RA candidates seek change
Coyer, Johnson aim for student involvement in Senate affairs
Alison Pelleymounter
Issue date: 3/6/06 Section: Campus News
Student Senate presidential hopeful Sarah Coyer believes her interaction and experience with students on campus gives her an edge over her opponents in the election.
"I've been an RA for the last two years, and my running mate Brady Johnson also has experience as an RA," Coyer said. "I'm in direct contact with students 24 hours a day, and I feel that since I'm always listening to what residents have to say, I can connect really well with the average student."
Along with being an RA, Coyer said she also has leadership experience from being involved in many committees and events.
"I've been a part of the Hall Council, various committees and I've directed the Vagina Monologues," she said. "I'm creative, ambitious, not afraid to dream big and I have the ability to get things done."
Coyer said one of the things she would change about Senate is its relationship with United Council, the lobbying body for the UW System.
"Overall, I was not very impressed with the United Council and their presentation," Coyer said. "As of now, I don't think developing a close relationship with the UC would be something I want. But if someone would give a strong argument for a close relationship, I would definitely reconsider my position."
Coyer also said her primary platform objective is the construction of a sound system on lower campus.
"If we could pass one piece of legislation, it would be a speaker system that runs throughout Davies and the Campus Mall," Coyer said. She added that, overall, she wants to make Student Senate more accessible to all students.
"Our basic platform involves getting average students more involved in the Student Senate," Coyer said. "The Student Senate does a lot of amazing things, and many students are unaware of how much power the Senate really has, like controlling a lot of student money. A lot of students think the Student Senate is like their high school's Student Council, and we want to get them to realize that their decisions really do affect the average student."
Since RAs are very involved in student life on campus, she added, it would be great to get RAs more involved in the Student Senate.
"Also, unifying all of the organizations on campus would be a great way to promote each organization," Coyer said. "There are currently 200 plus organizations on campus, and membership varies throughout each one. If we unify them, it will help to get more students involved on campus and the organizations will get more things accomplished working together."
Being Student Senate president and vice president can't be done without support, Coyer said.
"I think we can inject some new blood into the Student Senate if we are elected," she said. "I know a lot of Senators, and I think we have too many good ideas not to run. Plus, all the good support makes it exciting. No one person can change the world by themselves."
"I've been an RA for the last two years, and my running mate Brady Johnson also has experience as an RA," Coyer said. "I'm in direct contact with students 24 hours a day, and I feel that since I'm always listening to what residents have to say, I can connect really well with the average student."
Along with being an RA, Coyer said she also has leadership experience from being involved in many committees and events.
"I've been a part of the Hall Council, various committees and I've directed the Vagina Monologues," she said. "I'm creative, ambitious, not afraid to dream big and I have the ability to get things done."
Coyer said one of the things she would change about Senate is its relationship with United Council, the lobbying body for the UW System.
"Overall, I was not very impressed with the United Council and their presentation," Coyer said. "As of now, I don't think developing a close relationship with the UC would be something I want. But if someone would give a strong argument for a close relationship, I would definitely reconsider my position."
Coyer also said her primary platform objective is the construction of a sound system on lower campus.
"If we could pass one piece of legislation, it would be a speaker system that runs throughout Davies and the Campus Mall," Coyer said. She added that, overall, she wants to make Student Senate more accessible to all students.
"Our basic platform involves getting average students more involved in the Student Senate," Coyer said. "The Student Senate does a lot of amazing things, and many students are unaware of how much power the Senate really has, like controlling a lot of student money. A lot of students think the Student Senate is like their high school's Student Council, and we want to get them to realize that their decisions really do affect the average student."
Since RAs are very involved in student life on campus, she added, it would be great to get RAs more involved in the Student Senate.
"Also, unifying all of the organizations on campus would be a great way to promote each organization," Coyer said. "There are currently 200 plus organizations on campus, and membership varies throughout each one. If we unify them, it will help to get more students involved on campus and the organizations will get more things accomplished working together."
Being Student Senate president and vice president can't be done without support, Coyer said.
"I think we can inject some new blood into the Student Senate if we are elected," she said. "I know a lot of Senators, and I think we have too many good ideas not to run. Plus, all the good support makes it exciting. No one person can change the world by themselves."