To help foster a (hopefully) more informed student body for this year’s Georgetown University Student Association Senate Elections, Vox invited all candidates to complete a short questionnaire regarding their candidacies. And, to our surprise, some of them even responded!

The election is scheduled for this Thursday, although the exact 24-hour voting period is dependent on when the e-mail from the University goes out to students.

Students are allowed to vote in their respective districts and for the at-large positions. If your district is sans a candidate, or you do not want to vote for the candidates listed, write-ins are allowed.

Yesterday we brought you the freshmen candidates, now we’ve got the candidates for the other dorms. Check back tomorrow morning for the off-campus, apartment, and at-large candidates.

[Editor’s note: The questions for transfers differ slightly from the questions for students who were Georgetown students last year.]

Copley

Clara Gustafson

1. Why are you running for the GUSA Senate?

I want to make a difference for the students of Georgetown. I want to find better ways to listen to what my fellow undergraduates have to say and put into action what they need done.

2. What initiatives do you hope to advocate for in the senate?

I want to advocate for accountability for the senate members, create productive committees and make sure that the affairs of the students are the first priority.

3. What was the GUSA Senate’s greatest success and greatest shortcoming last year?

We, in collaboration with other groups on campus, reformed the funding process to make it more expeditious and positive for all parties involved. I think the greatest shortcoming was that the funding reform was our only major project. I think we should definitely get the committees off the ground and helping students, so that the senate can be another place to get problems solved.

Daniel LaMagna

1. Why are you running for the GUSA Senate?

For too long, GUSA hasn’t been as accessible or responsive to us as it should be. For example, I never heard once from my Senator last year on anything (I didn’t even know who he/she was). Students have become cynical, and for good reason. With the support of Copley Hall, I’m hoping to change that.

2. What initiatives do you hope to advocate for in the senate?

Improving campus safety and making the club funding process less bureaucratic are just a few that come to mind. But the theme of my campaign is “no bull,” and in keeping with that spirit, I want to make sure I don’t make any promises I won’t be able to keep. However, I can promise that as GUSA Senator, I will be transparent, accessible and responsive to the people I represent.

3. What was the GUSA Senate’s greatest success and greatest shortcoming last year?

I suppose the funding reform was a pretty big accomplishment, though I am undecided on whether it was a good move or not. There are strong points on both sides. A shortcoming would be that GUSA still hasn’t been able to overcome its reputation as not only unresponsive to students, but irrelevant to them as well. Until it changes, GUSA’s potential will remain limited.

Kennedy

Tyler Sax

1. Why are you running for the GUSA Senate?

I feel like I could do a better job this year than my representative did last year. After watching the campaign process unfold and finally casting my vote, I never heard from my representative again, which is a sentiment I know many students share. I feel like a representative should be more in touch with his constituents, which I know I will be.

2. What initiatives do you hope to advocate for in the senate?

At the end of last year, the account that currently funds the weekend GUTS busses was running dry, and the GUSA senate voted to allocate $5,000 toward the its continuation. Although I applaud the senate for saving the vital service, I don’t think that students should be picking up the whole tab. GUTS is a community service and we need to find a way to restructure it’s funding.

3. What was the GUSA Senate’s greatest success and greatest shortcoming last year?

GUSA’s greatest shortcoming last year came during a little-discussed special election to replace the off-campus senator. The fact that the eventual victor was up against two joke candidates and a write-in for “chicken madness” displays the senate’s lack of presence off-campus, and a need to promote the importance of the legislative body. With that said, I do love Chicken Madness…

Jerome Grant

1. Why are you running for the GUSA Senate?

I want to be able to serve my peers and learn more about the ins and outs of how GUSA functions. I am also running for the chance to meet new people and to make a difference in the general campus community. I also have some great ideas for facilitating unity among the constituents.

2. What initiatives do you hope to advocate for in the senate?

I hope to mainly advocate initiatives to bring the community closer. Transparency is key and with proper planning and consideration, it can be achieved. This will allow the students to really have a voice in what goes on in Gtown politics.

3. What was the GUSA Senate’s greatest success and greatest shortcoming last year?

To be honest, I am not sure what GUSA’s greatest success was. If it was involved in the washer/dryer switch to he then I would probably say that. The greatest shortcoming last year was essentially the fact that my friends and I never knew exactly what it was doing.

