Every year, The Eagle interviews all candidates for Student Government executive offices and endorses one candidate for each position. The Editorial Board considers the candidates' plans for the coming year, including improvements and changes to improve student life. This year in particular, the issue of how the candidates would be involved with the board of trustees and presidential search were especially important. The board found all candidates qualified and impressive, but we are confident our choices have the most solid platforms and the school's interests at heart.
Editor's Note: Robert Donigian, the only official comptroller candidate, did not meet with The Eagle. Also, any editorial board member who felt his or her involvement with a particular candidate would bias their vote abstained from discussion and vote for that candidate's particular office.
President: Ashley Mushnick
We think it's a blessing that Mushnick has not yet had anything to do with the SG. She has a student's perspective on how the SG's programs and service perform and can take that into the job with her. She has run the College Democrats, streamlined that organization and increased its effectiveness; she can surely do the same with the SG. Mushnick has also expressed what we agree could be the cure to our campus's lack of spirit: building it from the beginning. Mushnick's idea to build spirit around the first game of the basketball season instead of the last is compelling. She is also looking to ensure that all campus leaders are working together to make sure that this happens.
Her most specific plan concerns the creation of an online portal for clubs and organizations on the SG Web site that would provide a variety of tools to streamline communication to students. The portal would allow clubs to quickly and easily create a Web site and manage mass communication, among other things. It's time the SG embraced the range the Internet has offer in terms of student services. This will require a great deal of hard work to set up, and as long as Mushnick is willing to stick with it, it is likely these programs will succeed.
Mushnick also has interesting, if somewhat lofty, ideas about Eagle Bucks and meal plan expansion, as well as a general increase in spending on student services. Even if Mushnick goes after her vision full force and falls short, students will still surely benefit a great deal.
Vice President: Pat McGill
We are happy to endorse Pat McGill for vice president, who promises to bring engaging programming to students. Emphasizing bottom-up programming, McGill pledges to actively seek the input of clubs in the planning of events.
Some specific ideas he has are Eagle game days, giving sports teams a pregame party for the players and fans before the games. This would certainly bolster school spirit and boost attendance at sporting events. Our athletes deserve to have screaming fans in the bleachers at every home event.
Quad Wars would expand on the College Democrats-College Republican battles of kickball and dodgeball, giving more clubs and organizations the ability to settle scores.
We like that McGill is also looking to reform the Founder's Day Ball, which has spent $30,000 for 400 attendees. McGill's "less is more" approach will conserve resources and open up funds for events such as concerts and comedians.
McGill showed his independence of mind and committment to principles when he turned down the Student Union Board's request for extra money to end the year, saying they had squandered their allocations early in the year. Having a true public servant as well as someone who believes in AU and wants to have fun will do us all some good.
Secretary: David Gates
He helps judge high school debate, but none was needed when we decided to stand behind David Gates, a committed freshman who has worked behind the Student Activities desk and seen firsthand what has worked and what needs improvement.
Mr. Gates is not an SG insider, and we view that as a strength, considering insiders are usually set in their ways and resistant to change. While we feel Gates is up to the task of mobilizing the campus, we hope he will keep his door open and not fall into the same problems that has plagued the SG.
We like Gates' idea of having monthly socials allowing clubs to mingle and students to get to know each other. On the subject of clubs, Gates believes the AU Club Council could do a better job at allocating extra funds to clubs in need. Also, anyone who has ever dropped a poster off to be approved only to come back and be told it hasn't been approved, you have an ally in David Gates. Since he's worked the SA desk, he knows how important it is to get posters and flyers out promptly.
Working with his fellow executives will be an important part of the secretary's job. Gates believes in each executive knowing their responsibilities, but also being able to work with each other.
Since Gates would be taking office as the board of trustees moves towards finding a new president, he would have the job of mobilizing and informing students on what the Board is up to and how it affects them. We hope Gates lives up to his pledge to be proactive in dealing with the maze that is the AU administration.
Comptroller: David Teslicko
Teslicko was the only candidate for comptroller who came to the meeting, but we endorse him with confidence. It's true that he is a freshman, and any freshman running for executive office immediately raises red flags. However, Teslicko has been running AUTO for the past few months and could demonstrate that he is nursing that decrepit organization back to health. When four vans broke down last weekend, the drivers didn't have to worry about who to call; Teslicko had given out his cell phone number as an emergency contact without reservation.
As a Park Bethesda shuttle driver, he's seen students stranded and witnessed the ineptitude that has plagued AU's transportation services.
Teslicko has answered to current comptroller Zach Ulrich and has a working knowledge of the job. He has also worked with Karen Gerlach and the other members of the Student Activities office. He will easily be able to fill Ulrich's shoes and continue his work making the SG more efficient and effective organization. In high school he oversaw a yearly raising of $80,000 for Relay for Life, and its allocation.
The catch is that he is not on the ballot and is running a write-in campaign. Don't forget his name; we're confident that he will do an excellent job.
