Slade Leeson is a 19-year-old from Portland, Ore.
Oregon Daily Emerald: Tell the Emerald what your board or committee does and why it’s important?
Leeson: They oversee how the EMU operates, but I think the most important thing they do is assign all the student fees. Really, I think they’ve done a pretty good job of it. The biggest problem is there’s less money to go around now, and so they have to assign it in a way that helps all the students. I guess I’m not so much concerned with keeping student fees small as I am with making sure they maintain all the services people want. If we have to have more student fees, then OK, I guess that’s what you’ve got to do. I think we also ought to pursue outside revenue-generating possibilities, like, it was talked about a while back, equipment revenue rental should be expanded to include the general public.
Emerald: What are the most important issues facing the students you represent?
Leeson: I think that (fees and keeping the services people want) is really the biggest one. Keeping services that everybody wants available.
Emerald: What about getting feedback from students on EMU services?
Leeson: Definitely, that’s who you’re elected to represent, so that’s who you have to listen to.
Emerald: What’s the most important issue facing EMU programs and the EMU itself?
Leeson: I would have to say it’s what we talked about. Making sure the money is distributed evenly.
Emerald: What kind of budget is the EMU working with?
Leeson: I think it’s about 8 million a year. That pays for everything.