Staff Reports
Arizona Daily Wildcat
March 2, 1998

Senator profiles

Michael Dobbs

Focusing on communication between the UA administration and students, Michael Dobbs, a sophomore majoring in molecular and cellular biology, said setting up a listserv for all students is an aim if elected as an Associated Students senator.

The listserv, Dobbs said, would contain information on administrative decisions and how those choices affect students at the University of Arizona.

Another key focus would be establishing a student advisory board that monitors all decisions made by the administration, he said.

Dobbs said he believes that the UA needs to act quickly in order to end the retention problem that has plagued the school and taxpayers in the state of Arizona.

His plans include increasing the amount of advisers and investigate cost effective ways to eliminate the problem.

Dobbs also said he hopes to decrease the student-to-teacher ratio with his retention ideas.

For campus safety, Dobbs said he wants to increase the number of security patrols on the Mall, especially at night.

The Memorial Student Union should not be privatized, Dobbs said, because commercialization may result in loss of revenue for the university, but he believes that UA President Peter Likins is doing the right thing by supporting a contract with Nike.

Emily Dunn

Emily Dunn, a marketing and finance junior, said safety concerns, especially drunken driving, are her key campaign priorities.

Dunn worked this year as a Senate aide for Sen. Stephanie Lyons and helped persuade North Fourth Avenue bars to offer free, non-alcoholic beverages to designated drivers.

Security is also important to Dunn.

"If everyone remembered to lock their doors and keep track of their backpacks, crime would be prevented," she said.

Dunn serves on the Memorial Student Union advisory group, and is on the Student Union task force investigating privatization and alumni funding for renovations.

Nike should be welcomed to the campus because the deal would be good for the Athletic Department, Dunn said.If UA President Peter Likins trusts Nike, then students should as well, she added.

Dunn encourages adding security outside of buildings and by doors.

Dunn addresses the retention problem by encouraging more group orientation programs and support groups with advisers.

Ferdie Echiverri

Ferdie Echiverri, a business and public administration junior, said KAMP Student Radio, improving the way basketball tickets are sold and changing ASUA's club funding are priorities on his agenda.

Echiverri said he is inexperienced, but has good intentions.

He has worked under current ASUA Sen. Paul Zaragoza as a Senate aide, and is a member of the ASUA Appropriations Board, which distributes money to UA clubs and organizations.

Echiverri is also the philanthropy chair for Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

Echiverri said he doesn't believe juniors and seniors should have to pay for a renovated Student Union because they won't be able to see the improvements before graduating.

But he said someone needs to bring the building up to current fire code standards.

Echiverri said he's not very familiar with UA's pending contract with Nike but believes the university should consider the company's alleged offenses before closing the deal.

Although recent shootings at the Park Student Union shootings concern Echiverri, he said law enforcement can only do so much to prevent these incidents. He said having two more officers patrol the campus on weekends would help crime prevention.

To retain students, Echiverri plans to continue the work of Sen. Summer Katzenbach by starting a freshmen camp that all freshmen would attend prior to starting school.

Jeff Fields

Jeff Fields, a communication sophomore, said leadership and campus involvement are two key UA issues.

"Leadership isn't emphasized enough on campus," Fields said.

He has worked with a University of Arizona's Honors Center official to put together a 50-page report emphasizing the importance of a leadership and scholarship program.

Because the UA does not take advantage of qualified student leaders, the program would reach out to high schools and give their leaders a reason to come to the UA, Fields said.

The Memorial Student Union referendum is important to Fields.

"I would say whereas the state does need to help, we are the ones that go to the school and when it all comes down to it, the Student Union belongs to the Wildcats," Fields said.

Fields said he supports UA President Peter Likins' decision to endorse the pending UA-Nike contract as long as the company adheres to its code of conduct.

He said he talked with University of Arizona Police Department Cmdr. Brian Seastone about campus safety. Fields said Seastone said UAPD will soon add more officers.

Jonathan Fine

Raising money is Jonathan Fine's key priority.

