Note: All candidates were asked the same questions. Answers are placed in alphabetical order and have been transcribed from audio interviews. 

Candidates: Josh McRae, Madeline Koval, Michael Fleagle

Why do you want to be elected for this position?

Josh: For me, I want to be elected into the position because I feel that whenever I see a problem, that if I can understand that problem, that means that I can take the initiative to try and solve that problem. For me, the biggest thing lately has been transparency with the school between the administration and the reasoning behind the decisions that they make, you know, a lot of students, especially ones that I’ve had discussions with are very, you know, they understand what’s been, you know, decisions have been made, but they don’t understand why those decisions have been made. This is something that I feel that I can have my own set of skills that I can bring to the table and really try to put steps towards solving this problem.

Maddy: I’ve been part of the Student Senate since my freshman year, I was an alternate, and I served in both my sophomore and my junior year in the senate position, and I honestly would love to see some female leadership back in the senate. I love being able to interact with people and getting to hear student issues and being able to have a real conversation about it.

Michael: I wanted to be elected for the senate speaker position because it’s such an important role. It’s brand new this year, the constitution is changing. The Student Academic Senate is being replaced with the Student Senate. It’s such a new pathway and having experienced in ASCWU, working as a programming coordinator, I understand how the board works and how ASCWU works. Being a senator, I know how the senate works. This position is going to be instrumental in this coming year making sure that students are represented, making sure that students are getting what they need coming out of this COVID-19 situation.

How would you act as a voice for students?

Josh: I would act as a voice for others by… I would make making sure that  my conversations that I have at that set of meetings wouldn’t just stay in the senate meetings. I would meet with administrators, yes, but also meet with students. If there’s particular senators that are having issues repeatedly, if this isn’t something addressed by everyone in the Senate, I can have those conversations outside of the meetings and really talk with them figure out what’s going on. Because if it’s something that’s only one area of the school it still matters. That would probably be the biggest way I would try going about trying to spread the student voice is by making sure that the conversations that I have and the issues that are addressed to me, aren’t just talked about in those formal meetings.

Maddy: I personally use the Senate to combat my own issues I’ve had as a student when I had an issue with the professor. They really came to my aid and helped me through the whole situation, so I want to return the favor and make sure that student voices are being heard and they can feel like they have the opportunity to come talk to me with anything. Whether it’s academic or not just being there for the students.

Michael: I would act as a voice for others by doing everything I can for everyone… that’s my goal is, I’m going to be a voice for every student, anybody who comes into my door or anybody who comes to anybody that I hear from, I’m going to represent them. I am here for the students. I’m here to represent every student, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, everything. I’m here for students, because I want to make everybody’s time at Central as good as it possibly can be.

If you had one wish, what would it be?

Josh: If I had to choose just one, I think I would wish that the human brain… our ability to understand knowledge, I would wish for us as a society to be able to all understand the problems that we face and… have that capacity to come up with solutions that work out for everyone in the end.

Maddy: I wish [COVID-19] would go away. I really wish it would. So many people are being impacted by this so negatively so the sooner we can find a vaccine, the better.

Michael: One wish? Oh my gosh, that is such a hard question. I would probably wish that everybody could have their best life. I think that fulfills everything that I want, and do what everybody else wants and that should theoretically cover all the crazy, you know, like the theoretical generic response, which is, you know, end world hunger and all that kind of stuff. I think that’s what I have to go with.

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Vote in the ASCWU primary May 9-12 at cwu.edu/ascwu