Arizona Daily Wildcat
Friday March 7, 2003
Winning candidate will act as a chief officer in student government, overseeing student programs and services such as the Women's Resource Center and SafeRide
As an ASUA senator, Dan Suh saw some of his peers' ambitious platforms fall to pieces when the group's initial energy dissolved.
If elected administrative vice president, the finance and biochemistry sophomore said he wants to help maintain energy by providing guidance to program directors.
"I think it's especially vital in that beginning part of your term to keep that energy going," Suh said.
Suh's plan would focus on cuts and still improve the efficiency of programs and services by creating collaborative projects and streamlining marketing efforts, he said.
"I think it's really possible and plausible," Suh said.
He aims to guide directors and hold bi-monthly senate forums to discuss collaboration.
"I think I can help that process by giving them goals and deadlines."
Suh would also like to increase SafeRide's hours and number of cars, however, he said SafeRide could not afford more service times without also increasing the wait time.
"I think it's really important to maintain quality and not make any excessive claims."
Suh said that in his time as a senator, he has followed through with his campaign promises to create a food delivery service and buddy system for incoming freshmen, although he said the results were not as he initially envisioned.
Suh said has not checked up on a delivery service program he formed with Orville & Wilbur's since September or October. He added that because of the Student Union Memorial Center's new hours, the service may not continue.
Suh also worked to create a question and answer program for incoming freshmen, through which freshmen can e-mail the Freshman Class Council with their college concerns or questions.
When the tuition issue came to vote, Suh voted in favor of ASA's $900 increase proposal because he believes UA, as a state university, has an obligation to in-state students.
"I think I have done a good job," Suh said, but added, "I know I also could have possibly done a better job."
÷ Kristina Dunham
When Victoria Ruan formed her platform for this year's election,
the administrative vice president candidate educated herself on the position before making any promises.
"When I came into the senate last year, I didn't realize what ASUA entailed," the political science sophomore said. "Everything I wanted to do was already taken care of."
Her experiences, negative and positive, as a senator were the driving forces behind her current platform.
Increasing safety on campus sits at the top of her agenda; more specifically, she wants to provide the SafeRide program with more vehicles. She believes that doing so will ensure students have a way around campus, with minimal wait time during late hours.
"SafeRide needs to be more accessible," she said.
Ruan is concerned that while budget cuts plague the university, safety issues will be neglected.
During her term as an ASUA senator, Ruan worked closely with Senator Travis Pritchett to develop a Safety Advisory Committee. The plan has not yet materialized, but Ruan hopes that if elected administrative vice president, her efforts will be illustrated by the collaboration of various departments to produce a safer campus.
However, her efforts will not stop at safety. Ruan said her platform embraces the idea of a Minority Action Council comprised of administrators and student leaders from all the multicultural organizations on campus. If established, the council will strive to create awareness and appreciation for the diversity of UA.
"Hopefully this will all come together and we will be able to hold forums to find out how students feel about diversity on campus," she said.
As an ASUA senator, Ruan partnered with the Women's Resource Center to put on a self-defense class and bring a sex expert to campus, among other events, she said.
She also voted in favor of the Arizona Student's Association's tuition proposal, which the Arizona Board of Regents rejected yesterday, although she said she did not feel completely educated on the proposal.
"(The ASA) proposal was the only one that had the students in mind," she said.
÷ Rebekah Kleinman
