Voting for Undergraduate Student Government Downtown positions begins today. Last week, Downtown Devil reached out to the two presidential candidates to find a supporter to write on their campaign’s behalf. Daiyaan Colbert agreed to write for Alexis Kramer and Denise Huynh agreed to write for Frank Smith III.
With the whirlwind of elections taking over campus, we’ve all been inundated with Facebook posts and candidates walking with you to class on Taylor Mall as they try to make their case to be the next USGD president. And admittedly, it can be annoying. And that is OK.
While students should know about what is going on with their campus and student government, it is understandable that those things might be the furthest from their minds as they juggle school, work and extracurricular activities. That is why it is so urgent that if students don’t involve themselves in student government, they should at least elect responsible student leaders who can look out for their needs while they make the most out of their four years at ASU.
It is for that reason that I have chosen to endorse Alexis Kramer for USGD president and have joined her team to help her carry out what I believe is an ambitious but feasible agenda for moving USGD in the right direction. The direction includes the Senate and Executive Board working together to achieve the needs of students in order to enrich their social and academic lives on campus.
If elected, Sen. Kramer, along with her running mates Ryan Boyd and Windsor Smith, will work to update and completely reform the USGD constitution and all bylaws of Downtown student government so that they are clear, concise and complete. Elected or not elected, they’ll work to improve OrgSync, a program that helps students organize and collaborate, and one that many ASU students have become fed up with. Already Sen. Kramer and her ticket are working with OrgSync representatives to improve functionality and explore new interfaces that will make the application work better for students.
The Kramer ticket would also work to implement affordable payment options for Valley Metro light rail and bus passes, make the Downtown library open 24/7, expand the communications department of USGD to more effectively reach students and host bimonthly student government town halls and bimonthly meetings with student organizations.
This ticket comprises three students who love ASU and have been involved with the university since they stepped on campus. Alexis, a sophomore from Nogales, Ariz., who grew up wearing her ASU onesie and always dreamt of being a Sun Devil, is a dedicated student leader who serves as a senator representing the Cronkite School, the president of the Walter Cronkite College Council and the social media coordinator for the student center in the Post Office. She also sits on the Women’s HERstory Committee and the Sun Devil Board of Governors. In addition, Alexis brings two years of experience with ASU student government to the ticket.
Ryan Boyd, a sophomore who has been to all but one student government meeting this year, has seen how inefficient documents and frayed leadership can slow down student government. I’m confident he will bring his leadership and knowledge from leading the College of Public Programs Council and his experience from serving as an officer in the Parks and Recreation Student Association to the role of vice president of policy. Ryan is also a member of DPC Aware and the Budget Allocations Committee. Ryan’s tenacity to get the job done is revered on this campus by many students and faculty alike. And that is why he is a finalist for the Emerging Leader Pitchfork Award. I can guarantee Ryan’s work ethic and passion for transparency will translate into action and progress for students.
Windsor Smith, a sophomore from the Walter Cronkite School, is heavily involved with student organizations and will be able to bring her skills and experience from BLAST’D, Honors Devils, Mu Epsilon Theta, Alpha Lamda Delta, Phi Theta Sigma, ASU Gun Devils and many more student organizations. She is an ASU Dean’s Scholar and a Medallion Scholar and will graduate with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism, along with a certificate in special events management from the College of Public Programs.
Already, Windsor is working on improving OrgSync and developing plans to expand USGD Live’s live-streaming capabilities. She also plans to reach students through a major social media and marketing campaign, #WTFASU, or What to Fix ASU. The initiative, which comprises a website, Twitter account and Facebook account, would respond to ASU students’ calls within two hours and direct their inquiry to the correct people. Think of it as a social media hotline for your ASU problems.
I support the Kramer, Boyd and Smith ticket because they not only have feasible goals to improve the lives of students, but they also are committed to transparency in student government and increasing diversity and ASU spirit, pride and tradition.
We’ve put in long days and nights talking to students and figuring out what they want to see for the Downtown campus. It is clear that they want change, and I’m confident Alexis, Ryan and Windsor are a change in the right direction.
A direction that reforms our documents, helps student organizations improve and expand and leverages the benefits of being nestled in the heart of one of the greatest cities in America. On April 1 and 2, I encourage all ASU Downtown students to make their voices heard and ensure they elect representatives that will look out for their best interests. Those representatives in this election are Alexis Kramer, Ryan Boyd and Windsor Smith.
