ASUWT - Voters Guide 2007-2008

DawnA New Day

Being students at the growing University of Washington, Tacoma, we should be solidifying our relationship with our local community. We also need to work toward better communication on campus between students, faculty, and staff. This year I plan to focus on Effective Communication, Diversity Awareness, Community Involvement, and Health Issues.

Often times there are events going on in the community and on campus that the students, faculty, and staff are not aware of. I would like to institute a way for all to be effectively informed of up coming events. As a CASA volunteer I know how important my role is in reuniting families. I also know how rewarding volunteerism can be, only a few hours a month and anyone can make a difference. I would like to see more volunteerism in our community.

Diversity is a concern of future students, students, faculty, and staff. While attending Pierce College I completed the EMBRACE program through the Multicultural Leadership Institute. I also served for 2 years as the Diversity Book Club Coordinator. I am part of the committee to bring that program to UWT. This will help us to build a stronger campus community.

Being involved with the local business leaders can only further the success of our growing campus. Through continued volunteerism and communication we can build stronger relationships and secure future job placements for our graduates. We all know the stresses of being students and for some of us parents and employees as well. Stress can be the door through which illness will pass. We need to close that door and bring about more stress relief options on campus. Keeping our students happy and healthy should be a priority.

An effective government should be approachable and available. It should also be willing to act in the best interest of the people it serves. The current ASUWT team will be leaving us with a great start. If elected president I plan to leave the ASUWT better than when I came. My leadership experience and dedication to service shows in my past history and will continue into my future.

Making UW Tacoma the absolute best it can be is my # 1 goal. There are endless opportunities to do so on our diverse and constantly growing campus, and it is my aspiration to see our campus united in this goal. I am not a novice in the workings of student government, as I served on ASB in both middle-school and high-school. I pride myself in my creativity in solving problems as well as bringing fresh ideas to the table to add that something extra to campus life. I'm also a great listener, and want to make sure the direction our student government goes is the direction that everyone wants. Really communicating the voices and ideas of my fellow students is something I value and respect; I don't want to be the big man on campus, I want to represent you honestly.

Some issues on campus that I desire to work on are parking (which I know we all would love to see improve), more on-campus food options, and more fun activities to unite our campus and bring a stronger sense of school spirit and pride to our university. As a younger university than our Seattle counterpart, I see so much room for growth and countless opportunities to make the UW Tacoma community admired, respected, and THE place to be. Communication, which happens to be my major, is the key to strengthening our campus. Uniting our campus through student, professor, and administration involvement is a priority I'm sure all of the candidates have, but I'm confident that I can make it happen.

Working closely with and learning from the current ASUWT elected officials, who have a wealth of knowledge collected regarding our campus is a solid way to start out my candidacy without wasting time, I want to address issues and tackle the tough stuff from day one. Making our Tacoma campus better linked to the Seattle UW is a goal I have that will bring a stronger sense of unity and school pride to our campus as well as bring more opportunities for students here to be more involved in campus life. Finding a place here at UW Tacoma for every student is something I hope to accomplish through options like intramurals, more clubs, and on-campus activities.

One of the challenges this position faces is satisfying the needs of the diverse student body we have here at UW Tacoma. I love looking around my classrooms and seeing a wide range of ages, interests, and backgrounds. Catering to all of these groups isn't an easy job, but I am capable and excited to have that duty. I'm easy to talk to and would love to hear from each and every student who wants to make UW-T the place to be and anyone who wants their voice heard!

All students have a right to representation at the University of Washington. In a departure to the traditional biographical information that you might expect here, and in our mutual interests, may I introduce myself as your current study government representative and use this opportunity to reinforce my commitment to serve your interests as opposed to my publishing a self-serving commentary.

The role of Senator is not contingent on their personal beliefs or persuasions, or who assumes the role, but rather by their commitment to represent your comments and concerns to the university. Your Senator is simply a purveyor of information and press your case with sincerity, impartiality and vigor.

An MBA graduate student in the Milgard School of Business with a Masters of Science degree already in hand, my recreational studies in Criminal Justice will result in yet another Masters degree next summer. This precedes my aspirations to start my doctoral program next spring, but more importantly, guarantees equal representation and an understanding of your grievances regardless of your discipline or role with the university. You are encouraged to present your cause and I promise you that you will be heard.

