OC Election Interview Series: Senate Seat 3: Nick Schultz
This is the second in our series of online interviews with candidates for ASUO office. Nick Schultz is running for Senate Seat 3 (PFC), and today he takes a crack at our stock questions.
OC: What made you decide to run?
Schultz: I decided to run after speaking with many of my closest friends. Initially, I did not want to get involved with the ASUO. However, I have come to decide that the ASUO has failed in its mission to represent the students of the University of Oregon. The number of students on campus, who are greatly displeased with the job that the ASUO is doing, is absolutely unacceptable. Frankly, I did not see any other candidates enter this race who I felt were sincere in their efforts to reform the ASUO Senate. I simply could not stand idle and watch another meaningless election take place. I chose to run for ASUO Senate because I see a problem: the ASUO has lost touch with the overwhelming desires of the student body. This must change!
OC: What would you most like to accomplish, if elected?
Schultz: I would like to see the ASUO government fulfill its obligations to the student body. The problem is that many of the members feel superior to the student body, acting according to their own interpretations of right and wrong. I feel that they ought to be listening to the students and adhering to their demands. If elected, I think that my involvement would be the first of many steps in a direction towards open and hones government. In addition, I also have set forth an agenda, which I would like to accomplish if I were to be elected.
My primary concern would be to increase environmental protection and sustainability on campus. My Environmental Awareness Act would require that the ASUO and the school administration take several steps toward reducing emissions from campus vehicles. Secondly, I would pursue a serious overhaul of the Appropriations budgeting process. I would seek to replace the current system with a new “flexible budget plan” that does not make programs susceptible to funding cuts, which result from a lack of spending. All programs should have a basic funding amount. From there, additional funding can be appropriated according to their campus contributions. I am tired of witnessing program cuts; if a budget shortfall occurs, the ASUO ought to look at its personal financial problems rather than simply cutting from other programs.
OC: Are you part of a slate?
Schultz: No. I was asked by several executive platforms to join their slate, but I chose not to. If I am going to run under a platform of “Accountability,” then I need to ensure that the students understand that. If I were to run as a member of an executive slate, I would be contributing to the repetitive problems of “coalition governments.” I refuse to owe any potential election victory to an executive candidate. The voters have a choice to select me as their representative. If they do, I will not leave any doubt in their mind about who I will represent and remain accountable to.
OC: What makes you stand out as a candidate?
Schultz: I stand aside from other candidates in my firm resolve to change the way that the ASUO conducts business. Most of the candidates in this election are advocating a “Campaign for Change,” which seeks to make the ASUO more accountable to the student body. However, most of this talk does not transcend into action. I offer a defined plan of action that will reform the budgeting process while pursuing a progressive environmental agenda. More importantly, I am retaining the personal connection that I feel so many students have felt was lost. Lastly, I bring a new perspective to the ASUO. I have real life experience, through my involvement in clubs and my work with the Recycling Program on campus. In addition, my experience with finance is derived from my business minor focus. In the end, I enter the 2007 ASUO election with the necessary outside experience that will enable me to succeed in significant reform of the ASUO. I am a candidate with experience in the methods that I am proposing in my Senate race, but at the same time I enter this race as an outsider to student government.
OC: You are running for a PFC Senate seat. First, are you crazy? Second, what can be done about PFC?
Schultz: First of all, I would have to admit that I am crazy. Secondly, I am crazy enough to believe that the PFC can and will change. As I mentioned earlier, there are numerous problems with the PFC. For example, their entire methods of operation are ambiguous and seemingly secretive to the student body. However, this problem requires a unique form of solution. I feel that the entire process is completely filled with financial pitfalls. Most on-campus organizations ask for a budget that exceeds their needs and when this happens, they spend the money on wasteful expenditures. This is derived from the fear that they will have their funding cut for failing to use the entire budget. This very concept is bogus!
The PFC reviews the annual budget proposals based on a “strict budget system.” In this situation, each club is allotted a certain amount of money to spend and they typically do, because failure to do so will result in cuts from their program. The PFC needs to convert to a “flexible budget system” that does not measure financial success on expenditures but on student involvement. What I am proposing is that the PFC allots every program, based on the number of students involved, a certain amount of funding proportionate to their needs. Therefore, surplus budgets can be acquired and distributed to other programs in need, or returned to the student body.
OC: What do you see as the most pressing problems with the ASUO?
Schultz: The ASUO has five major problems that are resulting in a complete deterioration of student government. First and foremost, the ASUO fails to represent the student body’s interests and desires. Most students feel that the ASUO is not a significant part of their education, but this is ridiculous since the student body is paying over $200 per term to the ASUO. Secondly, the ASUO is funding numerous programs that have significant financial problems. For example, the Recreation Center is being bailed out every year, and yet the ASUO has not imposed any punishment for consistent financial irresponsibility. Thirdly, the process of appropriating the annual budget is seriously biased towards the athletic department, which fails to give adequate support to campus programs. The criteria for appropriating the budget must be re-evaluated. Fourthly, the ASUO lacks a defined process that is transparent to outside observers. Communication is necessary! Lastly, the ASUO has failed to address the significant environmental issues on campus and doing so has impaired the University of Oregon’s long term potential for sustainability. Unless these problems are corrected, our university could face significant disaster.
OC: In this section we ask candidates to pick one from each of the following pairs, and provide a brief justification for their choice.
OC: Budweiser/Labatts
Schultz: I have got to go with Budweiser on this one. The only reason that I choose Budweiser is because anyone who watches the Super Bowl must love their commercials. The commercial with the Zebra as the referee was hilarious!
OC: Elvis/The Beatles
Schultz: Without a doubt, I must support the Beatles. They opened the door for British bands in America. Without them, we could have never experienced some of the great 80’s rock bands, like Def Leopard.
OC: Fried Rice/Chow Mein
Schultz: I prefer chow mein due to the tasty pan fried noodles and fresh vegetables.
OC: Football/Basketball
Schultz: Basketball is more fun to watch, due to its quick pace and prime time antics. However, nothing compares to the feeling of playing football with your pals in the late fall.
OC: Sunni/Shia
Schultz: I think that any form of religious factionalism is unfortunate. This debate reminds me of my personal experiences with Christianity. Any time that a religion becomes a matter of politics, followers begin to lose the messages that were professed. I hope for the sake of all Muslims that they may continue to strive towards tolerance and focus their attention on adherence to Muhammad’s message.
OC: Whiskey and Coke/Rum and Coke
Schultz: I don’t drink either, but if I had to choose then I suppose that I would go with Whiskey and Coke. No particular reason why.
OC: Beerpong/Flipcup
Schultz: Even though I don’t play either, I would have to say beerpong because I have heard some great stories from my buddy Travis.
OC: Hemingway/Fitzgerald
Schultz: I have to pick Hemingway due to his exciting life! The man traveled across the world and wrote one of the most amazing novels I have ever read: War and Peace. Besides, Fitzgerald is a little to wordy in his writing. I really prefer Hemingway’s aggressive style.
OC: Thanks for agreeing to this interview.
Schultz: Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to share my message with the student body. If anyone would like to learn more, then please visit my campaign website, at: http://www.myspace.com/nickschultz4asuo (no membership required).
