Video by Chapman Croskell

For Jacob Epperson and Carter Hill, service to the students is key to improving accountability and transparency within the Associated Students of Colorado State University.

“We feel we need to bring back an ideal of what we like to call servant leadership, which is serving the students through leadership and service,” Epperson said. “We want to instill that one, through the hiring process, and two, working together collaboratively.”

Jacob Epperson, Presidential Candidate 

Jacob Epperson, junior political science major, is the current president of the Interfraternity Council at CSU. Previously he served as a Senator on the Undeclared Leadership Council for the Intra-University, representing undeclared students, while also concurrently serving as president of Pi Kappa Phi.

Epperson believes the campaigns’ background in service not only prepares them for their role, but sets them apart from other candidates.

“Carter and I, our entire collegiate careers, have been working on service towards the students,” Epperson said. “Now we want to bring that to a bigger stage to bring that true work ethic and service into ASCSU.”

Carter Hill, Vice Presidential Candidate 

Carter Hill is a sophomore double major in political science and communications. He currently serves a chair member on the Officer of Fraternity and Sorority Life Interpersonal Violence Committee and is the Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Service for the Interfraternity Council. 

Although Hill has no prior experience with ASCSU, he credits his experience in the classroom as a Teaching Assistant in the department of Mathematics as having prepared him to answer the needs of students, especially of those from traditionally underrepresented academic populations such as students with disabilities and international students.

Hill said the lack of transparency in ASCSU drove him to action, especially in the area of student fees.

“Honestly, what happens in those chambers doesn’t even get communicated to the students,” Hill said. “We really just want to engage in a more communicative experience and really give power back to the students because that’s what we’re here to represent, and that’s what they deserve.”

Their platform

In their emphasis on accountability and transparency, Epperson and Hill want to take on the issues of students that they feel frequently go unnoticed on campus through advocacy.

Hill said something that sets their campaign apart from the others is their adamant stance against sexual assault on-campus.

“Sexual assault happens on this campus, sexual assault is a problem on this campus and sexual assault needs to stop now,” Hill said. “We are so adamant and clear about standing up both for victims and survivors of sexual assault and really doing all that we can to prevent something like that from happening on this campus in any context whatsoever.”

Epperson and Hill also want to make sure that ASCSU is being fully transparent with the students it represents.

“Basically, when it comes to communicating with the students, you ask the average person on this campus if they know what ASCSU does and they have no idea,” Hill said. “That’s ridiculous, because those are their representatives elected to represent them and their needs.”

Collegian reporter Natalia Sperry can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @natalia_sperry.