Newly elected ASASUD president Joseph Grossman and vice president David Bakardjiev met with some incoming senators Tuesday night in an effort to get to know the people they will be working with during the upcoming academic year.
Grossman, Bakardjiev, returning senators Vivian Padilla and Erika Vera and newly appointed Walter Cronkite School senator Torunn Sinclair gathered in the University Center library to learn more about one another and what to expect from student government next year.
The conversation between the members involved a discussion about tuition, how the members are going to work together and with the student body and Grossman and Bakardjiev’s upcoming decision of appointing Executive Board members.
Grossman said his and Bakardjiev’s main priority is tuition. Grossman explained differential tuition, which would involve paying varied tuition depending on the certain college students belong to and why he thought it was a good model for ASU.
Grossman, who has worked with Arizona lobbyists in the past and has already spoken with student government members at Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona, said he is willing to talk to whoever it may be in order to have the student’s voices heard, especially about tuition.
Grossman also expressed the need to reach students in order to hear their opinions. The president, vice president and senate members discussed possibly having shirts that would identify themselves as ASASUD members, so students would know who represent them.
The group also considered having a table or tent on campus once or twice a month, in order for students to use the opportunity to talk with their representatives.
“If they aren’t coming up to you,” Grossman said, “go to them, shake hands, give them your number for anything they need.”
Grossman said he was upset by the amount of people he met during his campaign that did not know their senators and said the lack of communication and engagement is something he wants to change.
The senators present at the meeting continually expressed how important it is to get to know one another and work together.
“Being united as an office is what is most important,” said Vera, incoming senator for the College of Nursing and Health Innovation and current University college senator.
Grossman and Bakardjiev have until May 1 to choose the remaining executive board members.
Padilla and Vera, both returning members to ASASUD, each said they believed ASASUD Executive Board members should be Downtown students.
“We want students who come here regular basis, who know downtown, who know this campus,” Vera said. “The style of life is different down here.”
Grossman told the group gathered that it is always good to have fresh blood in office.
“We are going to choose the person who is right for the job,” Bakardjiev said.
Bakardjiev encouraged the senators to send them any recommendations they may have for members of the Executive Board.
Grossman said there will be more meetings with the newly elected senators later in the week.
Contact the reporter at omakinso@asu.edu
