Sarah Calvert
freshman, molecular and cellular biology and political science
One of Sarah Calvert's first priorities if elected to the Senate would be to make sure all students know how they can get involved in campus activities and feel comfortable joining.
Creating an online calendar of club events is one of the ways Calvert thinks UA life could be improved.
"I love the U of A," Calvert says. "It is a wonderful campus, but there are a few things that could be better."
She says that her willingness to work with other people will benefit her ability to get things done in the senate. She would also like to develop a shuttle program to Target and local grocery stores for students living on campus.
Calvert is a member of Primus, a freshman honorary. She also participates in Graham-Greenlee Hall Government, Shakespeare in the Cellar and Underground Theater.
- Emily Severson
Eric Chambers
sophomore, finance and management information systems
Eric Chambers says he has plenty of experience with community service and plans on using everything he has learned to improve the campus if elected as senator.
"I've learned you really can get a lot accomplished by keeping open communication," Chambers says.
His main priority is to fulfill his campaign promises, something he knows people have failed to do in past years.
Chambers says he would like to divide all the UA colleges among the 10 senators so each one knows who to turn to when it has a problem.
"I am making a campaign promise that is really feasible - the Senate needs to be held accountable for everything they do," he says.
Another idea Chambers has is for the senators to visit clubs and organizations to teach them more about ASUA.
- Maya Schechter
Joshua Gotto
freshman, pre-business
While serving as an aide for Sen. Kristel Miller last semester, Joshua Gotto says he saw a few things he thought could be improved in ASUA, which led him to run for senator.
He says it is very important to reach out to students by making the campus suggestion boxes more accessible.
Gotto is currently a member of Freshmen Active in Campus Events and Services, and if elected as senator, he would make it a priority to improve the visibility of the program.
"I would like to give FACES members a better idea of what it is like to be inside ASUA," Gotto said.
Gotto is also involved with the Catholic Newman Center, where he organizes camps and student retreats.
- Emily Severson
Scott Harris
freshman, business
In high school, Scott Harris was not very active on campus, with the exception of sports. But he says that now that he is in college, he hopes to become more involved.
Although he is a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and the Blue Chip leadership program, Harris says he wants to join an organization where he can help students.
One of the ways he wants to help students is by working on the roommate matching program that was worked on earlier this year.
"I want to continue the foundation that was started this year," he says.
Harris says this idea would give students the option of asking for a roommate who best fits their personality and living habits.
Students need to be more aware of ASUA, Harris says, and he hopes to focus on this mission if elected senator.
- Maya Schechter
Doug Hartz
junior, biochemistry and finance
Doug Hartz says his main inspiration for running for Senate is that he feels there is a lot of work to do to build a stronger university community.
"It is disheartening to walk around campus and see people not smiling," Hartz says.
"Construction and the general state of the campus bother me," he adds. "I think that there is a lot that could be done to tie the students together."
His number-one priority as senator would be to develop community.
Hartz also says his biochemistry major may help him add a different perspective to the Senate. He will rely on his background as a resident assistant to focus on building new relationships on a personal level with other Senate members.
- Emily Severson
Ana Jimenez
sophomore, biochemistry
When Ana Jimenez was a freshman, she didn't join any clubs because she didn't know her options.
"I felt like I didn't belong anywhere, and that's why I am running for Senate - it is so important for everyone to feel involved," she says.
Jimenez says her first priority is to reach out to students and encourage them to be involved in campus life.
She also says she wants the senators to be more accessible to the students, and make them more aware of what ASUA does.
Jimenez is currently serving on ASUA's Minority Action Council, and she says she learned about many issues that need to be addressed, something she hopes to deal with if elected senator.
- Maya Schechter
Allison Jones
freshman, pre-business
Allison Jones was an involved member of Freshmen Active in Career Events and Services before she decided to run for ASUA senator.
She was also an aide for Sen. Matt Bailey and helped raise $5,000 for Fall Ball. Although Fall Ball was canceled, she says she values the lessons in fundraising she learned.
Because she lives in Coronado Residence Hall, Jones says she hears a variety of student complaints.
"Some things are fixable, some are not," Jones says. "I really want to see what students want, and if a change is feasible, I want to do it."
Some of the things Jones would like to see created are easily accessible test centers and an off-campus shuttle - to help students without transportation - possibly using the ASUA Escort Service or CatTran.
- Emily Severson
Jason Korner
sophomore, accounting
Establishing a philanthropy board is the top of Jason Korner's list of things he'd like to accomplish as senator.
While sitting on the ASUA Appropriations Board this year, Korner said he would see clubs that weren't qualified for funding because they were philanthropy-based, such as Camp Wildcat and Alternative Breaks. He therefore came up with the idea to have a separate funding process.
