Voting season is in full effect for students of California Lutheran University, as members of the Associated Students of California Lutheran University Government prepare to host elections for the Executive Cabinet beginning Feb. 13.
The student body is highly encouraged to participate in voting for a new president, Senate director and Programs Board director Feb. 21 through Blackboard. Election results will be released on the ASCLU Facebook page and university website the evening of Feb. 22.
ASCLU President Daniel Lacey said ASCLU wants to encourage the student body to vote in the Feb. 22 elections, and participate in electing officials that will ultimately represent the entire student population. Roughly only 25 percent of Cal Lutheran students voted in last year’s elections, Lacey said. ASCLU hopes to increase that number this year by finding a way to creatively market the election process to students.
“Even though it’s so easy to vote on this campus, it’s still hard to get a good population of students to actually vote,” Lacey said. “And, it’s like, [we] want more than that. We’ll make sure people know about it and know how easy it is to vote.”
Lacey said there are qualities ASCLU is looking for in potential presidential candidates, and in all future ASCLU members.
“Especially for student body president, we look for someone who can relate to every student on campus,” Lacey said. “They’re able to listen to everyone and hear people out on tough issues without being biased. You need to remember who you represent.”
Not only will students be voting for the 2017-2018 ASCLU president, but they will have say in who directs the Senate and Programs Board.
Brittney Martinez is the current Senate director for ASCLU, a position within the Executive Cabinet that will also be open to eligible student government candidates.
Martinez said the journey to becoming the Senate director was not as conventional as most. She shared the campaign for an executive position with another member of ASCLUG, Andres Elvira, in a campaign method that has yet to be repeated. Elvira is the current Programs Board director for ASCLU.
“When Andres and I decided we wanted to run together, it was something we really thought was a good way to have the boards be one unit,” Martinez said. “We thought we could bring unity and cohesion to the table, something where at least you knew your directors for all of government were actually best friends,” Martinez said.
Martinez’s involvement does not stop at student government. She says being a Resident Assistant in addition to serving on ASCLU has made her more passionate about helping people for reasons greater than having a big title. Martinez said becoming involved on campus can be difficult to manage on top of other responsibilities, but is something that must come from truly wanting to serve others.
She encourages prospective candidates and students who want to become involved to hold onto “the ‘wide-eyed’ feelings you have when you first walk into something like student government.”
“Don’t let things make you jaded,” Martinez said. “You’re going to have people say ‘no’ a lot, but don’t forget what it felt like to reach out to people and campaign. Even if you aren’t elected to a position, figure out another way to get involved. It speaks volumes.”
Martinez says the Senate director’s role within ASCLU is to “advise all 19 senators through their own personal projects or clubs and organizations, and discern what projects will be done, if any, throughout the year.”
She is also responsible for directing the Senate meetings on a weekly basis, and for organizing and formatting the agenda proceedings for each meeting.
Andrea Treptow, the associate director of Student Life, said the Executive Cabinet is dedicated to “leadership and assuring the execution and implementation of policies and programs adopted by Senate and Programs Board.”
“Every year, [ASCLU] elections are an essential part of the student experience, and the Executive Cabinet is really critical to the function of ASCLUG as a whole,” Treptow said in an email interview.
Members of the Executive Cabinet act as a representation of the students, by the students, in support for the student body’s individual interests.
“Student Government is supposed to be the voice and an advocate for all students on campus,” Lacey said. “We’re a kind of liaison between actual students and the University higher-ups.”
Lacey, a senior at Cal Lutheran, has held a position within student government every year he has attended the university. Out of the members in the Senate, Programs Board and Executive Cabinet, he currently stands as the only member to serve four consecutive terms in ASCLU. Lacey began his government involvement as a freshman Senator and was later elected to be the Senate director. He ran unopposed for the presidential seat as a senior last year.
A student government interest meeting will be held Feb. 13 at 5:30 p.m. for any students looking to become involved in ASCLUG. Lacey and Martinez said that attendance is mandatory for all candidates running for office.
“If you go into it for the sake of wanting power, you’ll realize very quickly that the glory will fade in seconds,” Martinez said. “[ASCLUG’s] motto and what we want to do is clear, it’s to help students from a place of humility.”
By Olivia Schouten
Staff Writer