Modeling his plan after the Andre Agassi Foundation's style of raising money, Fine, a political science junior, hopes to raise close to $300,000 to help fund University of Arizona clubs and organizations with silent auctions and other fund raisers.

Fine has worked for United States Sens. Richard Gephardt and Edward Kennedy, and has held several offices in Beta Theta Pi fraternity and worked with ASUA on Spring Fling.

Fine said he suggests solving long-term Memorial Student Union problems by adding $3 to student fees and saving money.

Fine said the UA should sign the contract with Nike. He said Nike made mistakes and is trying to make up for it.

Campus safety is a major issue, he said, and he is upset that "everyone thought it was ridiculous" last year when he unsuccessfully ran for a Senate seat. This semester, Fine said he hopes to appropriate more funds toward campus safety and increase the number of officers by establishing security kiosks on the Mall.

He also said if freshmen feel comfortable at the UA, they are more likely not to drop out. Fine said he wants to shuttle buses to go to local shopping centers from residence halls and make sure students are participate in activities they enjoy.

Travis Klein

Travis Klein, an economics freshman, has shocked many UA community members by publicizing opinions many would be afraid to say aloud.

Klein said students should not pay fees - period.

But Klein also suggests that students should not pay a cent for parking.

His parking plan includes driving some Parking and Transportation Service employees into early retirement by eliminating that department.

"Too many people work for the state anyway," Klein said.

If he is elected, Klein said he will make serious changes to the Associated Students.

"ASUA can buy everyone a parking space," he said.

Klein worked to defeat the Memorial Student Union referendum, referring to it as a "theft" of $80 per year.

Klein said Likins should demand more from Nike before signing a contract, even advocating that Nike pay for student parking.

Klein has strong opinions about the "weapon-free zone" campus law. He said students should be allowed to carry guns on campus and into classrooms.

"If criminals can carry, why can't I?" said Klein.

Klein said his remedy to the student retention problem is to eliminate dropout possibilities.

Benjamin Graff

Benjamin Graff, a member of ASUA President Gilbert Davidson's staff, said he sees the need for more communication.

"It's time to stop guessing what the students need and start asking," he said.

Graff, a biology sophomore, said he plans to hold open forums once a month for students to discuss their problems with the Associated Students.

He would also like to see three Senate meetings per semester held on the UA Mall.

Graff said he researched the Memorial Student Union renovation issue as a member of the presidential staff, and would like to see a new referendum drafted.

Graff, who is calling for re-evaluation of campus safety programs, said people need to stop ignoring the issues.

He said campus safety does do a good job, but those closest to safety problems need to have a way to voice their opinions.

Graff is cautious about bringing Nike into the University of Arizona, but thinks that the UA should sign the contract.

But he said if Nike does not follow the code of conduct reviewed last week by UA President Peter Likins, it is not welcome.

Getting students involved on campus is his remedy to the retention problem.

Graff said CatFest is a prime example of an event with which students could get involved and gain ties with the university.

Josué Limón

Josué Limón, a political science and Mexican American studies senior, is on the Minority Action Council and has worked with Dean of Students Melissa Vito on minority issues.

LimÛn, president of Movimiento Estudiantil de Chicanos de Aztl·n, ran for Senate last year but was not elected.

LimÛn said he believes the Memorial Student Union renovation fee defeated last semester was presented as an ultimatum.

"I think students need to be incorporated into the forum more," he said.

Limón said MEChA was told that if it agreed to support the Student Union fee, it would get more space in the new Student Union. But, "It sounded like a bribe," he said, adding that it was more important to him that students wouldn't have to pay for the Union.

Limón said he didn't have all the Nike-UA contract facts to take a stand, but that if the UA does sign the contract, it needs to make sure the company holds up its end of the deal.

"In a way, I think Likins put the conditions on there with Nike just to shut people up," LimÛn said.

Campus safety is a concern, Limón said

If there had been proper patrolling when gunshots were fired last month outside the Park Student Union, it never would have happened, he said.

