ASUNM Election Profiles

by Ryan Floersheim, Clay Holtzman, Jeff Proctor, and Arthur Simoni

Daily Lobo

Justin Crosby

Junior Justin Crosby is running for re-election to the ASUNM Senate because he would like to see government outreach to students further developed.

"Within the past year there has been an effort to outreach to the students and now we'd like to utilize the student organizations to further outreach," Crosby said.

Crosby, a political science and Russian studies double major said that it is important that students know that all student government, not just the Senate, is working for them.

"My main goal is I want to see more student involvement," Crosby said. "We need to really try to get more student involvement in all branches of ASUNM.

Crosby said he is running with the FUSION Slate because the other candidates running with him share similar views and outlooks for the future.

Crosby is currently a member of the ASUNM Senate, the International Affairs Committee, the Interfratenity Council and Pi Kappa Alpha.

Paul Daniels

Paul Daniels, a member of the FUSION Slate, said one of his main goals if elected to the Associated Students of UNM Senate would be to further outreach to students and strengthen school spirit.

"We'd like to have incentives for students, like T-shirts and food at special events to get students involved," he said.

Daniels, a 20-year-old junior, also said he would like to see a senator-ambassador program implemented by ASUNM.

"We need to have better communication with the student body in general, " he said. "It would be nice to bring in freshmen and sophomores to Senate meetings, as well as finance and steering and rules committee meetings, to show them how the government works for them."

Daniels said he would like to be known as a senator who is "out there talking to students, trying to see what they would like to get done on campus."

He is a member of the Financial Education for Students organization and Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Cezanne Fink

Although she may seem overwhelmingly busy with organizational responsibilities, sophomore Cezanne Fink said she has plenty of energy to be an ASUNM senator.

The 19-year-old Latin American studies major is a member of 13 campus organizations, including the Spanish club, Students for Sensible Drug Policy and United Students Against Sweatshops. She is also the president of the Progressive Student Alliance and the Hemp Coalition, as well as a co-chairwoman of the Rebel Alliance.

"I would try to get the Senate to communicate more with the students and different departments and organizations within the school," she said.

She added that she plans on talking to student organizations and individually with students, especially prior to any Senate vote, to get feedback to better represent everyone.

Her primary focus as senator would be "Giving a voice to all of the students by letting all the students give input on what happens in the school."

Matthew Gallegos

Matthew Gallegos, a 19-year-old political science major, said UNM students deserve to have some input in ASUNM decisions and if elected as senator, he will strive to make that happen.

"I would really like to see more senators taking an active role in the student organizations they represent," said Gallegos, who is a member of a University fraternity and the Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society. "The best leaders value as many opinions they can get."

Gallegos, who is running for the ASUNM Senate as an independent, said an increase in events on campus would open the lines of communication between students and the Senate and would help people learn about each other's feelings and needs on a personal level.

"The key is getting out and talking to people about important decisions and the future of the University," he said. "This is everyone's school, so everyone's input needs to be valued."

Jacque Garcia

Sophomore Jacque Garcia said ASUNM senators need to be more active on campus and help promote student organizations and senate activities.

Garcia, a psychology major, is running for re-election to ASUNM on the FUSION Slate.

"The Senate needs to help students get more involved at UNM and in the decisions that are made regarding their futures here," Garcia said. "Senators need to be seen more on campus to assure students that they (senators) are looking out for their best interest."

Promoting student organizations is another way ASUNM can benefit the University community, she said. Using senate resources to help organizations get their message out and help the community know about their events, Garcia said, is one way of doing this.

"I would also like to see more events designed to generate school spirit," Garcia said. She added the Red Rally bonfire tradition that was started this year at UNM is a way to achieve that goal.

Diego Hurtado

Diego Hurtado said that even though UNM is a non-traditional campus, increased student involvement is possible, and it would give the University a much-needed shot in the arm.

Hurtado, a 21-year-old senior majoring in economics, is running for ASUNM Senate on the FUSION Slate. He said if elected, reaching out to students would be his No. 1 priority.

"It just seems like there's not enough participation here," he said. "I transferred here from New Mexico State a year ago, and there's more involvement there. I think we can create the same atmosphere here."

Providing more opportunities for students to tell their student government what they want, Hurtado said, is another must. Open forums such as tell-alls and e-mail questionnaires are among methods of broadening input, he said.

