Two students are running for ASUO Student Senate Seat 6, a finance senator position that includes roles on the senate and the EMU board. The board, which is responsible for allocating funds for programs and services in the EMU building, must approve all building renovations, space reassignment or changes in EMU program budgets.
The Emerald asked each candidate four general questions and also asked two specific questions about student government: What is the yearly deadline for the senate to establish budgeting benchmarks (answer: Nov. 30), and what is the most important part of Senate Rules Section 5, which lists senators’ duties?
James George, a junior business administration major, is a member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity and the InterFraternity Council. He said his decision to stay for a fifth year will give him the opportunity to take his finance experience to another level, which is his key reason for running for
Senate Seat 6. George did not know the deadline for budgeting benchmarks and was unfamiliar with Senate Rules Section 5 and senate duties.
Q: What are the most important issues facing the students you would represent?
George: Some offices are gigantic, some aren’t. And I’m sure that some people are either busting at the seams for their space and some people aren’t. I think (the issues are) making sure people have adequate representation, getting the funding they need, that they have the space that they need to either have the group grow and be more of a presence on campus or basically use the resources that they have better.
Q: What is the most important thing you should know in order to deal with the budget process?
George: I think one of the important things is being able to work within your means. I had to do the IFC budget for greek life this year and try to figure out what we have, what is the least amount that we can actually work with and go from there. So, working with people, helping people to stick within their budgets, having a plan, sticking to that goal of not having a deficit, and spending the money that they have, not spending any more. It’s only going to hurt them in the end if they’re going into debt. If those means aren’t necessarily representative for the group they have now and if they need more money, trying to help them to get ways so that they may ask for more money in the future.
Jerad Nicholson, a sophomore double majoring in journalism and psychology, has been an ASUO outreach and legislative intern for the past two terms, and is the public relations coordinator for the Community Internship Program. He said he chose to run for an EMU finance position because he views the EMU as the center of the student campus community and a unique place for diverse groups of students to get together.
Nicholson did not know the deadline for budgeting benchmarks. He didn’t know Senate Rules Section 5 contained senate duties, but he said the most important duty is allocating funds and spending for the surplus.
Q: What are the most important issues facing the students you would represent?
Nicholson: Definitely the most important issues are increased tuition, access to education, which goes right along with increased tuition, and then probably would come just the general experience that students have at the university. I mean, you only have a short period of time that you can be a university student, and I think it is our job — one, as students, but definitely as student representatives — to ensure that every student has the opportunity to have an excellent education and an excellent experience in gaining that education.
Q: What is the most important thing you should know in order to deal with the budget process?
Nicholson: As a senator, probably the green tape notebook and the rules. One, as a student applying for money from the senate, I was shocked at how if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing and you don’t know the rules of the process, which are extensive and confusing, you can’t get anything done. So the rules of the process are probably the most important things for a senator to understand.
James George’s picture was not available at press time.