Although the following candidates did not receive a Vanguard endorsement, we believe it is important for students to become familiar with all the candidates before making an educated choice.
The profiles below were submitted upon our request, and there were limitations for answer lengths. They are intended as brief introductions to the candidates. For more information, consult the voter’s guide at www.ess.pdx.edu/ASPSU.
Ammar Shihab, Sarah Campbell
Ammar Shihab and Sarah Campbell, although relatively inexperienced in ASPSU, are committed to representing students and student issues. If we could give one piece of advice to this pair, we would suggest that both branch out into different areas of student government to create a broader network and gain more knowledge about issues facing ASPSU.
We also think that Campbell and Shihab could be more successful if their roles were reversed: Campbell has the personality and enthusiasm more compatible with the job of president, while Shihab’s charisma and leadership qualities might be better put to use managing the senate as the vice president.
Q: What is your year and major?
Shihab: Junior, business administration.
Campbell: Junior, communications.
Q: How long have you been a student at PSU?
Shihab: Two years.
Campbell: Two years.
Q: What classes or prior experience prepares you to be ASPSU president or vice president?
Shihab: I am an intern at ASPSU and co-coordinate the Student Housing campaign. I am also the vice president of my fraternity, Phi Delta Theta.
Campbell: I am an intern at ASPSU and work heavily with the Bus Pass Affordability campaign. I was the student body president of my high school.
Q: What are your goals for 2003-04 if you are elected?
To make the Tri Met bus passes more affordable; To create access to student evaluations of their professors at PSU; To work on student housing rent control and tuition hikes.
Q: Please discuss one success and one critique of the current administration.
Success: The administration here at PSU ultimately wants student input, but they need more assistance in receiving it.
Critique: It would be our goal to attain more student representation in the decision-making process at the administrative level. We both feel that students’ voices need to be heard louder at PSU!
What other PSU organizations are you now or have you been affiliated with?
Shihab: ASPSU, intern; Phi Delta Theta, vice president; Financial Manager Association, member.
Campbell: ASPSU, intern; Oregon Students of Color Coalition
Michael-Sean Kelley, Rebecca Pierce
Kelley and Pierce have dedicated much of their time at Portland State to serving students in ASPSU and are clearly devoted to continuing that work. While the pair boasts an admirable level of involvement and breadth of knowledge, neither demonstrate the leadership qualities necessary to leading the student body.
This is certainly not to say Kelley and Pierce do not have leadership abilities. Both have been valuable members of a highly contentious student senate and succeeded in raising important issues and helping to solve difficult disputes. We encourage them to continue their activity in student government; especially with their respective experience, they could both be important veterans in the senate or other branch of ASPSU next year.
Q: What is your year and major?
Kelley: junior, psychology
Pierce: sophomore, communications
Q: What classes or prior experience prepares you to be the student body president or vice president?
Kelley: I have spent all three of my years here at PSU serving student government at the various levels, from all-university committee representative to the senate.
Pierce: I worked on the student senate along with chairing and sitting on senate and university committees and serving as a vice president of my sorority.
Q: How long have you been a student at PSU?
Kelley: Three years.
Pierce: Two years.
Q: What are your goals for 2003-04 if you are elected?
Expanding PSU’s curriculum, including multicultural studies, journalism minor and university studies; Increasing student involvement to enhance learning and communication with administration; Continuing current campaigns, including bus subsidies and student recreation center.
Q: Please discuss one success and one critique of the current administration.
Success: The biggest success of the current ASPSU administration over the past year is their outreach to the student population.
Critique: A big concern of ours is the breakdown of communication between the three branches of government.
Q: What other PSU organizations are you now or have you been affiliated with?
Kelley: ASPSU, senator; E&CR, member; General Student Affairs Committee; Intramurals Department, flag football referee; Extreme Frisbee Club, founding member.
Pierce: Smith Advisory Board, current chair; ASPSU, senator and intern; Alpha Chi Omega, member and vice president; New Student Orientation, 2003 leader; Vagina Monologues, 2003 cast member.