He said mentoring and tutoring are the keys to raising retention rates.

Marisa Hall

Marisa Hall said publicity of events and communication are essential UA issues.

She wants to create an online calendar of events that she said will help to get more students involved on campus.

Hall, a history and Spanish studies junior, said offering free parking to students is unrealistic, but she does want to set up a task force that will start a dialogue with the University of Arizona Parking and Transportation Services Department.

She would also like to organize a student to student mentoring program, pairing older students with their younger counterparts.

Hall is an ASUA Senate aide for Sen. Morgan Long and is a pre-law fraternity Phi Alpha Delta member.

Hall said she voted against the Memorial Student Union renovation referendum because the university needs to look for other solutions.

She said ASUA was not considering its constituents' goals when discussing the renovation. Hall said she was pleased that many students voted on the issue.

Hall also wants to create a task force to deal with the Nike-contract issue.

She said the UA needs to sign a contract with Nike that will prohibit any continuation of Nike's alleged labor violations.

Publicity and awareness of services are also important to Hall.

She wants to promote the ASUA Escort Service.

Hall volunteers at a local elementary school and has worked on the ASUA-RHA basketball league.

Ben Lopez

Last year Ben Lopez, a political science junior, was Pima Community College's downtown campus student body vice president.

"I think I have a lot of leadership experience and I know how to represent the students," said Lopez, who lobbied for a community college student association to protect community college financial aid.

Lopez said he is not sure all 35,000 UA students want a new Memorial Student Union.

"If I am elected, I want to see what students are willing to do and what they want," Lopez said.

He said that he supports Likins' stance on the proposed Nike contract.

Lopez said students need to be realistic when it comes to safety.

"Everyone feels unsafe walking around at 3 or 4 in the morning," Lopez said. "I think UAPD is doing a great job."

But Lopez said that in light of last month's shooting at Park Student Union, groups should do more when it comes to security.

Lopez said since a majority of students don't graduate, immediate action needs to be taken.

"Students should be introduced to the First Year Center and be made to go there throughout the semester," Lopez said.

Eric Hochstatter

Eric Hochstatter said his four main issues include Memorial Student Union renovations, stopping privatization of the UA Associated Students Bookstore, encouraging student organization funding and finding remedies to the parking problem.

Hochstatter, whose slogan is "sane planning for a sensible tomorrow," said he plans to deal with students' issues.

He said he would like to see a new proposal drawn up for students to decide on how to renovate the Memorial Student Union.

Hochstatter also said he believes bookstore privatization would cost students more money, since there would be no market competition, and private companies would be able to choose their prices.

Hochstatter, a political science freshman, has previous political experience as a staffer for Bob Dole's presidential campaign in 1996.

Hochstatter supports the plan to bring Nike into the UA only if the company promises labor violations will not happen again.

Last month's Park Student Union shooting, Hochstatter said, hit close to home since he is a resident of nearby Arizona-Sonora Residence Hall.

He said campus events need to be secured by campus police above and beyond Greek security.

Keeping students at the UA is a tough issue, Hochstatter said.

He said anyone who has the cure-all answer for student retention problems is "walking on air."

Mai Luc

Mai Luc, a business economics junior, said she is running for ASUA Senate because she wants to get students more involved in clubs on campus by listing them in the Arizona Daily Wildcat.

Luc is president of the Vietnamese Students Association and is the social chairwoman for the Asian American Students' Association. She is also on the board of directors for the Asian Pacific American Resource Center and for the Asian American Faculty, Staff and Alumni Association.

Luc said she favors Memorial Student Union privatization because she said it would pay for renovations and give students more dining choices.

She said she agreed with Likins' compromise with Nike.

Luc said safety is important to her and that she doesn't feel safe at night.

She said emergency blue-light phones are important to campus safety, but that they are not placed in useful locations. Luc said she also felt that while the campus is lighted at night, the lighting is dim.

