Steve Hamilton/The Falcon

2008-2009 ASSP President

Joel VanderHoek

VanderHoek impressed our editorial board with his applicable knowledge of how ASSP functions and with President Eaton and the facilities department to improve SPU's environmental commitment. He hopes to get SPU to sign a pact that says it will seek carbon neutrality as soon as possible.

VanderHoek also honors SPU's commitment to social justice by championing social responsibility. He wants to create an ethical code of conduct and to work with the Worker's Rights Coalition to make sure that SPU doesn't get its materials or uniforms from slave or child labor. VanderHoek has been proactive in taking steps to make his platform move from empty words to a reality.

"To be an effective, relevant and thriving organization, we must innovate," VanderHoek said. VanderHoek has proven his ability to innovate for the interests of students. Let's give him the opportunity to continue to do so.

Executive Vice President

Brice Budke

Budke has shown his ability to work with various groups on campus through his involvement in Ashton Hall Council as well as the ASSP finance board. His platforms are precise, and he expresses a willingness to work with various groups on campus in order to facilitate discussion. Budke said that one of his main goals is to help educate Senators to work more effectively with their constituents, and we fully support him in this.

He understands the role of executive vice president and will be able to function well in the role, providing leadership for Senators and valuable input for the president.

He has a good command of the ASSP constitution and expressed a willingness to learn about the relationship between ASSP and media organizations, an important function of the executive vice president.

Budke said that past failures in the last year have helped him realize that he can't be overcommitted, and he has been learning to balance work with schoolwork. He has expressed a willingness to learn the position of executive vice president and wants to challenge Senate to say "no" on finance proposals. He has experience with writing finance proposals and would be able to lead Senate effectively, as well as meet one on one with Senators to keep them accountable.

"I want to streamline the Senate process with small changes in order to keep accountability and refine skills," he said.

These one-on-one meetings with Senators would focus on holding them to the standards outlined in the constitution and would help foster more discussion and discourse between Senators and their constituents.

We feel that Budke has goals that are important for Senate and that he would serve the position and the SPU student body well.

It is because of his emphasis on individual and corporate accountability, as well as his experience with ASSP, that we endorse Brice Budke for executive vice president.

Vice President of Campus Activities

Whitney Broetje

Although both candidates for vice president of campus activities (VPCA) advocate for increased communication between clubs and students, Whitney Broetje has a solid platform and background experience for how to accomplish this.

Broetje was a Student Union Board (STUB) event programmer, which gave her a firsthand look at how the VPCA works with STUB. The position also allowed her to interact with many clubs and to fine tune her organizational skills. This experience gives her credibility and makes it easier to trust that she can unite different groups on campus to work for common causes.

"I am qualified because of experience, and I have an open mind to learn more and to hear from others," Broetje said.

Past experience has also allowed Broetje to see what works and what doesn't. She cited knowledge of where to put posters so that they will more likely be read, when and how to contact businesses for fundraising, and how far in advance to schedule things for event planning as particular strengths.

Broetje's platform provides tangible ways to improve communication between clubs and the student body. Currently, Involvorama is one of the only ways to plug students into clubs. If you miss the opportunity to attend, chances are you will have a hard time getting connected.

Broetje plans to solve this problem by having more club and leadership fairs scattered throughout the year. These strategically placed events will give students chances to participate in clubs on campus even if they couldn't make Involvorama.

Broetje's platform isn't just limited to campus, either. She encourages the school's motto, "engage the culture, change the world," by proposing to bring outdoor gear rental to the campus. Broetje hopes that this opportunity will inspire students to get out and explore the city and state while building relationships.

Describing herself as "organized, full of excitement and energy," Broetje is eager to serve the SPU community and has the necessary plans and experience to do the job well.

Vice President of Ministries

Heather Fink

Fink worked with Student Union Board (STUB) this past year, which gave her the inside perspective on how things are run in Senate and ASSP. Fink noted that until she was on STUB, she really didn't understand the logistics and breakdown of student government.

"Being on the STUB board gave me a practical view about administrative tasks," Fink said. By watching ASSP all year and building relationships with Senators, Fink now knows how to advise requested budgets and proposals, a vital skill for the position of vice president of ministries (VPM).

STUB also taught Fink how to work with many different clubs and types of people in order to pull off events for campus.

Although Fink has never formally been involved with a campus ministry, the editorial board thinks her novice could be a strength.

"Yes, I have never been involved with campus ministries, but I think this allows me to be a fresh mind who can encourage the other leaders to think creatively about what is possible," Fink said.

Fink has had leadership opportunities outside of SPU that testify to her passion for service. She was an intern for Washington Student Leadership, an organization that supports student leaders in the state through prayer and forums that teach leadership based on the principles of Jesus.

Her stability as a person of faith is rooted in a small group that she has been meeting with every week for three years.

Fink's biggest strength, however, lies in being a well-rounded individual. Although both candidates seem passionate to serve the students of SPU, Fink's experiences with different types of students and campus organizations make her very unique.

Fink is part of the first intentional community that was approved by Residence Life. She has also been in concert choir since her freshman year.

"Being involved in so many different activities has helped me to understand a bunch of different students and where they are coming from. I have gotten to hear firsthand what a lot of different people have to say about what they would like to see on campus," Fink said.

The office of VPM demands a liaison that can go between clubs and ASSP. Fink's past work with students of all types best qualifies her for this job.

Vice President of Finance

Anna Carlson

Carlson is The Falcon's choice for the vice president of finance because of her extensive experience on both the ASSP side and the club side of finance procedures.

Carlson is currently the ASSP treasurer, so she works directly with this year's vice president of finance, Joel VanderHoek. She is also a member of the finance board, so she understands Senate procedures.

From the ASSP side, she has gained knowledge this year of all the intricacies of the finance system and paperwork, knowledge that she can carry into her first day on the job next year. Also, beyond the daily details, Carlson's experience gives her a good idea of the big picture responsibilities that make a successful vice president of finance.

On the other side of ASSP finance procedures, Carlson also has experience as president of the Associated Undergraduate Students of Business and Economics. Having presented proposals from the club side, she understands the strengths and weaknesses of the current system.

Carlson emphasized increasing communication to club presidents, who may not know exactly how the proposal system works, and she suggested improvements to the system that would eliminate unnecessary paperwork. Her previous knowledge of this entire system qualifies her to move into the vice president of finance position.

Moreover, Carlson's major in finance gives her ample knowledge to perform the job's duties adequately.

In addition, The Falcon believes Carlson will have the confidence to make appropriate decisions and stand by them in a position that is likely to receive some scrutiny.

The Falcon, then, has confidence in Carlson, that she will wisely handle the position of vice president of finance.

(Christalyn Steers, the other candidate for vice president of finance, dropped out of the running following the primaries. The Falcon still wishes to endorse Anna Carlson.)