By Kaila Wyman
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Tuesday Feb. 19, 2002
Mansell looks to alternative funding
Current ASUA Sen. Jered Mansell, a political science and sociology senior, said he would aggressively pursue corporate sponsorships for ASUA if elected as administrative vice president.
Mansell is concerned about budget problems and possible tuition increases at the university, which make funding tight for Associated Students of the University of Arizona programs and services.
Corporate sponsorships would give ASUA more money to assist in developing its ideas, Mansell said.
Mansell is in his second year as a resident assistance at Coronado Residence Hall and is applying to be a hall director for next year.
Last semester, he also volunteered as a SafeRide driver once a week.
Mansell said that in addition to corporate sponsorships, campus safety is one of his main concerns.
He said a pedestrian highway through the middle of campus would help students feel safer on campus.
By studying other universities similar to UA, Mansell decided to look into creating a red-cross district: a well-lit, cross-shaped walking area through campus that would be patrolled by security guards.
Mansell also wants to follow up on an alternative SafeRide program, an idea currently being researched by Sen. Josh Maxwell. The program would provide UA students and employees free emergency transportation throughout Tucson and beyond to a home, hospital or police station.
If the $3 Student Recreation Center referendum is passed, Mansell would like to redirect $15,000 that ASUA gives annually to the center to SafeRide. That would be enough money for a new car.
He said the relationships he has built as an RA in Coronado Residence Hall have given him a deeper understanding of the need for safety.
"Being an RA, it's like I am a brother to all those girls. I want them to be safe," Mansell said.
Mansell hopes to hold an event at least once a month on the Mall offering resources that students don't really know are on campus. He would also try to bring more bands to campus, he said.
He said he would work closely with the resource center director so that more programs concentrating on date rape, self-defense, nutrition and other topics could be put together for students' awareness.
"People need to know why I am doing this," Mansell said. "It isn't for my resumŽ. I don't like that because your heart isn't in the right place."
