, that it’s definitely a dialogue between the two. And also that all senate members get involved. Yes, senate is a body that allocates student funds, but I think that it’s important that each individual senator — academic, EMU, it doesn’t matter — like, it’s still important for them to know everything about most people’s budgets, and so I think that’s why it’s a group process.
Emerald: And how would you work to involve all those different people?
Ravassipour: Well, every year, senate goes on the retreat to teach you how to be a good senator. And there we do learn how to read the different books that tell you the different line items and how to go through the process and things like that. One of my roommates is Michael Sherman, and so we go about it, like, every time we get together, and we go over every single special request, and we talk about other people’s budgets. And I just think if you create a dialogue with everyone on senate, I’m not saying there needs to be a space on the agenda, but I think that the PFC members should let the other people on senate know that my office hours are here, come talk to them. So I think I would just make sure that they felt comfortable enough to know that they could come and talk to me.
Emerald: How will you interact with student groups?
Ravassipour: Well, the whole reason why I wanted to do it was to make sure that they were given fair and equal treatment, and I think that — I’m not involved with as many student groups as I would like to be, but I think that that might help me in the way that I won’t take sides and favor one group. But I know a lot of people in these groups, so I think that it would be helpful in, just like I said, creating a dialogue and then working with them and making sure they understand why they are getting cut or why they are getting more money, and I think just making myself accessible to them and other members.
Emerald: How will you make yourself more accessible?
Ravassipour: Well, I think that sometimes people get too busy and don’t — sure, you can get a hold of me by e-mail or telephone, but I would pride myself on making sure that I call them often, even when there’s not a problem, or their budget is coming up for review or anything like that. I just think it would be important to stop by now and then and be like, “Hey, are you happy with the process? Are you OK with what’s going on?” You know, just making sure that there isn’t any problems or they’re not worried, and just show my face around and let them know that I’m not just going to be there when it’s budget time, or in my office hours — any time. I guess just making them feel comfortable to be able to talk to me.
Emerald: What are the most important issues facing the students you represent?
Ravassipour: Well, I think there are many different issues. I think the University of Oregon is a very diverse group of people, and so everyone’s concerns are important and everyone’s concerns are different. And so — how would I face them — I think that would be done on an individual basis.
Emerald: What do you think the most important issues facing the people you represent are is what I’m saying. Not how would you face those, but what you think those issues are.
Ravassipour: Well, I guess I would just have to say that, like I said before, every case is different. But I mean — equal rights for all, and making sure that it’s a fair and equal process. Student groups we’re talking about, or just people on campus, everyone?
Emerald: The students you’ll be representing.
Ravassipour: Everyone.
Emerald: Yeah.
Ravassipour: Yeah, I just think that they’re facing all sorts of different problems — tuition surcharge, I just think everything. I’m sorry, I don’t think I answered that quite like you wanted me to, but I think that it’s too broad of a question to narrow it down and say if there’s only one problem or that the majority of the people are facing this problem because everyone has their own concerns.
Emerald: What is the most important thing you should know in order to deal with the budget process?
Ravassipour: Well, I haven’t been on PFC, I haven’t had any experience with the ins and the outs of the allocating process, but since I am a senator and I feel like I have been to the budget hearings and I know how the process goes, I think that one of the most important processes — is what it was?
Emerald: What is the most important thing you should know in order to deal with the budget process?
Ravassipour: Well, I think that there’s many things that you should know, but I think the thing that you should remember is that there’s opportunities out there, and you have to be aware that there’s opportunities. And so not always — it’s not all about numbers. You have to be aware that there’s opportunities for expansion — for groups to grow. And you have to remember that. And I think that that’s the most important thing, is you need to remember that we’re out
there to create better groups so that more students can get involved and that people can feel like this is a community.
Emerald: And how would you go about making the groups feel that they are more involved?
Ravassipour: More involved with the PFC process?
Emerald: Yeah, you just said it was more important to make them feel more involved.
Ravassipour: Well, I think it ties back to what I said before, you know, just making the ASUO a warm place where they want to come. I mean, I’m sure that every group has their own — like you guys have your own office and PFC has their own — and just let them know that the ASUO can be like a center for them, where they can come in and they feel comfortable enough to express their ideas and their views in there, and just making it a warm and welcome place. And like I said before, just letting them know that I’m not only there when it’s PFC time or when it’s budget time, but I’ll be there no matter what time, whenever they need help, and that they should feel comfortable and I’ll just go in there and talk to them.
Emerald: Do you know how many standing committees the senate is obligated to have?
Ravassipour: That’s harsh. (laughs). OK, committees. I think that’s Rule 8. Let’s see — you mean the different committees, like Committee on Committees, Rules Committee? OK, so there’s Committee on Committees, there’s Rules Committee, there’s Finance Committee — now I’m stressed out again. OK, let’s see, then there’s — there’s more, what is it, we just redid the rules — I’m on Finance, Committee on Committees. Personnel Committee. Is that it, or is there five? There’s one more. I don’t remember. What is it?
Emerald: It’s the Summer Committee.
Ravassipour: The summer?
Emerald: Yes.
Ravassipour: I was a senator in the summer, why didn’t I know about that?
Emerald: Last question, what’s the most important part of Section 5 of the Student Senate Rules and why?
Ravassipour: OK, Section 5 is duties. OK, I don’t think that there is one duty that is more important than the other. I’m sure that that’s probably what you’ve heard from most people, but I think that that’s an important thing to state because if you’re not fulfilling one of your duties, then you’re not serving the student body as you should. Every rule is just as important as the other, and so I don’t think I can say which is more important.
Emerald: Maybe not most important then, how about a rule that you feel is very important — not necessarily more important than the rest, but very important for you to fulfill as a senator.
Ravassipour: Well, just make sure you know that I’m not saying that this is the most important.
Emerald: OK.
Ravassipour: Well I think that doing your duties and, like, coming to meetings, going to office hours, and having your presence around the groups, or just in the office, is very crucial because if you don’t establish the relationship with the groups, then they won’t feel comfortable to come in there. So I think the rules of, like, office hours, grievance hours and being to senate meetings are very important.