You’re right! You can! Find out how and why to run for one of the AS Board positions in our Q&A between the AS Review’s Erasmus Baxter and AS Elections Coordinator Hannah Spencer.
How does the process of running for AS office work?
There are currently seven paid AS Board positions that a student could run for in the upcoming AS Elections. Regardless of which position someone wanted to run for, candidate filing packets will be available beginning March 1 and can be picked up from the AS Board office (VU 504). The student wanting to run would then fill out the packet, including gathering 100 signatures (or choosing an alternate activity), and return it to the AS Board office no later than April 3. The packet will then be reviewed to determine if the student is eligible for candidacy and they will be notified shortly after the filing deadline.
Each candidate is then required to attend a mandatory candidate meeting on April 6, where they will learn more about the elections process, review the Election Code, and also have their picture taken for the AS Review.
April 8 is the official start of the campaign period, at which time posters can be hung up and official campaigning can begin. During the campaign period, candidates are often found out in red square talking to fellow students about issues they are passionate about as well as on social media sites such as Facebook to contact a different audiences they may not have reached on campus.
April 19 is the VP debate that will be held in the MPR starting at 6 p.m. and on April 20 the Presidential debates will be happening at the same time and place. These debates are open to anyone and are a chance to hear about the issues that each candidate is running on as well as a great opportunity to get questions answered.
Finally, voting will be open online and at polling stations on campus from April 24 to April 28 and the winners will be announced the afternoon of April 28.
What are the rules and regulations around running for office?
The requirements for qualification for each position can be found in each of their job descriptions at as.wwu.edu/personnel/job_descriptions. Generally, anyone running for a VP position must maintain a minimum credit load of 6 credits for undergraduates and 4 credits for graduate students, maintain a minimum of a 2.00 cumulative GPA and must have completed a minimum of three quarters of college work, with at least two quarters of the current academic year at Western. This last requirement must be met by the end of the spring quarter.
The only requirement that is different for the AS President is that the student must have completed a minimum of five quarters of college work, with at least two full-time quarters within the current academic year at Western.
Who should run for office?
Anyone can run for office as long as they meet the required qualifications, but these positions are a lot of hard work. There are long nights and big responsibilities so a student running for office should be someone who is driven and hardworking. These positions also have a lot of ability to make real changes and so a person interested for running for office should be passionate about making the university a better place for all students. Those elected into these positions are given the responsibility of acting as the voice of the student body and in that they must advocate for the needs of all Western students.
If students are elected, what is the commitment like?
As an AS Board member the time commitment is rather hefty. All VP positions are required to work an average of 19 hours per week while the President is required to work an average of 20 hours per week. This includes attending a weekly AS Board meeting and chairing each position’s respective committees. Each board member has specific obligations individual to their position, so I would suggest to anyone interested in running that they look over the job descriptions and talk to the current board members about what they do on a daily or weekly basis.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about running for office?
Go talk to the current position holder as soon as possible! Only they truly know what their job entails and can suggest ways that you can get involved in preparation. Attend the AS Board meetings and even committee meetings (check with the committee chair for permission). I would also suggest going to talk to different AS offices about what they do and familiarize yourself with the Associated Students.
Changing gears a bit, how does the initiative process work?
The initiative process is very similar to the candidate process. Filing packets for initiatives can also be picked up in VU 504 starting March 1 and must be turned in by April 3. There will be an additional week following the close of the filing period where opposition campaigns will have the opportunity to file as well. Both have the opportunity to request public financing up to $100 per campaign. The language for an initiative is submitted by the sponsor of the initiative, but the Representation and Engagement Programs (REP) staff, including myself, are more than willing to help edit language. However, we must remain non-partisan during that process.
What is the scope of initiatives? What can they affect?
Initiatives can have broad and varied effects depending on the issue or topic of the initiative. The scope is limited to the power of the Associated Students, meaning any policies or changes made must be under the umbrella of what the AS has influence over. A good way to think about it is in context to each AS Board position. For example, AS VP for Student Life has influence over housing, dining and transportation, while AS VP for Business and Operation manages a $2.5 million budget. I would encourage anyone interested in proposing an initiative to go and talk to an AS Board member about that specific issue.
Are there any good examples of initiatives you can think of?
A great example is the water bottle ban on campus. That is a result of a 2012 initiative that was voted on by the student body in that AS Election.
Is there anything else you think people should know about elections, initiatives or anything else?
Voting is easy and everyone should participate. The AS board members’ salaries are paid with student dollars and they also manage and spend student dollars. They are your representatives and you should hold them accountable for their promises. Also, there is a third type of item that will appear on the ballot as well called a referendum. These are similar to initiatives, but they are sponsored by a board member. If a student is interested in collaborating with a board member or have a referendum idea they’d like the board to bring, they should go a talk with a board member as soon as possible.
ABOVE: The 2016-17 Board of Directors. From left to right: Bryce Hammer (VP for Governmental Affairs), Erick Yanzon (VP for Academics), Aleysa Cervantes (VP for Diversity), Stephanie Cheng (President), Mary Moeller (VP for Business and Operations), Wayne Roque (VP for Student Life) and Alex LaVallee (VP for Activities). Photo by Ricky Rath // AS Review
