In his bid for the position of speaker of the senate of the Associated Students at Colorado State University, candidate Christian Dykson has placed an emphasis on student outreach.

“We hear you, and we understand that your story and your experience (has) power,” Dykson said. “We believe that stories are what shape the system around us. It’s what shapes the institution. Stories have power, and they drive change.”

Dykson, a second-year political science student, currently serves as the chair of the University Issues Committee, a position he has held for a full year, among others. 

“Basically, my job is to talk to students about what they like or they love or they wanna change on campus, and to present and create legislation that responds to it,” Dykson said. 

Among Dykson‘s other current positions is one on the Student Fee Review Board, where he said his main priority was minimizing fees for students wherever possible.

What (ASCSU) should be, its entire purpose, should be outreach. Meet the people that you don’t know, and discover stories that you haven’t yet heard because that is how you honestly and authentically represent. That is where my heart is at.” -Christian Dykson, speaker of the senate candidate

“We understand that every dollar that goes toward student fees is not going toward your textbooks, your rent, your food … the necessities of success, academically,” Dykson said. “Last year was one of the lowest fee increases in a number of years, (and) I fought tooth and nail to knock down a couple of proposals because I know that every dollar that goes to student fees is not going to the necessities.”

Dykson has had a hand in passing a number of resolutions in the senate as well. 

“We passed a resolution to support the volleyball team when they went to the NCAA championship,” Dykson said. “(And) then we passed the student privacy resolution last spring because we realized, (for) students, … having to have their camera and their video on at all times during (tests) is an incredible breach of privacy, right? Not to mention, if they’re living in close quarters with family members, it’s concerning for a lot of reasons.”

Speaking to the latter, Dykson mentioned the importance of trust.

“We trust that students mean well and that the ones who are here to pursue and to find success will do that honestly,” Dykson said. “Two things come from that: assuming the best and supporting students in every way.” 

Dykson said that he wants to use the position of speaker to promote more balanced discussions within the senate.

“The tendency is for us to let the dominant voice take over,” he said. “But that’s a dangerous assumption, right? Because then what happens is it silences the few, … so the idea of a speaker, the role of a speaker, and this is something I’ve learned in my role as a committee chair, is (that) your job is to make sure every voice is heard.”

However, he said his prominent concern is keeping ASCSU in conversation with the students it represents.

“What (ASCSU) should be, its entire purpose, should be outreach,” Dykson said. “Meet the people that you don’t know and discover stories that you haven’t yet heard because that is how you honestly and authentically represent. That is where my heart is at.”

Joshua Kellogg can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @sc0o0rche.