By MATT THOMPSON & EVAN PAPPAS, staff reporters
KJ Stilling,President
Inspiration:
“I realized, wow I survived, wow I learned a lot, wow I met a lot of people. I could either walk away now or I could take what I learned and take all those experiences and then try to be even better.”
Qualifications:
ASCWU VP of Equity and Community Affairs for 2012-13. “It was a long learning process as the vice president for Equity and Community Affairs.”
Salary: $9,070.70
Expectations:
19 hours/week regular office hours during fall/winter/spring
14 hours/week regular office hours during summer
Biweekly BOD executive meetings
Biweekly BOD public meetings
Maintain communication with other BOD officers
Bimonthly meetings with university president
“They expect me to be the duty expert on the 9,000 students here, which is kind of overwhelming at times because I want to be able to provide an accurate answer but I don’t want to misrepresent.”
Progression:
Created a safe environment for discussion in BOD meetings.
“It’s a place where the vice presidents and myself can look each other in the eye and say ‘I/we disagree with you and it’s nothing personal.’”
Goals:
Build a public roller rink
“It’s public health, it’s my major. All the crap I’ve been studying here at Central, I’m gonna put it into action. Open up the doors, bring in the kids, let them run around and let them have a safe environment to skate around in—boom.”
Regrets:
“This one email if it had been on the front page of the newspaper I would have been like ‘oops.’”
Advice:
“Take a deep breath, calm down, step back and then move forward.”
Parting words:
“It’s worth it to have crappy grades, it’s worth it to have late nights, it’s worth it to receive phone calls from people who are upset, because the skills are transferable. That’s the one thing I would tell people: If you have time to get involved as a BOD officer you won’t regret it.”
Kelsy Furstenwerth, VP for Student Life and Facilities
Qualifications:
During her freshman and sophomore years, Kelsey was involved with campus programs. She was part of RHA, president of Kamola, an RA, and last year worked with Student Academic Senate.
“Through that position I kind of realized that I really liked the student life aspect of campuses more, so I decided to run for this.”
Expectation:
The VP of Student Life and Facilities is the chair of the Student Union and Recreation Center Board, is the liaison between the SURC Board and the ASCWU-BOD, as well as between the Residence Hall Association and the ASCWU-BOD.
Salary: $6,884.18
Progression:
Kelsey is the chair of the Student Union Advisory Board and the Recreation Advisory Board. There have been a lot of changes going on within those groups so she makes sure that the students know what’s going on and makes sure that there is student input.
Something that the Recreation Advisory Board has been working on is the dress code policies that are being discussed for the recreation center.
“We are making sure that students get to know what’s going on and get their input, and really make it a student-based decision.”
One of Kelsey’s goals this year was to strengthen the relationships between the BOD and other entities around campus in order to work together. She is also proud of being able to successfully improve communication between these groups.
“That’s really been a big success with all the BOD members. I feel like we’ve all worked really hard in that aspect.”
Fun Fact:
Through working in student life, Kelsey has decided to change her career path from secondary education management to student affairs administration.
Experience:
Time management, leadership skills and learning to take criticism well have all been experiences that Kelsey has been able to take away from the office.
Advice:
Having strong communication skills is a must for the position of VP. You have to be both flexible and patient. It is vital to keep strong relationships as the VP.
“I just want students to know that we are students too. We’re here for them, and we can provide so many different resources for them.”
Bryan Elliot, VP for Equity and Community Affairs
Inspirations:
Elliott has always had a strong interest in politics. Being on the Student Senate made him realize its importance and being able to represent students is a passion.
Qualifications:
Being raised in Ellensburg, Elliott feels that his connection with the community gives him a good understanding of community affairs. Being fair and open minded in his work and decision making is really important to him.
Salary: $6,884.18
Expectations:
Bryan is the chair of the Equity ands Services Council and is the liaison between the ASCWU BOD and university community service task forces.
