Candidates for next year’s ASI Board of Directors have begun campaigning for the elections this week.
The ASI Board of Directors consists of 25 elected student representatives who are the official voice of Cal Poly students. Representatives are elected from each college to form the Board of Directors who meet to discuss the business of ASI.
All this week, signs are displayed on campus showcasing the candidates. Voting will take place on May 5 beginning at 7 a.m and concluding on May 6 at 7 p.m. Students can vote by logging on to the Cal Poly Portal where they can follow the eVote instructions or by clicking on the eVote logo on the ASI or Cal Poly home pages. For those who are unable to vote electronically, paper ballots will be available in Student Life and Leadership which is located in the University Union room 217.
COSAM
The College of Science and Mathematics is comprised of 2,517 students and eight departments. There are four seats available on the Board of Directors from this college and the candidates are listed below. There are four positions available for the college but only three candidates on the ballot, so the fourth spot will be filled by a write-in candidate
Leandra Conley
Conley is a biological science junior who said she is concerned about the budget issues and the effects they are having on the students in the College of Science and Mathematics. She said she enjoys being a part of the College of Science and Mathematics and wants to serve as a liaison between the students and ASI to voice concerns regarding the impact of the budget. Conley has held leadership positions in the past and said she is prepared to work to the best of her ability.
Laurel Hilt
Hilt is a liberal studies junior who is originally from Santa Clara, Calif. Hilt has been involved in many different aspects of campus including serving as a Poly Rep, being involved with Campus Crusade for Christ and has been a WOW leader. She said she promises to speak on behalf of all students while focusing on the particular concerns of the students in the College of Science and Mathematics.
Erica Navarro
Navarro is a kinesiology junior who said she has had an interest in participating in student government since her first year at Cal Poly. Her top priority is the best interest of the students she said and added that she believes she can be a strong and faithful voice if elected. Navarro said she knows that the budget cuts and fee increases are a concern for students and she wants to help them know where their money is going.
CAED
The College of Architecture and Environmental Design is comprised of 1,834 students and five departments. There are three seats available on the Board of Directors from this college and the candidates are listed below.
Charlotte Bell
Bell is a city and regional planning junior who wants to address the balancing of student needs with the limited monetary resources, she said. Bell added that Cal Poly has fallen short of meeting student expectations in that area and that she wants to protect the “learn by doing” opportunities that architecture students have through labs, studios and workshops. She has been involved with the City and Regional Planning College Based Fee Committee for three years and said her experience and understanding of decision-making processes at Cal Poly should benefit all the students within the college.
Jeffrey Miner
Miner is an architecture student who has always wanted to become involved in the university, he said. He has served on the 2008-2009 Sequoia Hall Council and has recently become a PRISM peer mentor with the Pride Center. Miner said he is going to utilize his time-management skills to balance school and his board member responsibilities and said his priority will be to listen and advocate on behalf of all the student concerns in the college.
Phillip Ost
Ost is a construction management junior who has been involved in ASI this past year. Ost said he shares concerns with students in the college about class registration, graduating time and budget cuts. Ost is familiar with ASI policies, procedures and how to implement change and wants to ensure that all students in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design are represented fairly in student government, he said.
CAFES
The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences is comprised of 3,701 students and nine departments. There are five seats available on the Board of Directors from this college and the candidates are listed below.
Brett Edwards
Edwards is an environmental management and protection freshman from Fresno who said he wants to do what is best for the students of Cal Poly. Edwards is involved with the Student Philanthropy Council of Cal Poly and will be an intern with Green Campus this spring. He said sustainability and agriculture are big areas of interest for him, especially since he is from the Central Valley. He wants to be a leader for the class of 2013 and says he can become a positive, active voice on the Board of Directors.
Matt Johnson
Johnson is a wine and viticulture junior who said he wants to enact positive changes to Cal Poly. Johnson said he wants the university to remember that their number one priority is the students and he wants to try to cut down on the increasing number of mandates affecting tuition and class time. He sees this time as an opportunity to change what needs to be changed, but also wants to keep in place the positive steps that already work well, he said. Johnson said he will be welcome to any ideas or opinions from the students and said student government “revs my engine.”
Allison Marino
Marino is a agricultural systems management senior who currently serves as an ASI board member. She is also involved as an Agriculture Council representative for Sigma Alpha the past two years and is an active member of Cal Poly’s Tractor Pull team. Marino is passionate about the agriculture industry and said her goal is to support CAFES and get the voices of the students heard at the ASI level.
Kelsey Rugani
Rugani is an agriculture communications student who has served on the ASI Board of Directors for the last two years and is currently the Chair of the Board. She said her top objective is advocating for the best interest of the students and would like to continue her efforts to help students become more educated on the issues facing them, the CSU and the state of California. Rugani said she will continue to collaborate with the administration and maintain the integrity of ASI in order to provide the best services to the students.
Mollie Salinger
Salinger is an agribusiness/wine and viticulture junior from the Napa Valley who said she wants to help other students who love Cal Poly as much as she does. She said she wants to give back to CAFES, which has taught her many things during her three years. Salinger said her experiences have enlightened her both academically and socially and feels that she can use those experiences to become a beneficial member of the board.
Jacob Samuel
Samuel is an agribusiness junior from Linden, Calif who is currently the vice president of finance for the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. Samuel has served as Ag-Council representative for Alpha Gamma Rho last year and has been apart of the Crops club since his freshman year. He was involved in student government throughout high school, and was class president for three years. He said he wants to make Cal Poly a better place for all students.
Katie Titus
Titus is an agricultural science sophomore who has utilized many of the different opportunities Cal Poly has to offer including being involved in Agriculture Ambassadors, CFFA, College of Agriculture Open House co-chair and Alpha Chi Omega sorority. Titus said she is determined to be one of the five voices for CAFES and wants to be approachable so all students can express their opinions and concerns. She said her leadership skills, along with her determination, responsibility and integrity will serve her well as a member of the Board of Directors and help her to create change on campus.
Christine Woodman
Woodman is an agriculture science sophomore who has been involved in FFA State Finals, Open House and multiple community service activities during her time at Cal Poly. She is currently serving as the Agriculture Ambassador Ag Council representative and said the position has allowed her to become more informed about the issues affecting CAFES and the university community. Woodman said she will do her best to listen to the concerns of CAFES students and said her prior knowledge of the the happenings within the college will give her a distinct advantage in representing the interests of all students within the college.
Mitchell Yerxa
Yerxa is a crop science junior from Colusa, Calif. Yerxa has spent the past year serving on the Board of Directors and said the experience has showed him how much can be accomplished to give students what they need. Yerxa said he values real progress and tangible results. He will continue to strive to make sure that every student within CAFES is represented and said nothing is more important to him than providing the ultimate college experience for the students of Cal Poly, he said.