The Falcon | Volume 81, Issue 26 |
Published 6/02/10 | Log In |
Profiles of candidates in ASSP general election
Published: April 15, 2009
Update 4/9: Following the ASSP primary elections, the field was narrowed down to two candidates per position. ASSP President and Vice President of Campus Activities remained as is, since only two candidates ran to begin with. Executive Vice President candidates are junior Gian Grosso and junior Brittany Harwell; Vice President of Ministries candidates are sophomore Brian Hibbard and sophomore Chris Kyle; and Vice President of Finance candidates are sophomore Kyle Cummings and junior Sean Lomas. The Falcon will be posting its endorsements online Monday night, and voting in the general election is on Wednesday.
Editor's Note: This article has been revised to include only those candidates who moved on to the general election. The original article featuring all of the primary candidates has been moved.
Vice President of Campus Activities
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| Photo credit: MICHAEL ALLEN/The Falcon. |
Alex Binz is a junior and self-designed political economy and rhetoric double major. Currently, he is the chair of the Board of Student Media, which oversees the financial responsibility of media organizations and serves as a link between media and the university.
Binz is both the founder and president of the Pemberley Society and is also the communications director of the Ivy Honorary Society. Through his work last year as a commuter senator and commuter council member, Binz also has experience working within the Associated Students of Seattle Pacific.
Binz aims to provide accountability and better stewardship by increasing awareness of how ASSP is spending its $700,000 budget, pointing out that, currently, over half is used for payroll alone. If elected, he will not accept more than half the current stipend allotted to the ASSP president, Binz said.
He would also pursue connections with other universities. Acting in isolation is not and cannot be productive, Binz said. Working with other universities is "how we're going to move from a 3,000 person university to having the influence and reach of a much larger university," he said.
Candidate Quotes:
- "As (a) University Scholar, I am diligent with my work and active in group projects. As ASSP President, I would implement these skills in overseeing the other officers and communicating with SPU administration and the student body."
- "Clubs could double their effectiveness by connecting to like-minded groups on other campuses, for instance. How can we solve the great issues of student media - such as the role of a college yearbook for the digital age - if we act in isolation?"
- "(We) need to stop viewing ASSP as just another job, and start treating student government as a service opportunity. ... I will not accept more than half of the current stipend, and if given more, I will donate the rest to merit-based scholarships for students."
Binz also has a website at http://myhome.spu.edu/binza/campaign/.
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| Photo credit: MICHAEL ALLEN/The Falcon. |
Kevin McFarland, a junior majoring in economics and philosophy, aims at "better orienting the ASSP organization at serving students." Starting as a freshman, McFarland served as a floor representative and a student-at-large on ASSP committees. Fall quarter of this year, he was involved with the Centurions and is currently the ASSP executive vice president.
McFarland recognizes both the internal and external proponents to ASSP. Internally, he aims to get the most out of ASSP money and ensure that people in paid positions are meeting their responsibilities and goals.
Externally, McFarland aims at communicational transparency, making sure students know how ASSP is serving and what opportunities are available. McFarland's external goals include two elements: a deeper commitment to "interculturalism" and improving student services by pinpointing student's needs.
"My vision for ASSP is that every freshman fall quarter should know what ASSP is," he said.
Candidate Quotes:
- "In high school, I established the student government and served as president. My first two years of college, I served on the student government of Bellevue Community College, the third largest college in Washington state, with thirty-five thousand students and a 1.6 million dollar budget."
- "I will utilize the current representative system in place, personally interact with students, and develop an optimized system to elicit, track, and report outcomes of student concerns."
- "Regarding transparency, the President hires a Public Relations Manager, which I will charge along with your senators to maintain open communication channels. This year we've started a student discount program, Exodus, and I believe we can do more. For example, offering an airport shuttle service at the beginning and end of each quarter."
McFarland also has a Web site at VoteMcFarland.net.
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| Photo credit: MICHAEL ALLEN/The Falcon. |
Gian Grosso is a junior double-majoring in political science: international affairs and history. He acknowledges his reputation as a political face on campus: he has been the session coordinator for the Political Union at SPU both last year and this year. The position has given him the opportunity to moderate discussions and debates with as many as 250 people attending. He has also served on student senate, filling in for the Social and Behavioral Sciences senator for a quarter, and attends senate regularly.
Grosso believes that the method of face-to-face communication has been sorely underutilized.
"It's hard to represent someone if you don't know who they are," he said. He plans to post the senate agenda around campus so students looking to lobby senators about specific issues can attend accordingly. Finally, he wants to create a Web site where students can post their prayer concerns for their senators to read and pray about, emphasizing peace of mind as something student leaders should give their constituents.
Candidate Quotes:
- "As an International Affairs major I am familiar with many of the qualities and responsibilities of effective political leadership, and I look forward to using the creative and innovative ideas of the student body."
- "I will personally devote time to visiting the residence halls, dining areas, and the Student Union Building so that I can better represent the student body."