Working with the Equity Services Council is about 80 percent of the work and the other 20 percent is working with Community Affairs. Elliott has spoken to the city council recently about the CHCI and asked them to write a letter to president Gaudino in support of CHCI.
Progression:
“One of my initiatives as the chair of the Equity Service Council is representing students who are traditionally underrepresented.”
One group of students that Bryan is focused on are the veteran and service member students who, after tuition assistance had been cut off by the government due to sequestration, have been greatly affected by the loss of funding.
“I wanted the administration to reimburse those students for the tuition assistance they lost,” Elliott said.
Bryan has helped facilitate groups to put on events as well. He has helped groups like EQUAL with the Freedom to Marry Week and the Black Student Union with Showtime at the McConnell.
Fun fact:
Bryan’s all-time life hero is Theodore Roosevelt. Taking pride in his hard work and the sense of accomplishment that comes from that.
“I believe very strongly in living the strenuous life.”
Experience gained:
The experience that Bryan has taken away from his position is getting a better understanding of the importance of the BOD. The importance of advocating for students has made a much larger impact on him than he had initially thought.
Advice/parting messages:
The Equity and Community affairs office represents underrepresented students and the position of VP requires that you have purpose, direction, and motivation in order to do the best job possible.
“To be successful in this office it takes compassion, empathy, and leadership.”
Mary Orthman, VP for Clubs and Orgs
Inspirations:
“I’m the youngest so I feel a lot of pressure and the need to be, maybe not the best, but I need to at least match their success. So my family is definitely my inspiration.”
Qualifications:
In her freshman year, Mary was hired on as an insurance coordinator, one of the assistant positions for the VP. As a sophomore she was hired on again as an administrative assistant to the VP.
“At that point a lot of the people that were running for the VP positions, I had worked with them in office and I have a good camaraderie and teamwork with them.”
Mary was pushed to run for the position when she was a sophomore but decided that she wanted to have more experience before running for the VP position.
Salary: $6,884.18
Expectations:
“One of the big aspects of the position is getting clubs recognized and getting students involved.”
Mary wants the students to spend more time and get more involved in the campus and activites rather than worrying about paper work.
“My job is pretty much to streamline that process and get students to want to be involved.”
Progression:
Mary put the club recognition process online so it is much easier for students to get recognized so they can focus on their own involvement without getting wrapped up in paperwork.
Mary has also been able to increase the budget for the Club Senate. Her request to the S&A proved successful which resulted in a large budget increase.
“I went to S&A and requested for $20,000 more every year of student money to go back into the pockets of students.”
The budget used to be $76,000 but Mary has been able to get it up to $96,000 every year. The Clubs & Organizations office is now recognizing clubs in the spring so they can be ready for next fall instead of having them have to start in the fall.
Fun fact:
“I like to shoot guns. Actually I just got a new AR so I’m pretty excited about that.”
Experience:
Part of the experience Mary has received while working in the BOD has been leadership and teamwork skills, and the ability to overcome conflict.
“Being a leader and knowing when to step up and lead and knowing when to step down and follow and listen and be adaptable and be ready for change.”
Advice:
Being organized and keeping in mind that your accountability is to the students. “Don’t forget that you’re a student first and foremost, but don’t forget the students you promised to serve because they are important. Very important.”
Jaclyn Sperlich, VP for Academic Affairs
Qualifications:
Jaclyn, chair of the Student Academic Senate, says that her experience on the Senate was most important thing that qualified her for the role on the BOD.
Expectation:
As the vice president of Academic Affairs and representative of student interests, Jaclyn’s work with the Student Academic Senate makes her the person to go to for advice and direction regarding academics.Balancing the role of vice president and representative is an important part of the job, Jaclyn said.
“I think the job of the VP is to have a leadership role while remembering you speak for general SAS and their view. So I think it’s important to know that you are not speaking for yourself, that you’re speaking for students first and then your student governing body.”