"I really see the need for it, so these clubs can have funding and be able to give back to the community," Korner said.
Korner is also hoping to improve the Appropriations Board process, in making it easier and less intimidating for clubs to apply for funding.
- Maya Schechter
Gloria Macias
sophomore, political science
Improving safety has been a big priority for Gloria Macias ever since she was held at gunpoint on campus her freshman year.
She says she thinks that getting more funding for sodium lights on campus would significantly improve safety - while not obstructing Tucson's night sky view - and would make this one of her early priorities.
Her other priorities include putting out an ASUA monthly report to students, getting a student section at McKale Center and eliminating the lottery system for men's basketball tickets.
Macias says it is important to her to fulfill her campaign promises.
She characterizes herself as a team player with the ability to get things done.
"I am a motivated person with lots of smiles," Macias says.
- Emily Severson
Jered Mansell
sophomore, political science
Serving as a resident assistant at Coronado Residence Hall taught Jered Mansell many issues that students are dealing with, which he says was the reason for running for ASUA senator.
His number-one priority if elected is to extend the hours of the ASUA Escort Service, and maybe even expand the days of operation to include Friday and Saturday evenings.
"I see girls walking home late at night on the weekends back to the dorms, and they really shouldn't have to walk alone in the dark," he says.
"All those girls are like my little sisters, and if anything ever happens to them, there will be big trouble," he continues.
Mansell says he hears his residents talk about wanting to become more involved but not knowing how to, so he hopes to bridge the gap between students and ASUA.
One of these ways would be to visit campus clubs and organizations and let them know about the current issues ASUA is dealing with.
- Maya Schechter
Josh Maxwell
sophomore, political science
Josh Maxwell says that if elected to ASUA Senate, he will voice issues that will have a physical effect on UA students.
"The issues I care about have an effect on student's lives and their experience in school," he says.
He wants to start a fast-track money program that would set aside about 10 percent of ASUA club funding to the residence halls. He would also like to build a coalition to tackle student seating at McKale Center and expand the hours of the ASUA Escort Service.
If elected, Maxwell says he will add a uniqueness to the Senate because he is well-organized.
"I pay attention to specific details and will address campus problems in a new way," Maxwell says.
- Emily Severson
Mo Merheb
junior, management information systems
Mo Merheb wants to make campaign promises he knows he will come through with.
There are many things in ASUA that should be changed, Merheb says, but making the Senate more accountable is the most important because it is the most feasible.
"I know that not everything can be changed," he said. "It's one thing to be ambitious, but I have to make promises I know I can keep."
If elected as senator, Merheb hopes to divide all the campus clubs and organizations by genre among the 10 senators to give them someone to always be in contact with.
- Maya Schechter
Kathleen Nacozy
sophomore, communication and pre-business
Being elected to ASUA would be one of the first campus organizations Kathleen Nacozy would be involved in.
However, she says her lack of experience in campus activities will give her a fresh perspective in ASUA.
"I realized I hadn't really gotten involved with anything besides my sorority, and I decided it would be a good idea to run for senate to get involved," she says.
Nacozy says she found it hard to find out about clubs on campus because none of them reached out to her. She doesn't want other students to feel the same way, she adds.
Starting a club catalogue to inform students about campus clubs and activities would make it easier for them to know what's going on, Nacozy says.
- Emily Severson
Jessica Patze
junior, accounting
Jessica Patze says her fist priority as a senator would be to serve students the best she can by reaching out to them and making ASUA more accessible.
Patze also thinks that student safety was addressed poorly this year through ASUA, and she said she hopes to improve it.
The first step is to improve the Women's Resources Center's self-defense classes, Patze said.
"The classes are free and fun, and it's important for all women to be aware of their safety," she said.
Patze said she also wanted to extend the Escort Service hours, especially during dusk, when the campus is deserted.
"I know it's not the fault of the Escort Service because they have a low budget, but they need to reach out and try to get more funding," she said.
-Maya Schechter
Jennifer Reece
sophomore, biochemistry
From her experience with the ASUA Appropriations Board, Jennifer Reece decided she wants to work on the Senate side of the organization to make club funding a less intimidating process.
She also wants to make the application process more efficient.
If elected senator, Reece would like to devote some of her time to making ASUA more visible to the student body. She would like to ensure that clubs unaware of ASUA funding learn how to apply.
After last week's primary elections, Reece was ahead of all 15 senators, with 58 percent of the votes.
Reece received 1,392 votes out of the 2,398 total ballots cast.
- Emily Severson
