Patrick TrautfieldEditor’s note: This is the third installment of a three-part profile on the ASI candidates.
Business senior Matt Taylor thinks that he has the [it] factor that the next Associated Students Inc. president needs to succeed.
Taylor feels that he can meet the demands of ASI and lead a normal student life at the same time.
“I’m a pretty normal person,” Taylor said. “I am really involved in ASI, and I want to better the college experience. I want to bring better communication (between students and ASI).”
If elected as ASI president, Taylor wants to continue the work left by Todd Maki. He wanted to ensure that the link remains strong between Cal Poly students and the local population.
“We need to have that link so we can keep working on projects,” Taylor said.
Taylor noted that the strong relationship between the students and the community is needed so both sides can get what they want. He cited the extended bus schedule as a result of this connection.
As another of his campaign points, Taylor thought that ASI should cater more to the students than it does now. He noted that he wants to use the latest technology like podcasts to get ASI’s word out to the student population.
“I want to make sure that ASI is pointed in the right direction,” Taylor said. “I want to make it so that we’re more involved with the students. We have to make sure the link between the students and their leaders is there.”
Based on his interaction with other students, Taylor said that the major issues for Cal Poly students included overcrowding at the recreation center and campus dining. But he reminded students that neither he nor ASI itself can guarantee results overnight.
“Those are problems that can’t be solved in one term,” Taylor said.
As a current member on the ASI Board of Directors, Taylor proudly mentioned the organization’s response to high textbook prices. This is also an issue that he will mention in his campaign to be ASI president.
“ASI has passed a resolution that asks teachers to get their book orders in earlier, so that the bookstore has more time to order these books, so that the prices are cheaper,” he said.
Taylor also wants to assure students that they have the right to graduate in four years. He said that he has tried to work with the provost office and Academic Advising Council to relieve some of the harder graduation requirements.
“I have no problem with you staying if you want to enjoy the college experience,” Taylor said. “But if you can’t graduate, and you want to graduate in four years, that should be a right to you.”
Although he had no previous leadership experience back in his Jesuit high school in San Jose, Cal Poly changed his perspective on student government.
“Once I got into Cal Poly, I started looking at it and thought this was something I wanted to do,” Taylor said. “When I was a junior, I decided to get involved, and I’ve been loving it ever since.”
To get his message out, Taylor plans to harness the power of podcasting for his campaign, as well as giving away T-shirts and holding a tri-tip dodgeball tournament. He promised to start working on the job immediately if elected as ASI president.
“Once you’re voted in, that shouldn’t be all that matters,” he said. “When you’re voted in, that’s when your job starts. Your job doesn’t end when they pass out the ballots.”