An active advocate on the Student Technology Fee Committee, I am committed to getting a laptop in every students bag and bring technology to serve the student body more efficiently in the virtual environment of the evolving digital world. As a member on the legislative affairs committee, my presence ensures that the voice of the student body from this campus is echoed in the halls of the Olympia legislature. As your representative on the student government, we can make campus life return a rewarding learning experience for both students and faculty.

Thank you for the privilege to win your vote.

Student government is and has always been an essential part of college life. Officers of the Associated Students of the University of Washington Tacoma are supposed take responsibility to ensure that the students' voice is heard by the administration and that concerns of the student body are addressed in a fair and timely manner.

It is vital that members of the Senate and Executive Board represent the students they serve more than their own interests. ASUWT officers must be able to see issues from all sides and have the ability to make a well informed and just decision. During the impeachment process that occurred fall quarter it appeared that the members of the Senate and Executive Board were more interested in pushing their own agenda than slowing down and explaining the reasons for impeachment to the student body or to simply review the ASUWT-Bylaws, Constitution and the RCWs that regulate public meetings and impeachments to ensure a fair and just process.

Our campus has many issues that need to be addressed such as parking and transportation, housing, food services, hours of access to facilities such as the computer labs, and many other issues that we as students complain about but don't actually see anything being done to address these issues.

I served as South Puget Sound Community College's Associated Student Body Vice President for Administration and Finance during the 2006/2007 school year where I chaired the committee that allocated funds to Student Groups, chaired the Senate Finance Committee, and chaired Senate meetings in the absence of the ASB President. I was also asked by the College President to serve as the student representative on the budget committee that allocated funds to all departments for yearly equipment purchases.

At SPSCC I saw a need to hold the Student Senate to a higher standard of accountability and led the effort to amend the ASB-SPSCC- Bylaws to make it easier the remove a Senator from office for failure to perform their duties. After witnessing how the current ASUWT impeached a senator during fall quarter I feel that there is a need to revise the current ASUWT structure to form a judicial branch of our student government to ensure that due process is followed in future disputes. It is also important to have a balance to the power of the Senate and Executive Branch.

As ASUWT Vice President I would push for greater transparency in Student Government and the formation of a Judicial Council made up of leaders from Registered Student Organizations who would provide a final interpretation of the ASUWT Constitution and Bylaws if someone disagreed with a decision made by the Senate and issue the final decision concerning the impeachment of ASUWT officers. I would also push for easier access to Senate meetings, possibly podcasting the meeting for those students not able to attend in person. Regardless of the result of this election I hope to serve UWT in any way I can to improve the lives of our students.

The academic challenge presented to students at the University of Washington Tacoma provide our students with a world class education and the in-class skills needed to become productive, intelligent, and successful citizens in an ever-growing world. However, the path to a successful university education should extend beyond the classroom. Many of the students at this institution find themselves working full and part-time jobs to not only supplement their college tuition expenses, but also to provide them with the coveted experience needed for the job market. But the burden should not entirely be upon the shoulders of our students, the University should provide the necessary support services for its students. These support systems should not be bureaucratic institutions that discourage students from getting involved on campus. Unfortunately, the burden often does fall on the shoulders of our students, and our institution is often inaccessible to them, despite paying considerable amounts to attend our University.

The use of the terms "second phase" and "transition" to describe our university have been overused, it's time to act! If we want to make our University a true four-year institution we must act in an ambitious and aggressive manner and provide the services our students demand. Currently, our school is increasing its attendance numbers despite its limited physical capacity.

Students frequently say that the parking situation at the UWT is cumbersome at its best, and impossible at its worst. This is just one example of our school placing the burden on the students, despite students paying increasingly expensive costs for attendance. When examining this issue through the law of supply and demand, our students' demands are going unanswered despite supply being consistently provided. This is unfair to our student body, and all possible efforts should be made to address the parking situation as we strive for quality over quantity.

We must also provide lengthened facility hours to allow our students the opportunity to learn. If we are to call ourselves a commuter school we still must open our doors and allow students the opportunity to study. As a campus grows, so does its surrounding arterials. As such we must be willing to accommodate our students so that retention does not become an overbearing issue.

As we change the direction of our campus we must also change our policies. In order for students to know what happens inside ASUWT, we must be transparent and connected with our constituency. Student government must take an aggressive stance on reforms both constitutionally and ethically and thus restructure itself so that it becomes an organization that represents the interests of the students and not the interests of its officers.

