2008 Woodie Awards
ASUWT Fall Elections Expand Student Representation
Margaret Rzymowska
Issue date: 11/20/03 Section: News
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The fall election offered seven senatorial positions, as opposed to the usual four, due to a reconstruction of student government effort led by ASUWT President Mark Dodson.
"Instead of asking for more money to pay for these individual senator positions," said Dodson, "we altered the structure of the executive board."
Last spring, student government was able to eliminate the director of finance and operations positions to fund three additional senatorial positions.
The duties of the director of finance were allocated to ASUWT Advisor Shellie Jo White, who manages all of the UWT student organization budgets.
Due to last year's budget cuts, the director of operations responsibilities were distributed to ASUWT Vice-President and the office manager.
As a former Senator and Vice-Chair of the 2002-2003 ASUWT student government, Dodson saw a greater need for student representation within each program of study. He recognized that as the UWT student population grows and programs of study develop, the student government structure should more accurately reflect varying student needs within programs.
Currently, student government has a total of 11 senators that reflect the majority of programs proportionate to the programs size. The program-specific senator will better link students, student government and administration. Now, a student of social work will know who to approach with a program-specific concern or which staff or faculty member to better connect with student resources.
But this should not discourage students from approaching a senator of a different program of study. Senators are advocates of common student concerns across programs.
Urban Studies Senator Roxanne Lomeli is already rolling up her sleeves to improve the Childcare Assistance Program, while the Information Technology Senator Karen Furuya has begun speaking with staff and student government members on ways students can receive better health care plans.
In addition to reconstruction, the ASUWT Director of Legislative Affairs and chair of the elections committee, Julie Warden-Gregory, has organized and facilitated the first student government elections candidate debate. The debate was held in the GWP atrium during the lunch hour the day after online voting began. Students were able to listen to candidates' platform speeches and ask them questions. Candidate platform statements were informative and professionally delivered while the question and answer session was filled with interesting questions from the audience.
"The ASUWT Candidate Debate reflected the high quality of the candidates that all had the desire to represent UWT," said Warden-Gregory. "They were so exemplary that I am already looking forward to the Spring Quarter ASUWT Elections for the 2004-2005 school year."
Ursula Kehaulani, of Urban Studies, is one of many students who read the election packet to cast her vote and encourages students to do the same. Access to the voter's pamphlet provides background information on the candidates and allows students confidence in their voting decisions.
"I found reading the voter's pamphlet very valuable because it allowed me to make an informed decision," Kehaulani said. Students can stop by WCG 102 and meet their new program senators.