She said the university is attempting to raise retention rates with the Integrated Instructional Facility, a freshman-centered facility that will be built under the UA Mall in front of the Main Library.

"I think the IIF building will help students stay in school," Luc said.

Ty Trujillo

Ty Trujillo, a business economics freshman, said he is running for Senate because he enjoys helping students with their concerns.

Trujillo said he has been involved in student government all his life.

Trujillo, who interned last summer with the U.S. Senate in Washington, D.C., is a wide receiver for the UA football team and a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity.

Trujillo said he wants to explore fund-raising activities for the Memorial Student Union before agreeing to privatization. If elected, he said he will look into hiring someone specifically to raise funds for the Student Union.

Trujillo said the UA's pending contract with Nike is a great opportunity for the Athletic Department. It is important, he said, for the UA to have the option of breaking the contract if Nike does not live up to its ethical promises.

He said sitting down with university police officers to explore campus safety ideas is the answer to keeping students safe.

Trujillo said he thinks freshman need better information their first year. Student retention rates would go up, he said, if students knew more about how to survive at a large school.

Brett Suma

Brett Suma, an agriculture and resource economics freshman, said he is running for ASUA Senate to be the voice of the students.

Suma is Stephanie Lyon's Senate aide and is on the College of Agriculture's Student Advisory Council.

This year he worked with the ASUA's Safe Ride program and, if elected, he said he wants to get taxi companies to give students rides from North Fourth Avenue bars to campus for $2. Suma said he has been working with the companies already.

Suma said the Memorial Student Union should be privatized. But if the student body does not want privatization, he said he would fight for other solutions.

While Suma agreed that Nike made mistakes, he said it is clear that a contract with Nike would benefit the UA.

Suma said he no one should feel unsafe on campus and that university police need to be more visible. Suma added Escort Service funding needs to be maintained.

The reason the student dropout rate is so high, Suma said, is because freshman are not prepared when they get here. Suma said that the First Year Center is helpful, but students need better advising.

David Snyder

David Snyder, a general biology and political science senior, said he is running for ASUA Senate because he knows what students want.

Snyder, a Pi Sigma Alpha member, said he is familiar with student issues because he has lived with them as a resident assistant the past three years, and he is a Senate aide for Sen. Morgan Long.

Snyder said he did not agree with how the Memorial Student Union referendum was drafted last semester.

Snyder said the UA is wrong for endorsing Nike without looking at other options, for example, another company.

Snyder said that in order to raise UA retention rates, student support groups need to be established.

Maria Rodriguez

Maria Rodriguez, a sociology junior, is fund-raising chair for MEChA and on the Dean's Advisory Board.

She said getting involved with incoming freshman early is vital to keeping them in school.

Rodriguez said the students shouldn't have to pay for a new Memorial Student Union.

Rodriguez said funding the renovations through privatization might be the best alternative the students.

Rodriguez said she believes Nike is no worse than any other company.

Rodriguez said campus safety requires several measures beyond more policing. Those measures could include more emergency phones and for-credit self-defense classes.

Student retention is an important issue, Rodriguez said, especially with Native American students.

She said that the student/faculty relationship needs to be strengthened.

Janet Rico

Janet Rico, a political science and communication junior, said she is running for Senate because she believes ASUA should do less talking and more listening.

"I am ready to listen, and I have a lot of enthusiasm," Rico said.

Rico, an Academic Preparation for Excellence program student coordinator and Campus Acquaintance Rape Educators volunteer, is a resident assistant at Coconino Hall.

As an ASUA senator, Rico said she would like to improve the Campus Safety Fair and UA's Career Center.

Rico said she doesn't think students should have to pay for a new Memorial Student Union and wants to look into fundraising or privatization.

She is for UA's contract with Nike. Rico was impressed with Nike's code of conduct and thinks it is making efforts to improve factory working conditions.

She thinks safety is a problem and wants to work with UAPD, and expand projects like CARE's "Take Back the Night."

Rico said getting students involved with clubs and organizations is the way to improve UA retention rates.