- "I think senate should be more aware of the prayer concerns of SPU students. I will help create a box and email account where students can submit prayer requests, giving representatives a way of knowing specifically how they can pray for their fellow students and better represent them."
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| Photo credit: MICHAEL ALLEN/The Falcon. |
Junior Brittany Harwell, a political science major, is currently the ASSP senator representing Ashton Hall, a position she believes has prepared her for the role of executive vice president.
"Exec VP is the person who oversees senate, so it has really prepared me, showing me how senate runs, what senators' needs are. Those change every year, but the same kinds of needs are something we need to address, so I think that has really alerted me to how senate works on campus and how things could be improved," she said.
Harwell's platform is based on opening the lines of communication between senate and students in order that students know the resources available through senate.
"I want to get the word out there about senate and let people know what a great resource it is for students and how they should use their senators. Senators are really here to serve students, and I want to show what that actually means," she said.
Candidate Quotes:
- "I am dedicated, hardworking, honest, and understanding. I love getting to know people and then helping them find a way to get involved."
- "I would like to create and encourage senators to seek out opportunities to connect with the students they represent every week. The goal of senate is not for a small group of students to decide what should be done with the ASSP funds but rather to represent the concerns and desires of the students they represent
- "Senate is already discussing what form non-money proposals could take and I would like to encourage these types of recommendations much more next year. The idea of these recommendations is that senators would be able to write proposals to other Seattle Pacific departments advising them of student opinion."
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| Photo credit: MICHAEL ALLEN/The Falcon. |
Brian Hibbard is a sophomore majoring in educational ministries. He is involved with the musical worship on campus and, in addition to coordinating worship events, has been leading a small group on his floor. Hibbard has a passion for the ministries on the SPU campus and wants to increase opportunities for people to serve as well as push the various ministries to see each other as resources and not competition.
His involvement with music ministries both on and off campus has taught him so much about the beauty found within both "secular" and "Christian" music. It is upon these experiences that Hibbard has built his platform of unity. He wants to utilize the different gifts and abilities students have while building a sense of unity and shared vision between ministries.
His vision is "to embrace others' passions and work together to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
Candidate Quotes:
- "As I have spent the last year and a half immersed in the community of SPU, I have developed a passion for the ministries across campus and how God is at work in these diverse opportunities to share and live out the gospel."
- "Through intentional conversations that need to start this year with the future coordinators and leaders of the ministries, I desire to help form relationships and connections between the leaders of each ministry so that the resources and gifts that they have will be able to be implemented throughout the campus with other ministries."
- "We have so seen so much growth with student participation and involvement within campus ministries this year, especially within chapel. As we look towards next year, we need a mindset of continual improving and not becoming stagnant even though goals were accomplished this year."
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| Photo credit: MICHAEL ALLEN/The Falcon. |
Sophomore Chris Kyle, a double major in Christian theology and communications, seeks solidarity between ASSP and University Ministries. He wants to see the face of the ASSP ministries working alongside and serving students, as well as putting up generic posters and holding ministry fairs.
"I want students to find out (about ministry events) from us rather than finding out from others," Kyle said.
Kyle is the current Sixth Hill Student Ministry Coordinator and was a floor representative in Emerson Hall last year. He has been a small group leader both of his years at SPU, and last year he helped with logistical work for Kingdom Cry, a social justice ministry. He has also been involved in YROC, a Union Gospel Mission outreach, Urban Plunge and Sharpen.
He understands the processes it takes to get a ministry program running, Kyle said.
Candidate Quotes:
- "I've met with over half of the current ministry coordinators to hear their heart for next year on what I can do to better serve them and have been in contact with the potential coordinators for next year to make a steady transition of visions."
- "I'm currently working with Common Thread, a grassroots crochet ministry that is looking to become a real part of our campus ministries, and I want to use my influence of ASSP to make them a more impactful voice at SPU."
- "I want to work with our ministry advisors in instituting a 24/7 prayer house on campus that students may pray and worship in [...] I've already begun this process by starting to set up meetings with him so that we can begin this process in our current quarter."
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| Photo credit: MICHAEL ALLEN/The Falcon. |
Kyle Cummings is a sophomore double-majoring in business and psychology. He said many of the issues he wants to address he knows the other candidates are addressing too, something that will help bring together the ASSP Core under a unified vision. In particular, Cummings sees awareness, accessibility and cohesiveness as important changes in the ASSP finance office.
This last summer, Cummings worked with Southwestern, a program that allowed him to run his own business, selling educational products to families. He managed his inventory, revenue and expenses and made $15,000 personal profit. Out of the 4,000 people hired by the company, Cummings finished 35th internationally. He said he has attended over 300 hours of advanced sales entrepreneurial seminars and sessions.
