Voting for the Executive Cabinet of the Associated Students of California Lutheran University Government 2017-2018 will be open for all Cal Lutheran students Feb. 21.
Cal Lutheran’s candidates for Senate Director are Daniel Buonauro, David Curran and Alexis Ghattas. Samantha Schindler is running unopposed for Programs Board Director. Nick Steinwender is the only candidate for ASCLU President. Additionally, two positions of Controller and Recorder will be appointed by the elected ASCLU panel.
“The students need to have a voice and to have a voice they need to elect people who represent them fairly,” current ASCLU President senior Daniel Lacey said. “You elect this leadership to advocate for you.”
Sophomore Steinwender, who is running for president, has served as a senator for two years, sits on the General Expenditures Committee and is currently vice president of the Cal Lutheran College Republicans.
“I want to raise awareness that ASCLUG is on campus and make students aware of what we can do for them so that every student knows that they have a voice and they have a student government that is ready to fight for them,” Steinwender said in an email interview.
Junior Schindler, running unopposed for Programs Board Director, has worked on projects such as the Chipotle Drop-In, Homecoming Carnival, Pool Party, Hypnotist Show and Mr. Kingsmen 2017 as a junior representative. Schindler is also a member of the committee planning Spring Formal.
“I hope to make sure that people know what student government does as well as be able to differentiate between and understand the two different boards [Senate and Programs Board],” Schindler said in an email interview. “I also hope to bring some new events to campus and well as improve on favorites.”
She also hopes to integrate Senate and Programs Board in a way that better supports their roles.
Sophomore Ghattas, who has served on Senate as a freshman and sophomore senator, runs for Senate Director with the hopes to bridge the gap between students, clubs and ASCLUG.
Ghattas has worked on washer and dryer maintenance in residence halls, worked for the Student Union printer, advocated for hand dryers in restrooms, led a team for Relay for Life and is in the works of attempting to add solar panels on campus.
“With everything that’s going on with our president [Trump], it’s important that our government takes a role in venturing into pluralism, campus improvements and student requests like a ping pong table in Student Union,” Ghattas said.
She said she also hopes to add more food options, advocate for social issues on campus and bring more awareness to campus safety through Title IX.
Buonauro is currently a sophomore senator, presidential host and peer advisor. Buonauro hopes to use his experience to encourage a more active participation in government as Senate Director.
“If I could be the guiding hand in facilitating positive change, helping Senators realize their dreams and meeting the needs of students on campus. It’s a really good feeling to see something you saw a need for change in come to fruition,” Buonauro said.
Buonauro helped collect a record amount of donations for the Exchange for Change event, promoted the Voter Drive and is currently working on adding more vegan and gluten-free options to campus eateries after finding out he was gluten-free the previous year.
Junior Curran, who is also running for Senate Director, has served as a senator for two years, working on projects such as the addition of the printer to the Student Union and the price of dining at Ullman Commons.
Curran said that he would like to increase lighting on campus to promote overall safety of students. He said he would also like to implement other safety measures to encourage students to know that they can be who they are on campus without fear.
“I would also like to see my senators working on more projects to better the CLU community as a whole,” Curran said. “I would be more open to letting senators come up with ideas and what directions they’d like to go in. It would be better in a government setting to let people do what they need to do.”
Students can vote through Blackboard under “My Courses.” Voting will open at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21 and continue until Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 5 p.m.
By Brandy Alonzo-Mayland
Staff Writer