Salary: $6,884.18
Progression:
Empowering the Student Academic Senate to tackle more academic issues and do more than allocate money.
“I think that’s the biggest thing that’s come out of this office in the last couple years, it’s the growth of SAS and it’s my hope that I have been helpful in achieving that.”
Jaclyn appointed new members and plans on recruiting to increase membership and awareness of what they do.
Fun Fact:
Jaclyn collects vintage box cameras and works on antique and muscle cars.
“I restored my own car, my 1960 Mercury Cougar, and so I like to work on automobiles.”
Experience:
Jaclyn believes BOD teamwork is something that works well. When you have a group of strong officers that can work together it can function quite well.
Advice:
“I think to get the most out of your education it’s important to look outside of simply the class and the books and I think that by looking into how you can be involved, be in student government, and something else. Diversifying your education is the only way to truly engage what you’re learning.”
Clint Wylie, Executive VP
Inspiration:
“I’ve always had an interest in politics. It was a good experience if I ever want to do politics later.”
Qualifications:
Treasurer of Wenatchee Valley Community College
“What prepared me was definitely being the treasurer at my last college. That prepared me to sit down and work with budgets.”
“I would say that my experience as a leader in the military putting teams together helped a lot.”
Salary: $6,884.18
Expectations:
Maintain 14 regular office hours per week during fall, winter and spring quarters
Maintain 5 regular office hours per week during summer quarter
Attend biweekly executive and public BOD meetings
Assist the BOD president with their duties and responsibilities
Provide a fiscal year budget forecast for the Board of Directors
Sit as a voting member of the services and activities fee committee
Post, interview and hire BOD support staff
Nominate members of the student body to all university standing committees and committees
Progression:
Filled all of the university standing committees in the first month
Worked to return the voting privileges for the faculty members of the S&A committee
“I’m most proud that I was able to advocate for that and that was able to get reinstated. I think it was good that we try to work all around as a team. I don’t think there is an evil faculty or administration out there trying to screw the students.”
Hobbies:
Hiking, fantasy novels, avid gaming
“The newest Starcraft 2. I bought it right at the beginning of the quarter and I’ve probably wasted a Saturday on it easily.”
Advice:
“I would advocate for flexibility. If you’re centered so much on one part of the job, the BOD president has lots of things and you’re supposed to help take the weight off of him.”
Brianne Wood, VP for Legislative Affairs
Inspiration:
“I felt there was a need. I was hesitant at first because I wanted to concentrate more on school but when I realized that I could bring my knowledge, what I have done … I felt like I could run and show off what we can do and what opportunities we have as bigger people than just ourselves.”
Qualifications:
“I think it’s my experience with what I’ve done for the past numerous years. Lobbying with elections, doing college civics type work, its an accumulation of everything I’ve done in my life has helped make it easier being in this position.”
Salary:
$6,844.18
Expectations:
Maintain 14 regular office hours during fall, winter and spring quarters
Create a strategic legislative agenda
Provide programs to increase political awareness
Attend and or testify at legislative hearings if necessary
BOD liaison for Higher Education Coordinating Board
Chairperson of the Central Washington University chapter of the Washington Student Association
“Trying to show the students that they can actually empower themselves to be better people and be better citizens.”
Progression:
Putting a ballot box on campus that accepts ballots regardless of state or district.
“It was a really big triumph because we hopefully have the opportunity to present at the auditor’s convention in June to show what can happen if you partner with students or the student government association on the campus to get students to vote more.”
Interests:
“I am a Disney fanatic. When I graduate and am done with school and before I jump into my professional career I will be going on my graduation trip to Disney World.”
Advice:
“They need to have patience. It takes a lot of work to do this and patience is a big thing and time management.”
Parting words:
“I would thank [the student body] for what they have let me do, for what they have let me accomplish. And I hope that they will keep being more civically active and wanting to be empowered by what their decisions are.”
