as USGD president. (Courtney Pedroza/DD)
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. Denise Huynh agreed to write for Frank Smith III and Daiyaan Colbert agreed to write for Alexis Kramer.
Leadership is something that must be earned, never handed to you. Frank Smith III, Corina Tapscott and Sally Lopez have truly demonstrated what it means, and what it takes, to be an efficient team. They have been working extremely hard and will continue to work beyond the titles they are running for. These three ambitious individuals are the type of student leaders that we need at Arizona State University.
Under Frank’s administration, he and his executive board worked as a team and implemented office hour requirements for executive board members, worked to keep parts of the Walter Cronkite School open 24/7, ensured a 0 percent tuition increase for in-state students, created an internship program within the Undergraduate Student Government Downtown, set up a payment plan system for parking passes to make them more affordable for students, established weekend shuttles for next year and increased transparency on a number of levels.
USGD meetings are now streamed live online, there has been an approximately 50 percent jump in likes on the USGD Facebook page, meetings are live-tweeted, a new USGD website has been created and all USGD meetings are open by invitation. With your support, Frank, Corina and Sally can make even more of an impact for the Downtown student body.
Over the past two weeks, they have been on Taylor Mall directly interacting with the students and listening to their concerns every single weekday. They have added valuable points to their platform through talking with students and identifying the changes the students body wants. These include getting lockers on campus for commuter students, getting ice machines inside of Taylor Place and setting up an inclusive prayer room for religious students.
One goal this team wants to accomplish next year is getting financial aid for students by working with the state legislature to establish a state-based financial aid program through a new USGD policy team. Other goals they have are saving students’ money on textbooks by revamping the textbook pledge, creating workshop videos that will inform students on how to apply for funding and having Safe Zone, alcohol and sexual assault trainings for all ASU students.
This team has a plan of A.C.T.I.O.N because they want to improve safety by implementing a shuttle that will run after dark that will pick students up around campus, nearby apartment complexes and parking lots.
They will develop a downtown bus tour aimed toward bridging the gap between the student body and the downtown community. This will give students the opportunity to explore the different shops, restaurants and activities downtown has to offer.
It might sound cheesy, but the team will host “Slice for Advice” events on a regular basis in order to gather student input, as well as treat hardworking students to a bit of free food. In exchange for feedback, students will receive a slice of pizza to establish engagement with students on a consistent basis.
Finally, they want to institute a resource rental program for student organizations that would rent equipment, such as iPads, so that student organizations can use them during events.
If Frank Smith III is re-elected, you can count on him and his two vice presidents to be your voice. They will initiate change and be the difference the Downtown campus needs and deserves. I cannot promise that they will be perfect, because no human on Earth is perfect. However, what I can promise is that they will give 120 percent as your president, vice president of services and vice president of policy.
I know that they will do everything in their power to shape our campus into something worthwhile and provide ASU students with an unforgettable college experience.
That is why I am voting Team Smith and why you should, too. I hope everything I have said provides you with more than enough reasons to re-elect Frank Smith III. I will continue to fight for them and I will support them until the end. I will continue to show you, the students, that this is the team you should be voting for. Students who attend the Downtown campus: Team Smith is the team that you should vote for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Together, we can leave Arizona State University a better place than we found it. All you have to do is re-elect Frank Smith III. Vote for true leadership. Vote for the ones who are visible. Vote for the ones who are here for the students. Vote for the ones who will not only listen to your concerns, but make sure that they are addressed. Let’s be Frank; re-elect Smith for USGD President.
