Unauthorized biographies of UA's student leaders

He's a small town boy. He's also known to be an avid country music fan.

A Willcox native, he grew up in a town with a population one-tenth the size of the 35,000 plus students at the University of Arizona.

Now he is the most powerful student on the UA campus.

Gilbert Davidson is the 1997-98 president of the Associated Students of the University of Arizona.

"I got involved with ASUA because I wanted to make a difference on campus for myself and other students," Davidson said.

Davidson, a fifth year senior, had the chance to graduate last May with a degree in public administration. He will graduate instead in the Spring with a double major in business management and public administration.

"I thought long and hard before I decided to run," he said. "I did it because I knew I could do something for this campus."

During his first six months as president, Davidson has been heavily involved with a $60 million to $70 million proposed renovation project for the 46-year-old Memorial Student Union. Davidson, a vocal Student Union renovation supporter, is waiting with fingers crossed until Nov. 18-19 when students vote on whether to give themselves a $40 per semester tuition increase for the next 25 years. The student fee will pay for half the project's costs.

Davidson said he plans to live in-state for good. As for immediate goals, he said he plans to work in the public sector after graduation, possibly with a consulting firm, and eventually complete a master's degree in business administration.

Executive Vice President Casey Cuny said he considers his involvement with ASUA one of the best experiences he has had at the UA.

"The feeling I have now at this school and knowing all the people I do is just great, " said Cuny, a marketing and communication senior.

Cuny originally became involved in student government through his fraternity, Sigma Chi, and also worked as a Senate aide.

Cuny held a position on the Undergraduate Senate last year and now leads the group. The position of executive vice president involves heading the 10-member Senate during weekly meetings and overseeing clubs and organizations on campus.

This year, Cuny helped sport clubs receive a $20,000 budget from ASUA and the Student Recreation Center, double last year's figure. He is also working to bring mini club fairs to the residence halls .

Cuny, a Vail, Colo., native sees big names and famous faces in his future. After his May graduation, he plans to move to Los Angeles to market Hollywood movies. He said eventually he expects to return to his hometown.

For Tara Taylor, ASUA Administrative Vice President, her role in UA student government is one of the first steps toward what she hopes will be a long career in the political realm. Taylor said she was involved in student government all through high school and continues that level of participation here.

As the head of programs and services for ASUA, Taylor is striving to make club revenues the number one priority for Spring Fling, the annual student run carnival.

Taylor, from Apple Valley, Calif., said she will be entering law school after graduation.

She has aspirations to eventually become a governor or senator.

"We'll see where this takes me, but I definitely want to be a part of what goes on up here," she said about ASUA.

The Second Tier (Senators):

Most of the 10 members of the Undergraduate Senate have taken on projects designed to benefit university students or the community. These are in addition to their voting duties.

Leslie Hunter heads the appropriation board. The journalism and sociology junior is working with Student Publications to revive the Desert Yearbook ,which was discontinued last year due to lack of funds.

The ASUA/Residence Hall Association Basketball League, in its third year, is being organized by Morgan Long, a political science junior. The League kicks off in January to introduce local disadvantaged youth to higher education.

Summer Katzenbach, a junior majoring in Spanish and political science, has been named chair of the Big Event this year. The Big Event is ASUA's annual community cleanup effort designed to give back to the surrounding community that supports the UA.

Katzenbach also sat on a student advisory committee to create the Student Union referendum.

Stephanie Lyons, a political science senior, organized ASUA Designated Driver night last month with area bars. Volunteers identified designated drivers with wristbands, allowing them to drink free non-alcoholic beverages all evening.

Political science senior Rosanna Savone organized Campus Safety Day with the UA Police Department earlier this semester. Members of campus clubs concerned with student safety handed out information about their services on the UA Mall. The university police department also showcased its vehicles and answered questions.

Cisco Aguilar, an accounting and finance junior, sits on the Student Union advisory council, a 15-member group that oversees union activities.

Aaron Young has been working on the Student Union referendum in an advising capacity with other student leaders. The biochemistry junior is also transportation chairman of ASUA's annual Thanksgiving dinner, which serves the holiday meal to low income retirees.

Justin Klump, a political science senior, is working to create an Adopt-A-Cop program for Greek houses, residence halls, clubs and organizations. He plans for members of UAPD to go to group meetings and create a relationship with the organizations.

Mary Peterson created two listservs for ASUA- an internal listserv and a discussion group.

Paul Zaragoza is a member of ASUA's budget oversight committee.