As this campus continues to grow we will encounter obstacles that are foreign and may look unattainable. As President, I will act as a representative for the students and address the issues that we face and make the positive changes necessary so we can grasp the most from the degrees that UWT can offer.

Hey huskies! I am Cruz Credle and it has been an honor serving the students of this school as a current ASUWT senator. My involvement with student government along with many other groups has prepared me to assume the role as the next ASUWT Vice President. I will push forward for more campus improvements, work to increase student involvement, and above all, I will put all of my effort into doing the best job of representing the needs and wants of the student body.

I started my college career two years ago with many other students as the first class of freshmen to attend U.W.T. Since my first day here, I have seen the many possibilities and opportunities for not only students but for this campus as a whole to grow. Right away I began getting involved and making the best of my experience here, and what I have found is that U.W.T really is the place to be. Currently I am serving as an active member of the Senate, utilizing the skills, relationships, and support I have acquired from working with student orgs, the activities board as well as staff, faculty and student government.

I know the past and I have a clear vision of where this campus is headed in the future. There is always room for improvement, and I am ready to be the person that gets things done for this student body. With me in office, student government will be more visible and the top concern will continue to be, WHAT DO THE STUDENTS WANT? I have accomplished many things this year and I have many plans I wish to move forward with. If you have any questions regarding what I have done or what I plan to do, feel free to stop me anytime or anywhere or even call me at (253)222-3909. Most importantly, come election day, vote for me as Vice President. I am passionate about this school and I will NOT let you down. Vote Cruz Credle as Vice President, and let's work together.

It has been said that nothing great has ever happened without passion. From being a student at University of Washington-Tacoma, there is one thing that I am certain of, that this college has passion.

Through the past year, this campus has come together and formed a bond that is strengthening the college. With this firm foundation that has been laid out through the past year, there is an opportunity for change and growth within the student body, the student vision and the UWT community as a whole. The passion that is necessary to bring about this expansion is something that I have.

I am current enrolled in the Milgard School of Business, majoring in Marketing; I am also currently the Vice President of the Marketing Society. Outside of school I work for a major corporation in their Human Resources and Payroll departments. Through my past managerial experience and my current corporate experience, I will be able to provide the leadership and skills necessary to lead the student body in the best manner possible.

A few areas in particular that I would like to address as President is parking. There is limited amount of parking for the campus and the parking that is available is expensive. I want to explore options into commuting options and alternatives to driving to school. This will help alleviate the parking congestion and ease the frustration of driving to class. The second main area I want to address is student organizations. There are so many resources available to students and ways to get involved in the campus and community, but it is hard to know where to start. I want to find a way to bring these individual groups together and help individuals find a way to get active within the campus. These are just a few ideas of the many that I have, in addition to ideas that will be presented by you, the student body.

This is my commitment to you, I will lead with passion and strength and I will always put the interests of the college first. I plan on fulfilling these promises by first and foremost listening to the student body. You are the ones that I would represent. I feel that one of the most critical responsibilities as a leader is to listen and then advocate on the student body's best interest. The second promise that I will make to you is to be available to you, the individual. I want to be someone that you can come to and voice your concerns or ideas. Again, I represent you, the student body.

My experience and passion has brought me to this point and will allow me to make a positive impact within the student body. I look forward to serving you as the 2008-2009 ASUWT President.

I adamantly believe that whoever has the honor of holding office at ASUWT is there to serve his/her school & community. Before I talk about what I can do I urge the students of UWT to show interest in candidates that genuinely understand the commitment, responsibility, passion, and generosity that is involved with helping those they will be serving. Anyone that knows me can testify that I take my work as a Senator seriously. I have spent countless additional hours working (more than double what is required of me) on ASUWT projects. It is not unusual to find me in the Student Government office well after my last class is over at nine o'clock in the night. During my tenure as a Senator at ASUWT I started a reoccurring event called Husky Huddle Monday, Co-Chaired the Student Technology and Fee Committee, and was an active member of the ASUWT Public Relations Committee.The ASUWT constitution requires us to uphold various components when serving. These include but are not limited to: representation, advocacy, involvement, and providing leadership opportunities to students. I have already proven my commitment to these areas when starting Husky Huddle Mondays. I not only have students involved, I have student organizations, and various departments on campus involved as well. In the future, I see this event playing a more significant and active role in making our campus a more cohesive entity.It is also important to me that whoever is elected President can smoothly transition the ASUWT team into the next