Candidate Quotes:
- "One issue that I strongly believe in is increasing the ASSP budget without increasing the fee that students pay each quarter. The best way to do this is to encourage clubs and individuals to raise money on their own, and help provide opportunities for them to do so. This means that we would need to make the guidelines about raising money more accessible, and have fewer restrictions."
- "Some of the most common frustrations that I hear about are Gwinn hours and paying too much for books. These are things that we can change. I also hear students complain about being able to get into only their (own) dorm with their key. I would push to have universal keys or keycards."
- "(Students) feel like (ASSP) is a hoop that they have to jump through if they are going to receive funds or organize an event. This is not the way it should be. The only thing we need to remedy this situation is better communication."
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| Photo credit: MICHAEL ALLEN/The Falcon. |
Currently serving as ASSP treasurer, junior Sean Lomas is running for next year's vice president of finance. Lomas, a business administration major, sees a smooth transition for next year's finances if he is elected because of his extensive work with the 2008-2009 budget.
"With student leaders jumping in and out and transitioning from a different position every year, it kind of makes it difficult to have continuity in the finance position, so I think that being treasurer is a definite good experience, because I know what makes ASSP work and what needs to be improved," he said.
Lomas said he knows the limitations of the vice president of finance position, and his platform goals, on accountability and fiscal responsibility, are "feasible and attainable."
"Every undergraduate student pays $240 in a mandatory fee, so my main goal is to ensure that students know exactly where that money is going. I'm going to do this by giving very detailed reports at senate meetings so that student leaders can go and tell their constituents where the money is going, and they can gather input back to me," he said.
Candidate Quotes:
- "I have been a voting member of ASSP Senate for two consecutive years and have been a member of various committees such as Student Financial Aid Committee, Student Budget Committee, and Finance Board - the latter two being chaired by the Vice President of Finance."
- "My goal is that student clubs and organizations begin the year aware of all the financial policies and procedures. I desire to better communicate with student organizations to ensure knowledge of the financial resources."
- "I will implement my goals by increasing communication to and from student groups, examining the budgetary process to ensure student voice is heard and finances are used practically and by working with the Public Relations Manager to better publicize financial information and reports."
Lomas also has a Web site at SeanLomas.com.
Vice President of Campus Activities
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| Photo credit: MICHAEL ALLEN/The Falcon. |
Junior Paul Hammann is a business major with a concentration in marketing. As a sophomore, Hammann served as the vice president of Ashton Hall, working closely with Hall Council and planning hall events. This year, he is a STUB member, involved in SPU event planning. From his experience, Hamman has learned from both sides of leadership, being first hall-focused and then campus-focused, he said. Through his work with STUB, Hamman is familiar with ASSP and creatively seeks to use a smaller budget to do bigger things.
Hamman aims to integrate student life and student programs with athletics to boost school spirit, increase community development among students and the city of Seattle by working with organizations such as the John Perkins Center and Urban Plunge, as well as promote community among halls by joining all four Hall Councils to create inter-hall activities and events.
Ultimately, Hammann seeks to serve and give back to the students, he said.
Candidate Quotes:
- "I believe better communication of what is open and available, in terms of clubs and various happenings on and off-campus, to the students of Seattle Pacific is essential."
- "I want to work with the Athletic department, as well as the PAs and Hall Councils to brainstorm ideas in order to boost attendance and support for our Falcon athletics."
"I want to work with the John Perkins Center and increase the continued community development among our students and within our incredible city. The work the leaders of the Center have put in since its inception in 2004 is amazing, but I want to challenge not just them, but everyone to go bigger, grow bigger, and ultimately change people's lives."
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| Photo credit: MICHAEL ALLEN/The Falcon. |
Sophomore Kristin Unti, a math major, started as a volunteer through Urban Impact as a freshman. This year, she has worked with STUB as a programmer and was the chairperson for Date Auction in November 2008.
Because the vice president of campus activities oversees STUB, Unti believes she is well-equipped for the challenges of a new role.
"I understand how STUB works and I know how to put on successful activities," she said.
Unti's platform is based on improving communication with three specific focuses. She wants to improve unification between SPU athletics and the student body, create better communication between students and their ASSP core and provide better support for clubs on campus.
"VPCA is the voice for students, so I think that, just by being more recognized and being on STUB this year, I am able to get feedback from my peers about simple events," she said. "Having that constant communication already started is good preparation."
Candidate Quotes:
- "I value organization and I know how to maintain professionalism while overcoming challenges. ... I manage my time well (by) ensuring my studies are done; my deadlines are met; my meetings are attended; my relationships are growing, and my sanity is still present."
- "I want to UNTI(e) the knot of poor school spirit. SPU has many talented and successful athletes who do not receive enough credit or support. I want to open an athletic senate position to ensure a voice is being represented for athletes."
- "I want to UNTI(e) the knot of uneducated clubs. Clubs often feel neglected because of the little monetary value that they receive. However, I want to help educate the clubs on how to efficiently allocate their money and how to better their student body participation."
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