LXR

Stephanie Cohen

1. Why are you running for the GUSA Senate?

I want to get involved in campus life and make Georgetown feel like home for myself and all other new students. I think that Georgetown is a great place and it’s my responsibility to get involved and make it even better. If elected I want to expand the campus’ Green Initiative and have town halls for students to talk about campus climate issues and work with the Senate to help resolve these issues.

2. Were you the president of your high school student government?

No way. I was definitely nowhere near cool enough to run for student government.

3. In your first few weeks on campus, what is your biggest concern/complaint about Georgetown that you would like to change by being in the senate?

I would like to see more opportunities across campus and within the residence halls for recycling and sustainable living.

Vetone Ivezaj

1. Why are you running for the GUSA Senate?

I am a sophomore transfer student who has had a wonderful experience transitioning to Georgetown. I truly enjoy the vibe and dynamics in the classroom and outside the classroom, and I am excited to become further involved on campus.

2. Were you the president of your high school student government?

As a transfer student involved in student government at my previous university, I believe I can bring an outside perspective on how to make campus life even better. Previously, I was an elected as vice chair for academic affairs.

3. In your first few weeks on campus, what is your biggest concern/complaint about Georgetown that you would like to change by being in the senate?

I would like to foster the passion for academia here and strive toward greater access to research opportunities for students, which enhance and facilitate lively discussion on and off campus. I would also like to improve communication between university faculty and students by implementing a program called ThisSucks which would allow students to channel their frustration into action. Finally, although the university and its students have made great progress in the “Go Green” initiative, I would like to strive toward implementing low flow faucets in dorms and campus buildings in an effort to transform Georgetown University as a leader in campus environmental sustainability.

Michelle Kwon

1. Why are you running for the GUSA Senate?

Firstly, I am a transfer student, and coming in as a Government major to Georgetown, being able to be apart of the GUSA Senate is exactly the kind of activity that I would loved to get involved in. On the other hand, having come from a different school, I was also able to experience life with a totally new set of students on the other side of the country and am able to take that viewpoint and my experiences there and channel that into my passions here at Georgetown.

2. Were you the president of your high school student government?

No, however I was active in other extra-curricular activties such as being President of Model UN and a coxswain for boys’ crew.

3. In your first few weeks on campus, what is your biggest concern/complaint about Georgetown that you would like to change by being in the senate?

I think that GUSA has been incredible with trying to advocate for the student’s voice and interests and really setting up a reliable and strong connection with the administration. I also like how available the GUSA (Senate) is to the rest of the student body and how their sole purpose was created to facilitate and create a better student life here on the Hilltop. However, at this point, I think that transparency and really showing the relationship of the GUSA Senate to the faculty and administration and how the Senators can help bring to attention the students’ needs should be more articulated.

McCarthy

Laura Kresse

No response received.

Reynolds

Colton Malkerson

1. Why are you running for the GUSA Senate?

This is an important year for our continued push to reform student activities funding. After last year’s successful reforms to the Funding Board and Budget Summit this year we are looking to fix the flawed policy governing the Student Activities Fee Endowment. In addition, the Senate needs to strengthen its credibility by taking on new roles and responsibilities. I’d like to return to the Senate this year to continue our efforts.

2. What initiatives do you hope to advocate for in the senate?

See number 1.

3.What was the GUSA Senate’s greatest success and greatest shortcoming last year?

The greatest success was pushing through the funding reforms. A shortcoming was not tackling other issues important to students.

Village C East

Stephen Taft

1. Why are you running for the GUSA Senate?

I believe my experience in a wide range of schools, environments, interests, and areas of study qualify me for the position. I also want to gain experience in public service like this by being involved in an organization which is modeled so closely on the American government.

2. Were you the president of your high school student government?

No.

3. In your first few weeks on campus, what is your biggest concern/complaint about Georgetown that you would like to change by being in the senate?

The perceived apathy of GUSA and apathy towards GUSA by the students. In a campus with so many people interest in public service, they should be prouder of their student government.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 29th, 2010 at 12:30 pm and is filed under News, Vox Populi. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.