The Student News Site of Colorado State University

The Rocky Mountain Collegian

The Student News Site of Colorado State University

The Rocky Mountain Collegian

The Student News Site of Colorado State University

The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Print Edition
Letter to the editor submissions
Have a strong opinion about something happening on campus or in Fort Collins? Want to respond to an article written on The Collegian? Write a Letter to the Editor by following the guidelines here.
Follow Us on Twitter
Crypto Exchange Listing: Types of Exchanges and Compliance Requirements
March 25, 2024

The crypto industry continues to evolve, fueled by the increasing institutional adoption of crypto. Today, numerous companies are entering the...

ASCSU candidates debate in LSC Theater

Video by: CTV Staff 

Ad

Candidates for the Associated Students of Colorado State University presidential elections discussed transparency of ASCSU, student body participation, diversity and sexual assault prevention at a debate hosted by the Collegian and CTV Wednesday evening.

Voting period for ASCSU elections begins April 6 at 8 a.m. and will close April 8 at 4 p.m. Voting will take place online at RAMWeb, at the Lory Student Center and at the Morgan Library.

[new_royalslider id=”305″]

Photos by Christina Vessa.

Transparency of ASCSU

Taylor Albaugh and Jason Sydoriak said ASCSU should be used to gather public opinion and ease tensions between the students and the administration. Both candidates said they will advocate for students while empowering them to make their voices heard.

Sydoriak said he is trying to create a citizen review board for the CSU Police Department.

Lauren Wester and Filipp Dedogryuk said ASCSU can advocate for student concerns to the University, the City of Fort Collins and the state of Colorado.

“ASCSU is not a governing body, but we advocate, empower and influence people to make the best decisions for students,” Wester said.

Ad

Wester said she would like to continue to use the department of outreach to maintain good relationships with students and encourage involvement.

Kwon Yearby and Clayton King said ASCSU is here to serve and protect the student body, while being representatives for student funds. Yearby said, if elected, he would present a state of the association speech to tell students what the issues are, and what is being done by ASCSU to solve them.

Student body participation

Wester said one of her main initiatives is to run on transparency while informing the student body about how ASCSU functions.

“Filipp and I want to empower the students with knowledge and information,” Wester said. “We want to continue to encourage ASCSU members to continue to advocate and figure out student concerns. We can do student surveys, but what really matters is the personal connection.”

Wester said she would create a dropbox in the ASCSU office that students can leave comments in and help ASCSU address their concerns.

Sydoriak said the CSU Center for Public Deliberation needs to be used more often by ASCSU in order to turn grievances into solutions. He said creating transparency and accountability of senate by adding microphones and videocameras may make students more willing to participate.

Yearby said he will continue to poll his own classrooms, student groups and organizations in order to encourage student body participation and feedback. King and Yearby said they plan to give student organizations voting power in senate.

Diversity

Wester and Dedogryuk said they want to make sure that every student is heard, no matter what faiths, beliefs or religious views they hold.

Yearby cited his previous legislation to create diversity seats in senate. He said he wants students to feel empowered to speak for themselves by increasing diversity representatives from places besides culture centers, and giving those positions voting power.

“I am seeking to represent people who have been historically put down in society and on campus,” Yearby said. “I want to work to support those people more, as well as bring in everyone who feels diverse.”

Albaugh and Sydoriak said they support Yearby’s efforts on the diversity bill. They said they will create opportunities for students to practice religious freedom in the main buildings of campus.

“We do need to understand diversity (is) more than just skin color,” Sydoriak said.

Sexual assault and violence

Albaugh said that lighting dark construction zones at night would create a safer environment for students. She and Sydoriak plan to work with the Women and Gender Advocacy Center and the City of Fort Collins to end the stigma associated with survivors of sexual violence by starting the conversation with students and approaching the administration from there.

Dedogryuk and Wester said they want to focus on making sure that students know resources are provided for them at CSU. They plan to work with the administration to promote more programming, counseling and resolution sources that are here to accept all students.

Yearby and King said they will work to establish sexual assault courses as a part of the All University Core Curriculum.

“The only thing that can solve this issue is education,” Yearby said.

Collegian Assistant News Editor Christina Vessa can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @chrissyvessa.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

When commenting on The Collegian’s website, please be respectful of others and their viewpoints. The Collegian reviews all comments and reserves the right to reject comments from the website. Comments including any of the following will not be accepted. 1. No language attacking a protected group, including slurs or other profane language directed at a person’s race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, social class, age, physical or mental disability, ethnicity or nationality. 2. No factually inaccurate information, including misleading statements or incorrect data. 3. No abusive language or harassment of Collegian writers, editors or other commenters. 4. No threatening language that includes but is not limited to language inciting violence against an individual or group of people. 5. No links.
All The Rocky Mountain Collegian Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *