Editor’s Note: In order to evaluate each candidate, a few Collegian columnists discuss where they believe each candidate thrives and where they fall short. All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

Editor’s Note: Hannah Taylor is the alumni coordinator at Rocky Mountain Student Media Corporation, which houses The Collegian.

Just a few weeks into the fall semester, the time has come for us, as students, to decide who will best cater to our needs by representing us in the Associated Students of Colorado State University. We don’t want confusion to come when the ballot arrives, and hopefully you don’t find yourself dizzy trying to remember who stands for what on that long list of names.

Well, the Hannah Taylor and Noah Schindler team wants you to remember one thing when you look at their names: “We’re pretty nice people. Which is just as important as our policies. Maybe more.”

This pair seems like an option that is really going to work for the students, and they try to portray themselves as people who want to make students’ lives easier.

Taylor, the presidential candidate, appears to be a busy woman. A triple major, former deputy director of governmental affairs, a history of membership on the Student Fee Review Board and the Rocky Mountain Student Media alumni relations manager — the list goes on.

Schindler, the vice presidential candidate, takes a firm stance on the allocation of student fees.

“Fees should be limited to services that directly benefit students,” he said. He promised that if he and Taylor are elected, he would work toward affordability for students attending Colorado State University by trying to keep student fees as low as possible.

“Promises are promises, but there is no real reason for students to believe that this campaign is any different. “

Now, what do they promise to do for the University?

COVID-19 takes the forefront of their campaign, with their acknowledgment of the pain that it may have caused their fellow CSU students. It’s a particularly modern problem and good that they address it prior to everything else because, like a lot of the headlines we’ve see dominating media lately, it’s on everyone’s mind. Taylor and Schindler promise a relief grant with free medical supplies to each and every student, including a mask, a thermometer and sanitizer. 

As a student myself with two in-person classes, I think receiving a personal thermometer would save me a lot of time in the morning as I am trying to get to campus. It certainly would make using the daily symptom checker a much more simple and honest task. 

As for student housing, Taylor and Schindler also promise to “implement an online review system” for each major apartment complex for students moving out on their own for the first time after living in the dorms. Additionally, they demand an end to the “absurdly outdated” U+2 law in Fort Collins. 

A concern I raise for this pair is the consideration of what they will actually accomplish. The problem of U+2 has caused a major headache for off-campus student living for years now, and campaigns of the past have made similar promises to end its suffocating reign. Promises are promises, but there is no real reason for students to believe that this campaign is any different.

Bird is the word with Taylor and Schindler. The environmentally friendly ride-sharing company responsible for the electric scooters throughout the town may be the resolution to CSU’s problem with parking. More free rides, more availability and easy student accessibility is what they promise here.

While this idea seems fun and easily implementable, there is no proof that Taylor and Schindler will be able to guarantee a scooter for each student or, for that matter, even half of the students. What will happen when the scooters break down in our harsh Colorado winter? What happens if these scooters are abandoned around campus? These are questions I’d like to see answered as soon as possible. 

We want our college years as stress-free as we can make them. Taylor and Schindler are the ones who may add more fun, but some of their promises might not have the backing we need.

Alexandra MacDonald can be reached at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @alexandramacc.