GIO'S PRIORITIES

Emergency Preparedness 

Adverse weather resulting from climate change is a grim reality that the university must proactively address. This school year has shown the impact events like wildfires and an ice storm can have on the university community. While we were fortunate to have online learning in place during the wildfires last September, the university's use of online learning proved to be an achilles heel during the ice storms as several students and faculty went days without internet connection. As ASWU President, I will work with the administration and the student body to prepare for future inclement weather events and other emergencies. I will encourage and facilitate coordination between different student organizations and university departments. The ice storm showed the important role student-run organizations, like the SOAR Center, play in the university's response to events like inclement weather. As such, I will make it a priority that these student organizations have the resources they need to meet students' needs. While there is no panacea in addressing the multitude of emergencies that may arise, by dedicating time and resources to preparing for such unforeseen events, we can mitigate the adverse impacts on the Willamette community. 

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Anti-Racism & Equity

The calls for racial and social justice that echo across our nation have not excluded the Willamette community. As an ASWU Senator, I have been part of discussions on how we can advance racial equity in our campus community through ASWU's anti-racism plan. As ASWU President, I will continue to build on this important work by ensuring that our anti-racism work does not end with the conclusion of this academic year but is ongoing and adaptive to the needs of students and our community. This will entail working with student clubs and organizations, in particular multicultural clubs, as well as the administration. I will reach out to the new Dean of Students for Community Care and Inclusion to start a conversation between students and the new dean on issues of equity. I will also work to expand ASWU's work on equity by reaching out to other student organizations focused on advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion to ensure their interests are being represented in ASWU and the university community. Willamette must be a place where all students feel safe and welcome. 

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Transparency in Processes that Affect the Student Body

Many students lead busy lives juggling academics, extracurriculars, work, and establishing connections with their peers on campus. This reality makes it crucial that students are aware of the processes that impact their college experience and can take part in them. From university governance and policies to different committees and organizations, it is often hard to keep track of all the different factors that shape students' experience. As ASWU President, I will work hard to ensure students are informed on what is going on at different levels of their university, how it impacts them, and how they can help shape their campus experience. I will do this through consistent communication with the student body, working with the ASWU Senate to ensure the restructuring plans that have been laid out this semester are implemented effectively and transparently, and by encouraging participation in university committees. 

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A Seamless Return to In-Person Learning & Campus

The rollout of COVID vaccines has been a glimmer of hope amid a pandemic that has taken the lives of too many and that has drastically reshaped our daily lives. A hope that we may return to in-person learning unencumbered by the threat of COVID, that we may gather with friends and loved ones, that we may have a normal commencement, and so many other things the pandemic has changed. This will not happen suddenly, however. It will take time and deliberate steps to ensure that every member of our community is safe and supported. As ASWU President, I will work with students, the administration, and other members of the Willamette community to ensure that our transition to a fully in-person learning experience and campus is done in a safe, equitable, and transparent manner. I will reach out to different students groups on campus, like resident advisors and student workers, so that they have a seat at the table during discussions on further reopening of university operations. A full reopening of our university will take time and must incorporate the concerns and voices of the student body.