Karstetter highlights community, structure and transparency
ASUI Communications Board Chair Austin Karstetter has announced his candidacy for ASUI President, and will run alongside vice presidential candidate Sen. Cruz Botello.
Karstetter is a junior majoring in international relations and organizational science with a minor in marketing. Botello is a sophomore majoring in sociology with an emphasis in criminology.
Courtesy | Austin Karstetter
ASUI presidential and vice presidential candidates Austin Karstetter and Cruz Botello pose on campus. Candidates have two weeks to campaign, and voting will be held April 4-6.
Karstetter said he has several ideas to improve the Moscow community, including reintroducing the Vandal Taxi, improving the ASUI tier wage system and engaging more with the student body.
Karstetter said the Vandal Taxi aims to help students get around Moscow and to prevent drunk driving, and would be funded by student fees. He said the shuttle would stop at Winco, downtown Moscow, The Grove and somewhere on the University of Idaho campus.
“It would run on weekends and it would run from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.,” Karstetter said. “It”s a safe way to get back to campus and a good way to get off-campus students around the Moscow community.”
As for the tier wage system, Botello said the duo hopes to improve the way employees are paid at ASUI. He said he wants people to get equal pay for equal work.
Botello said transparency is another important value to him and Karstetter to ensure students are knowledgeable about ASUI functions. Karstetter said as chairman of the Communications Board, he is already required to be extremely transparent.
One way Botello said they plan to execute a sense of transparency is by visiting living groups on and off campus with Karstetter weekly.
“It would be kind of like an ASUI dinner experience,” Botello said. “Maybe visiting a living group every week like a different residence hall, a different Greek house and residents on campus or off campus – that way we can get student input directly over a casual meal.”
Karstetter also said they want to help UI President Chuck Staben with his plans to increase enrollment. As an out-of-state student, he said there are plenty of different marketing strategies UI can use to attract students from neighboring states.
Karstetter said he and Botello have been involved in ASUI since their freshman years and know how to run the organization – he said that”s what makes them good candidates.
“Me and Cruz have had a good relationship for two years. I”ve lived with him, I”ve worked with him and we are both on the same page for just about everything,” Karstetter said. “I know how he works and what he stands for and I know we can take on these big things with full force.”
Miller emphasizes affordability, renovation and collaboration
ASUI Pro Tempore Rachael Miller has announced her candidacy in the coming ASUI presidential elections alongside vice presidential candidate Sen. Mckenzie MacDonald.
Miller is a junior majoring in political science and public relations. MacDonald is a sophomore majoring in political science and economics.
Courtesy | Rachael Miller
ASUI presidential and vice presidential candidates Rachael Miller and Mckenzie MacDonald pose on campus. Candidates have two weeks to campaign, and voting will be held April 4-6.
Miller said the two became close through working together as ASUI senators and believe they have the leadership skills to effectively run ASUI. Miller said she had been contemplating running for ASUI president for a long time, and after MacDonald proposed to run alongside her, they began planning their campaign.
“Campaigning, strategizing and planning has been quite the process,” Miller said. “We”ve gotten to know each other really well and it has turned out to be the perfect fit.”
Miller said she hopes to help lower tuition, centralize the advising system, and increase collaboration between ASUI and administration beginning with redistricting the senate.
Miller said lowering tuition will not only make higher education more available to students, but it will also likely increase retention rates.
MacDonald said they also would like to work toward a higher level of transparency so students know where their tuition dollars are going.
“We always want to work for more transparency about where your tuition dollars and student fees go so you know exactly what you”re paying for as a student at UI,” MacDonald said. “Just making sure we get feedback about how students feel about where their money is used.”
MacDonald said they would like improvements to the advising system by making it more centralized.
“Centralizing advising would change the role of an adviser so you have one person you can go to as a student for issues like financial aid, registering for classes, internships and pretty much anything you might have a question about on campus,” MacDonald said.
Both Miller and MacDonald have worked toward redistricting ASUI by college, which is why Miller said collaboration has become a significant value to her.
“Collaboration stems from redistricting, but goes so much further,” Miller said. “We want to work with campus offices and administration to get a uniform message across. We also want to work with the city of Moscow and the state to advocate for the things students want and funding for the university.”
Miller said she is an ideal candidate for president because she is efficient, responsible and passionate about ASUI.
“I”m knowledgeable about policy and I”ve been working with the Policy Team through ASUI as well as Max (Cowan) and Stetson (Holman),” Miller said. “I have been a leader as Pro Tempore in the senate and I think I”m a perfect fit.”
Jessica Gee can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @JessicaC_Gee