Editor’s Note8212;This is the second of a three-part series featuring the parties running for the Associated Students of the University of Utah elections. The final installment will be published Tuesday.
Members of the GO Party for the ASUU elections hope that their previous experience in student government will allow them to turn ideas into action.
Each of the party’s candidates has participated in the Associated Students of the University of Utah at different levels and in a variety of ways, which they say has provided them with unique experiences that will allow them to do more than just talk about good ideas.
“We have seen how ASUU works and what is needed to improve it,” said Pace Johnson, a junior in economics and business who is running as the party’s presidential candidate. “Although great things have been done in the past, we hope to enhance opportunities for students and fill in some gaps. We want to build on what has been in place, and make things happen, rather than just talking about them.”
Johnson, a recently married alumnus of the Sigma Chi fraternity, has gained experience by serving in capacities such as the ASUU deputy chief of staff during Fall Semester. Johnson has also served as vice chair of the ASUU Senate and has helped with multiple ASUU campaigns in the past.
Jeff Sbaih, a junior in political science and the party’s vice presidential candidate, agrees that the party can provide something that other groups lack.
“We have extensive experience that other groups don’t have,” said Sbaih, who is the director of the Union Programming Council. “As a result, we are able to analyze what ASUU has done in the past and see what it is capable of achieving in the future.”
Sbaih said the party’s foundation for success has been built internally and externally, and by building on that strong foundation, they can “contribute to future progress for all students.”
Through his experience working with the ASUU Presenter’s Office, Sbaih said he is able to compare the U to other universities from a unique perspective because he has traveled throughout the country visiting other university campuses. He said each visit has helped him to see the positive aspects of other universities and what resources students need to be successful.
Erica Andersen, the group’s senior class presidential candidate, said her broad experience makes her unique. She has served as an orientation leader and recruitment chair for the Greek Council. Andersen said each experience has allowed her to understand the transition students make when they become involved.
“By applying those principles into ASUU, we can help students be more successful and have a better experience while attending college,” Andersen said. “We all want to help students, and we understand how to make it more than just ideas. Our experience lets us turn ideas into action.”
Pace Johnson
Erica Andersen
Jeff Sabin