The two parties competing in this year’s student government elections differ largely over the extent to which they plan to reform the Associated Students of the University of Utah.
The BLOC Party is stressing a platform of consistency and tradition, while the Big Idea Party is calling for a spending overhaul of the $1.4 million budget allocated to ASUU.
Lindsey Sine, presidential candidate for the Big Idea Party, said that, if elected, she plans to significantly increase the amount of funding available to student groups. She also plans to make the process of applying for funding easier for students groups by cutting back on the bureaucratic “red tape.”
“It’s not ASUU’s money, it’s the students’ money, and it needs to be utilized for them?students shouldn’t have to go through such a long, arduous process to get a hold of money that’s theirs in the first place,” she said. “The process should be simplified, and the money should be made readily available to groups that qualify.”
Sine added that increased funding for student groups would be beneficial to the campus because it would encourage community and on-campus involvement.
“I feel like places where money could be better used are ignored when money is inflated in other areas that aren’t as beneficial to the student body,” Sine said.
Members of the BLOC Party don’t feel the same need to reform spending practices within ASUU.
“A big part of our platform is continuity within ASUU?we’re not going to fix what’s not broken,” said Jake Kirkham, presidential candidate for the BLOC Party. “You will see change, but we’re going to continue what the past administration has done well.”
Toby Collett, vice-presidential candidate for the BLOC Party, said he would like to see more money go to student groups, but he finds no problem with the current system.
Kirkham also wants to build a greater sense of community on campus, but rather than change the spending process, he plans to focus on tradition.
“We want this place to be rich in tradition because tradition brings campus unity and involvement,” he said.
Kirkham hopes to build on current traditions and also start several new traditions of his own. He was unwilling, however, to disclose the new traditions he plans to implement if elected.
“We’ve got a couple up our sleeve, but we’re not ready to come forward with them yet,” he said.
Kirkham said the emphasis on tradition is just one of his party’s ideas that correspond with its motto and name: Building Life on Campus.