After a two-week application process, Danny Bugingo and Mattie Cupps were elected as the new ASUI senators by the senate Wednesday.
Senators Bugingo and Cupps are replacing former senators Katelin Bartles and Kailey Holt, who resigned earlier this semester. Their terms will last for the remaining eight weeks of this semester, but both Bugingo and Cupps said they plan to run in the coming Fall elections as well.
Bugingo is a first-year student from Portland, triple majoring in computer science, French and international studies. He is a part of the University of Idaho Mock Trial Team, The Argonaut, National Society of Black Engineers, Black Student Union as well as other student organizations.
Bugingo said diving into these campus organizations and ASUI has helped him adjust to his new residence, which is one reason he chose to apply for ASUI senate.
“When you live in the Tower your first year, most of your classes are in the TLC (Teaching and Learning Center), so you just usually walk from the TLC and then back to your dorm. You don”t really get to see much of campus,” he said. “I really want to broaden my experience.”
He said he was intimidated during the senator interview process, but is excited to begin making a change at UI. One way Bugingo said he plans to do this is by improving the advising system on campus.
“People just see their advisers as someone you go to every semester to pick your classes, but they really should be more than that,” Bugingo said. “They”re supposed to be the person you go to when you”re struggling in a class or the person you see when you”re trying to decide on a major and that”s just not what it is.”
Although he only has eight weeks left in the semester, he said he hopes to make an impact, and Bugingo said he can provide a fresh take on senate since he is non-Greek and in the College of Engineering.
“I”m seeing a completely different group of students on my day-to-day basis,” he said. “I see different interests and complaints from them and I think that gives me a different perspective.”
Cupps is a third-year student majoring in chemical engineering from Boise. Cupps said though she has not been a part of ASUI in the past, she looks forward to contributing to future projects.
“I”m really excited to implement some of my ideas and work with the other senators,” Cupps said. “I know I can”t achieve a lot because it is just a semester term, but I am also running for next year so hopefully this will set me up for what I”ll be doing next year as well.”
She said her priority for this term is to establish better representation for students in the College of Engineering.
“I feel like we don”t have that much of a voice on campus and our facilities are really lacking,” Cupps said. “One thing I really hope to do is work to get better desks, better facilities and better classrooms for us.”
Cupps said the biggest challenge will be having a positive impact before the end of the term, and said she is excited about working out the details of redistricting with her fellow senators.
“Working with so many people with different ideas and different backgrounds is going to be really fun,” Cupps said. “I”m excited to see what we can accomplish.”
Editor”s note: Danny Bugingo is an Argonaut columnist and reporter.
Jessica Gee can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @JessicaC_Gee