Issue date: 4/14/08 Section: News

Student Senate presidential candidate Emily Mattheisen and running-mate Caroline Wee could make UW-Eau Claire history this week if students select them to become the next student body president and vice president. That's because, if elected, they would be the first time both seats were filled by women at the same time.

"We want to make sure that everybody knows that Student Senate is here to represent the students, not the administration," Wee said.

Mattheisen, a junior and former music therapy major, has been representing students on the Senate since the Fall 2006 and is currently serving as an off-campus senator. Aside from her regular duties as a senator, Mattheisen also serves on the Senate's board of directors as the director for student life and diversity. Mattheisen is seeking to move up the ranks and become the student body president.

Wee is a sophomore English education major seeking the student body vice presidency. She is a non-traditional student also serving as an off-campus senator. In addition to working on Senate, Wee is a member of the Academic Affairs Committee as well as numerous other committees and commissions at the university. She also spent time in Washington, D.C., in January lobbying Wisconsin legislators to lower tuition and make higher education more affordable.

Wednesday, the Mattheisen and Wee ticket took part in a debate with other presidential and vice-presidential hopefuls Tim Lauer and Meghan Charlier, to discuss issues they felt "wouldn't get done unless elected."

Reforming Student Senate
Mattheisen and Wee said they feel there is a disconnect between Student Senate and the student body.

"Senate represents Senate, not students," Mattheisen said, adding she feels that Senators are not being encouraged to represent students. "That's not an effective way to get things done."

She said that if elected, the pair would reach out to student organizations and those not actively seeking student senators through a multitude of media including the Internet, e-mail and face-to-face meetings with students.

Performing arts center
An issue shared by both presidential tickets is the construction of a performing arts center in Eau Claire.

Mattheisen and Wee said they feel effort for a performing arts center needs to be a focus on campus rather than off campus.

They said they support renovating and restoring Haas Fine Arts Center over constructing a larger performing arts center in the community, adding they feel that administrators forget students are across the bridge and neglect to address concerns on that side of the Chippewa River.

Tuition
Mattheisen and Wee both said they feel tuition is an issue concerning students, and said they would work to lower the tuition burden faced by the student body if elected.

"It really comes down to 'do I want to buy a house or do I want to get an education?' " Wee said, expressing her own experience as a non-traditional student.

Wee said she's worked hard at the state and national level to increase grants and loans available to students to ease the tuition burden.

"We will push the envelope," Wee said. "And we will make sure that every student voice is not only heard but also valued."

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