The 2020-21 ASCWU Executive Board has been officially voted for and results are in. Overall, there were 560 votes cast for the ASCWU elections. 

ASCWU President: Mickael Candelaria

The candidates for ASCWU President were CeCe Mortimer and Mickael Candelaria. Mortimer received 189 votes, and Candelaria 355 votes. 

The ASCWU President is the chief spokesperson for the ASCWU Board of Directors. The president also gives the State of the ASCWU-SG Address in the spring. The president represents ASCWU in all legislative issues.

Candelaria was previously a Resident Assistant and Orientation Leader. Candelaria was also the 2019-20 Vice President for Student Life and Facilities. He is a first-generation Filipino-American college student, will be a senior in the 2020-21 school year and is majoring in Business Administration with a minor in Psychology.

Candelaria said that he is excited to be ASCWU president, and described the competition he faced in the elections.

“I am still in awe with finding out I will be the next Student Body President of CWU,” Candelaria said. “I was worried because I did have an incredibly tough opponent, Cece Mortimer, but also Danny DeBock and Sidney McLaughlin.”

Candelaria also talked about the challenges he thinks the CWU community is going to face in the future.

“The first [challenge] is going to be standing with the Black Lives Matter movement to ensure that our community knows ASCWU is anti-racism, and is going to acknowledge our privilege and use that to advocate for our black community at CWU.” Candelaria said, “The second is going to be moving forward past a global pandemic.”

Candelaria said that there will be many changes at CWU due to COVID-19. He said that one of his main priorities is ensuring student voices and perspectives are heard in regards to the changes that take place.

“My main campaign was also diversifying our faculty, staff and administration to match the level of diversity within the student body.” Candelaria said, “As we all know, it all starts with representation within our educators and mentors to inspire the next generation.”

Another goal of Candelaria’s is making sure the changes to the ASCWU Constitution, which included some positional changes and a new Student Senate are implemented efficiently.

“I want to thank everyone for their continuous support during my campaign and am so grateful to carry on the legacy of the current ASCWU President, Jasmin Washington,” Candelaria said.

Executive Vice President: Brandon Wear-Grimm

The candidates for Executive Vice President were  Yunus Timurtas and Brandon Wear-Grimm. Timurtas received 220 votes, and Wear-Grimm 320 votes. 

The Executive Vice President is responsible for overseeing committees and appointments, providing a monthly summary of monetary activity, sitting on the Services and Activities Committee taking minutes if the office staff is unavailable.

Wear-Grimm will be a senior in the 2020-21 school year. He is majoring in Supply Chain Management and minoring in Economics. In a campaign video, he said he’s running because there’s a lot of inequality and underrepresentation of students when it comes to the amount of student money CWU receives.

“When you look to the school to see where this money is spent, the school has nothing to show for it.” Wear-Grimm said.

Wear-Grimm said he wants to help get rid of financial obstacles CWU creates that students may face.

“Every year, our [organizations], our clubs, our programs, grow more than the year before it, but the money stays the same.” Wear-Grimm said, “So that just shows how, financially, the school puts limitations on our students.”

Wear-Grimm said one of his goals is to support students in all their endeavors and achieving any goals they might have. Another one of his goals that he said he is excited to work with new ASCWU President Mickael Candelaria is advocating for, protecting, and increasing the number of POC (Person of Color) faculty here at CWU.

Wear-Grimm also said he is excited to help Director of Student Life and Facilities Ashley-Sue Vizguerra in increasing the advocacy and support for CWU center and online students. 

“I feel incredibly grateful and blessed to have won this year’s election for the Executive Vice President role.” Wear-Grimm said, “This could not have been possible if it wasn’t for all my friends and family here at CWU. I also want to give a special shout out to my partner, Deanna, who helped me immensely during my campaign and was always there to support me.”

Senate Speaker

The candidates for Senate Speaker were Josh McRae and Madeline Koval. McRae received 124 votes, and Koval 416 votes.

The Senate Speaker is considered the liaison between the Student Senate and the ASCWU Board of Directors. The Senate Speaker also brings issues, concerns and legislation created by the Student Senate to the ASCWU Board of Directors.

Koval will be a senior next year, and is majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. She is also a part of the William O. Douglas Honors College. In a campaign post, Koval said she has been involved with the senate since her freshman year.

“I want to give back to my community by using this privilege to help marginalized communities as your Senate Speaker,” Koval said in the post.

Director of Student Life and Facilities: Ashley-Sue Vizguerra

The candidates for Director of Student Life and Facilities were Nathan Rawson and Ashley-Sue Vizguerra. Rawson received 212 votes, and Vizguerra 316 votes.

The Director of Student Life and Facilities serves as the student voice regarding capital-planning projects, buildings on campus and student services offered on campus. The Director of Student Life and Facilities is also responsible for promoting and advocating for CWU spirit.

Vizguerra will be a senior in the 2020-21 school year, and is majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies and minoring in Psychology and Administrative Management. Vizguerra’s slogan for running was “traditional or non-traditional, all Wildcat student voices matter.”

In a campaign video, Vizguerra described that she wants to provide representation for the remote campuses and non-traditional students. She said next year, she hopes for more cohesiveness between the remote and main campuses, and unity among different CWU communities. Vizguerra emphasized that she wants to hear, not just listen to, student voices.

“I do not take it lightly that I am the first, in the history of the college, University Center student to run or win an ASCWU position.” Vizguerra said, “I plan to use my position in Director of Student Life and Facilities to begin paving the way for more integration between the centers and main campus.”

Director of Governmental Affairs: Edgar Espino

The only candidate for Director of Governmental Affairs was Edgar Espino, who received 506 votes.

The Director of Governmental Affairs serves as the student voice regarding state, local and federal policy. The Director of Governmental Affairs is also responsible for advocating for the CWU student policy agenda, increasing student voter registration, increasing student voter turnout and increasing student civic education/engagement.

Espino will be a junior in the 2020-21 school year. He is majoring in Political Science. In a campaign post, Espino said he is running for Director of Governmental Affairs because he wants to make a change at CWU and be an advocate for students.

In the same post, Espino said he is hoping to see students become involved with the political process and have their voices heard. He said he can benefit CWU because he has established many political connections around the state that can be used to help the student body.

Director of Equity and Multicultural Affairs: Jacob Robles

The candidates for Director of Equity and Multicultural Affairs were Leilani Salu and Jacob Robles. The position of Director of Equity and Multicultural Affairs is not voted for by students. Instead, this position is voted on by seven organizations in good standing with the Equity Services Council. Salu received 3 votes, and Robles 4 votes. 

Robles is majoring in Information Technology and Administrative Management (ITAM). In a campaign video, he said he has been involved in organizations throughout his four years at CWU, and the organizations mean a lot for students that want to find like-minded people.

Robles said he hopes to see that the university responds in an equitable manner to the COVID-19 manner.

“I hope they meet the needs of all students post-pandemic equitably.” Robles said, “Whether that be for non-traditional students, marginalized students, we need to make sure the response to the student body and faculty is being met in an equitable way.”