After four weeks of unopposed campaigning, Nate Fisher and running mate Sarah Vetsmany were announced as the 2014 -2015 ASUI President and Vice President, respectively, Wednesday evening. They will assume office for the fall 2014 legislative session.
Hannah Sandoval | Argonaut
Wednesday night following the weekly ASUI Senate meeting candidates gather in the Commons to hear the results of the ASUI Elections for the fiscal year of 2014-2015. The winners of the spring election from left to right, ASUI President Nate Fisher, ASUI Senators Joe Madsen, Amanda Richards, Austin Blacker, Eric Alvarez, Kate Ricart, Stetson Holman. Winners not pictured are Vice President Sarah Vestmany and ASUI Senators Cameron Cochems and David Whitt.
Joe Madsen, Amanda Richards, Austin Blacker, Kate Ricart, Cameron Cochems, Stetson Holman, David Whitt and Eric Alvarez will also serve on ASUI senate.
Fewer than average students voted in the election — only 720, down from more than 2,000 voters last spring. Current ASUI President Max Cowan attributed the decline to having a single presidential candidate on the ballot.
As in the past, the majority of those who did vote identified themselves as Greek on the ballot. However, this majority was not reflected in the candidates with 50 percent of the elected senators identifying as Greek and 50 percent non-Greek.
The senate-elects will be sworn into office later this semester, prior to the final ASUI senate meeting on April 30. Then, as always, the senate-elects will undergo training to learn the duties of a senator. This year, though, Elections Coordinator Tanner Beymer has taken on the task of coordinating a second round of training. Beymer said that if the traditional training is Senator 101, then his supplemental training could be considered ASUI 101.
“There were misleading statements made during open forums,” Beymer said. “ASUI has arrived to decisions on various issues in university affairs, legislative affairs, student affairs — through long processes that people outside of ASUI don’t typically see — and so as they’re coming into represent ASUI, they need to know what we believe, why we believe it, how we arrived at that conclusion and what we do going forward.”
Elections Coordinator Pilar Alfaro added that in their statements, candidates expressed hopes to address issues that are currently being addressed by ASUI, start programs that already exist and create positions that have already been filled. While she admits that ASUI is a large, complicated body, and an incomplete understanding by the candidates is normal, she believes the supplemental training will be very beneficial.
The supplemental training was approved earlier this week. Next, Beymer said, he will begin drawing the curriculum, and as such, it is currently uncertain when the training will begin.
While no initiatives appeared on the ballot this election, there were several poll questions students were given the opportunity to answer. These are intended to give students the opportunity to offer their input to ASUI.
The first question on the ballot asked students if they supported the concept of a Statement of Student Values, which students overwhelmingly voted in favor of.
A majority of voters said they preferred Vandal Entertainment events to be in the Student Union Building, with a slight majority saying they would go see a Vandal Entertainment film on a three-day weekend.
A plurality said they would utilize a bike sharing system on campus.
When asked whether they would rather buy nutritious food made from scratch from the cafeteria or name brand fast or chain food, students expressed a preference for more nutritious options — but Cowan pointed out that these two options are not mutually exclusive. Students also said they would be willing to pay a little more for these options.
The ASUI senate will use this input during the fall 2014 session to address the issues students want them to. However, as Beymer plans to remind some of the more zealous senate-elects, there are limitations to ASUI’s power.
“We need people to know there are hot button issues there’s nothing we can do about — there are a lot of people who are upset with ASUI, and there are people who say ‘good job, ASUI,'” Beymer said. “For many of these issues, the conversations are still happening, and when the elects join the conversation, it should be with an educated perspective.”
Hannah Shirley can be reached at [email protected]