ASUI selects four new senators
After an unusually turbulent selection process, ASUI finally chose four students to fill the vacant seats in the ASUI Senate — Katie Cramer, Michael Ryan, Zoe Ball and Clare Haley.
ASUI President Nate Fisher originally refused to approve the sitting senators’ initial seat selections, which resulted in a failed bill on Sept. 17. But after taking an additional week to hold further interviews with prospective candidates, the senators and Fisher reached an agreement on who would fill the vacancies.
Cramer was appointed to the yearlong senator position that ends at the close of the spring 2015 semester and Haley, Ryan and Ball were appointed to semester-long positions that end at the close of the fall 2014 semester.
The four positions were open after student-elected senators quit the Senate — tasking the remaining senators, along with oversight from Fisher, with voting in candidates themselves.
“I’m feeling pretty good about the new senators, and my preferences were upheld to some degree,” Fisher said. “The senators did their due diligence and reviewed candidates and their qualifications and maintained their stance on a few things, and I’m happy to respect that.”
Fisher said he is looking forward to see what the newest Senate additions bring to the table. He already has some idea, as each new member established a particular goal area they are interested in improving and an area of interest.
“My main goal, my big project as a senator is focused on breaking down the student code of conduct,” Cramer said. “I want to figure out a way to do that in laymen’s terms — basically a document that breaks it down so students can go online and know what rules exist for them without reading a long document.”
Cramer, a junior majoring in early childhood development and education, previously served as a senator and said she is glad to have the opportunity to return.
Haley, a senior in international studies with a focus in Spanish and development who will graduate in December, said she will spend the rest of her semester working with the Fair Housing Commission and to focus on informing off-campus students about their rights as renters.
“Many off-campus students don’t know their rights or what they’re signing on their lease,” Haley said. “Also some students don’t feel super connected to ASUI so hopefully this will be a way for more connection to our community and ASUI in general.”
Ryan said he wants to connect ASUI with other student governing organizations in high schools and colleges, such as Washington State University and Montana State University. The agricultural education major said he also wants to work with the SafeWalk program to create a safer campus environment.
Ball, a sophomore majoring in art education, said she plans to work with Sen. Carlie Beasley on the Humans of the University of Idaho, a Facebook page that recognizes students on the UI campus.
Fisher said he foresees collaboration and good ideas from the new team of senators.
“I’m used to the full 15-seat senate, and with these four I’m looking forward to the added opinions and perspectives,” he said. “I’m excited to see some good critical thinking from this body and how they articulate the needs of the student body — the more, the merrier, as far as I’m concerned.”
Cramer said she is excited to be back in the senate and feels her previous experience will benefit her in the months to come.
“I am making the adjustment into this senate and figuring out my role and how I can help,” Cramer said. “These people are eager and have great resumes, and they just seem like a fun group. I’m excited to work with them.”
Haley said while the selection process was awkward and intimidating at times, she thinks it worked out well in the end.
“I really respect the senators that made that decision and am glad they took the extra time and really looked at everyone’s resumes and qualifications,” she said. “I don’t have a lot of time as a senator, but I want to see how much we can do.”
Cara Pantone can be reached at arg-news.uidaho.edu