"I feel like I have a well-rounded feel for campus," said Hurtado, who is a member of two campus honors societies and a fraternity. "I would really get out there and talk to people to see what they want."

Brittany Jaeger

Sophomore Brittany Jaeger is the only member of the FUSION Slate who lives on campus, which she said would give her an inside track as an ASUNM senator.

"I read the postings around the dorms a lot," said Jaeger, a 19-year-old soon-to-be business major who lives in DeVargas Hall. "But most of what's there is about the dorms, not the rest of the University."

As a campus resident, Jaeger said she would try to get those living in the dorms more involved with student government if she is elected to the Senate.

"My big thing would be to get students more informed," she said. "I know that, as a student myself, I don't know as much as I'd like about UNM."

Jaeger, who works and goes to school full-time, said the Associated Students of UNM could bring a significant voice to the table during discussions about such issues as tuition increases.

"We're the students," she said. "Of course, there will be people who don't care. But I'd like to know where every single dollar goes."

Adelicia Otero

Freshman Adelicia Otero said campus safety would be her primary focus if elected to the Associated Students of UNM Senate.

"I walk home from work late at night," Otero said. "There is not enough lighting or campus security around. The first thing I would do would be to make people aware of that. I would bring it to the people's attention that have authority, so they can make the necessary changes."

She also said she would like to see more involvement from the student body with ASUNM and student groups.

"I think we need to build community among the student groups on campus," Otero said. "It will make the campus much stronger."

She said she would do this by getting input from each of the student organizations to implement their needs.

Otero is a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.

Samantha McNulty

Samantha McNulty, a public relations major, says her experience in the classroom would be invaluable to helping educate students about the role of ASUNM on campus.

"There needs to be more communication to students about what the Senate is and what it does," said McNulty, a 21-year-old senior who is running for Associated Students of UNM Senate on the FUSION Slate. "I think more face-to-face forums and using PR techniques would be the best ways to get the word out."

She said a senate ambassador program, which would send senators to local high schools during their career information sessions to talk about getting involved with ASUNM, would increase the organization's visibility in the community.

Tuition increases, if used for worthwhile purposes such as faculty and staff pay raises, would be OK with McNulty, she said.

"But students should know where their money is being spent," McNulty said.

McNulty is a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America, the American Businesswomen's Association, Pi Beta Phi sorority and the Panhellenic Council.

Liz Schomburg

Liz Schomburg said as an ASUNM senator she would reach out to students to make them more aware of what is available to them and to increase their involvement with the University and student organizations.

"We don't have a very good voter turnout," Schomburg said. "It seems kind of important that we outreach to students more often."

Schomburg is a 20-year-old junior and member of the FUSION Slate. She is double majoring in public relations and Spanish and is the vice president of education at Alpha Chi Omega sorority and she has been accepted to be a member of the Order of Omega, a Greek honor society.

As a senator she would like to increase school spirit by reaching out to high school and UNM students.

"I want to make myself as available as I can," said Schomburg, who was the assistant director of ASUNM's Homecoming Committee.

Kelly Shaffer

Kelly Shaffer is a 20-year-old sophomore double majoring in accounting and finance. She said her primary focus as senator would be keeping up with ASUNM and enacting the goals of the FUSION Slate, which are improving school spirit, increasing outreach efforts and improving campus safety.

Shaffer said she doesn't know how she would improve the Senate because "I can't judge because I don't know."

To stay in touch with the students she is charged with representing, Shaffer said she would stay open-minded and take everyone's ideas into consideration. Also, she would maintain high levels of open communication with student organizations.

Shaffer is a member of Chi Omega sorority, a UNM Trailblazer and a Lobo ambassador.

Previously, she has been associated with the Associated Students of UNM as a commissioner for the Elections Commission and as a volunteer for Student Special Events.

Celestina Torres

Celestina Torres is a 24-year-old senior running for re-election to the ASUNM Senate. She said there are no major changes the Senate should undertake, but it should continue its outreach work to keep getting students involved with UNM and to make them more aware of available options.

"Our primary focus is finding ways to outreach to commuter students on campus," said Torres, who is a member of the FUSION Slate. She cites student participation in Homecoming activities as an example of how good things can happen as students become more involved with UNM activities.

"As senators, we are a voice for the students, so we have listen to any concerns they have," Torres said.

She said she plans to listen to students and their organizations to understand their needs.

Torres is a founding sister of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin sorority, Inc., a member of MEChA and a Minority Undergraduate Fellow.