ASFLC Candidates Q&A: Becca Judy and Neali Ferrell

Editor's note: The following interviews have been edited for clarity.

The Independent sat down with president and vice president candidates for the student body government elections. Polls opened at 8:00 a.m. on Monday and close at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Students can vote online for ASFLC elections.

Becca Judy: President Candidate

1. What prior experience do you have that makes you suitable for the position you are running for?

I was speaker of the senate this year. I have been a senator for two years. I have been active on campus since I have started here. I started on the Financial Allocations  Board the first month I got here, Vice President of El Centro. I have been apart of different communities and I kind of know how the school functions.

2. What are your plans for changing the culture of ASFLC? Can you give one example from your past that you have helped changed the culture or an organization or a group?

My plans for changing the culture is better training and making sure the students know they are representing others voices as well. Making sure the table is diverse and aware. Common Ground trained, Do It trained and making sure that they feel accepted so their voices can be heard, and they aren’t feeling intimidated by any one on the table. I think senate last year was very intense. We didn’t have a lot of female voices on the table, so I was able to talk to President, Dustin Fink, last year and Vice President Ian about how they communicated with members who didn’t feel like they had a voice. So, we were able to have a better communication, so that this year we were able to have compliment bags and able to communicate better with the senators.

3. What are five of your core values that help shape you lead?

Five of my core values are students first, caring about the students. Making sure students feel empowered and that they feel like they are heard by giving students a voice, that is super important to me. Acceptance and having equity over equality.

4. What is your vision as a whole for ASFLC? What are some of the key things that are going to help you translate that vision into the future?

My vision for ASFLC is to make a change that the students actually feel like they are heard. That they are well represented on campus feeling like we aren’t just a student government that represents them, but they feel like we are their voice and that they feel comfortable enough to come speak to us so that we can implement change with administration. Some of the key things is communication, like tabling, survey’s, going to different RSO meetings, talking to different students about what they want to see. Being able to create a relationship with City Council and create a relationship with administration so we can bridge those gaps that we still have.

5. How are you going to go about getting the table more engaged during meetings?

Retreats and training and talking to them about the value of what we have and how much power we have. I think some of the table doesn’t understand the power we have or hat other students on the table have great ideas. So, talking when someone else is talking will not be allowed and if your taking notes, that’s great, but if there is guest speaker don’t be on Facebook, Snapchat, or Instagram. Understanding the value of the table, I think, makes you want to be more engaged so really trying to push those implications.

6. In an elevator pitch, describe why you want to be elected to this position?

I want to be elected because there are so many things I want to do and see done. I wanted to have a taste of what it would be like to be an executive member for senate and being able to know my place as president and being able to see how the tables have function in the past year, I want to give the senate a good reputation and have the students feel like they have a voice.

7. How are you and your running mate going to work together in order to achieve the same goals?

I’ve worked and known Neali for the past two years. She is very different than I am. She is more feeling orientated. She is a head of Student Union Productions and WellPac now so being able to communicate with her and meet with her on a weekly basis and talking to her about how she is the President of the table and she understands what she is supposed to do and so do I. I think we work well together, and I think she cares a lot.

Neali Ferrell: Vice President Candidate

1. What prior experience do you have that makes you suitable for the position you are running for?

I have done orientation for two going on three years starting senior year. I am on the senior team for orientation this year. I am currently the Vice President of SUP, next year I will be the president. I am also in WellPac and National Residence Hall Honorary.

2. What are your plans for changing the culture of ASFLC? Can you give one example from your past that you have helped changed the culture or an organization or a group?

I think by having a couple more events to target the student body so that they know that ASFLC is approachable and that we really do care about them is a huge way to change the culture. The start of this year, like I said I am the Vice President of SUP, and SUP and WellPac had kind of a rocky go for a while but I joined WellPac and so I have helped mend that bridge between the two organizations.

3. What are five of your core values that help shape you lead?

I am really big about loyalty, driven, hardworking, I care a lot, and adaptable.

4. What is your vision for ASFLC? What are some of the key things that are going to help your vision in the future?

I want ASFLC to be more of a voice for the people. Actually, talking more to the student body to make decisions. Really looking at RSO ones because I think that they are under represented because most people assume RSO twos because we have the budget, so really focusing are RSO ones. I think a key thing is really going to the RSOs and making an effort to be at their meetings to see where they need help and how we can support them in anyway and even just talking to students that aren’t highly involved and seeing how we can support them in their college journey. As well as athletes because I think that athletes need a different type of support system.

5. How are you going to go about making the table more engaged during meetings?

The table is currently already working on the screen time issue, so really stressing the importance of being an active listener. Actually, listening to understand rather than listening to respond, I think is a huge way to help the table in the future.

6. In an elevator pitch, describe why you want to be elected to this position?

I want to be elected because I think that we need to really focus on the mental health of our student body. This will also help with retention because if the student known that their college genuinely cares about them it will keep them wanting to come here.

7. How are you and your running mate going to work together to achieve the same goals?

Me and Becca have a really good open communication. We are super open minded about our things, so she could have an idea and be like what do you think. We really value each other’s opinions. I think that’s how we can accomplish the same goals by being open minded.