ASUO ELECTIONS ’12: Who is Ben Bowman ?
Well he’s the only one thus far to oblige the Commentator with an interview !
Name
Ben Bowman
Year in School
Sophomore
Major
Political Science
Hometown
Tualatin, Oregon
Tell us your slate, ever so briefly. And more importantly, provide a succinct yet compelling set of sentences that aim to rationally persuade us to adhere to it.
Succinctly, the Ben & Lamar slate represents students from all corners of campus and we’re running because we believe we can make the UO a better place.
Which inadequacy or injustice at the UO keeps you up at night the most? How do you plan to remedy this?
The single biggest problem facing students today is the cost of our education. From tuition to textbooks to housing, higher education is more expensive and exclusive today than it was for our parent’s generation. I believe that if students are not fighting for an affordable education then no one will – so it is the responsibility of the ASUO as the voice of 24,000 students to do so. I recognize that this is a problem that won’t be solved overnight and that one person cannot do much to change it alone. But a student body that is engaged and passionate about their education and consistently prioritizes affordability can. We can do that at the University of Oregon. And Lamar and I can help.
Without listing experience, what’s so special about you anyway? Why are you doing this?
I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of the ASUO over the last two years. Students deserve an ASUO Executive that is transparent, ethical, and will work hard for them every single day. Lamar and I are running because we are committed to fighting for students and we believe we can do better.
Students have found that ASUO elections rouse a kind of futile discourse consisting of many “empty promises.” To quote Shakespeare, candidate promises truly sound like “much ado about nothing.” Obviously there’s a lot to be done at the UO, but let’s not forget how short an executive term is. Slates aside, what are your principal, feasible priorities?
The most important thing for students to keep in mind is that almost none of the changes that any candidate is discussing will happen overnight – and in fact most of these changes will take at least a year’s worth of work to make progress on – but that does not mean we shouldn’t work on them. My number one priority while in office will always be fighting for an affordable education. That doesn’t mean that I think I’ll be able to cut tuition in half in a year. But by laying the groundwork with a successful voter registration drive and a consistent presence in the halls of decision making (on and off campus), we can start to make an impact. I believe in the power of students, I believe in the power of the ASUO and I think for us to not work on critical issues like the cost of tuition is an underestimation of our power and a misunderstanding of the purpose of the ASUO.
Although the ASUO is one of the most established student governments in the country, a majority of the UO student body remains apathetic (and annoyed) during elections. If you could speak to these apathetic students in particular, what would you tell them?
Apathy is a problem in politics not unique to the ASUO. I think it’s important to listen to apathetic students. There are reasons why many students don’t vote and it’s important for us, as people seeking to represent all students, understand those reasons so we can work to do better. Additionally, the ASUO needs to work to communicate better with students about the services that our student government provides and offer more opportunities for students to get involved.
And now for the most pressing of inquiries: As you may or may not know, we’re all about the booze here at the Commentator. If you could have a drink with anyone, who would it be and what would you be drinking? Be very specific.
I’d love to have a beer with John Kennedy at the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port.
If the anti-Katie, anti-Bowman forces are getting crushed?
How well do you think the anti-Katie, Anti-Bowman forces are doing, Mr. Rudin? It’d be nice if they get crushed in the first round.
And on the note of the $13 million of student money, he voted to end free theater tickets, Alternative Winter Breaks, shortchange Mills International Center and Conflict Resolution Services. Why? To pay 170k to OSPIRG. The appealing things he promises, such as lower tuition, affordable textbooks and housing, are outside of the control of the ASUO President. The bad parts of what he wants for students, he can do.
We’re not electing a lobbyist or a vote-register advocate. If he wants to be one of those things, then he should apply to be one. It’s like someone running for mayor because he/she wants to get the troops out of Afghanistan. Would you elect someone mayor who would spend most of the time in D.C. lobbying to get the troops out of Afghanistan? I wouldn’t, because the mayor has important primary responsibilities that need leadership. He’s running for the wrong position.
Not a single thing he said there talks about the primary responsibility of the ASUO President: allocation of the $13 million of student money. The last time we had an ASUO President who focused on that fee and used it to improve the everyday life of students, we got 24-hour Knight Library, the New York Times on campus, Campus Composting, a de-politicized and more comprehensive internship class, late-night bus service, and continued assurances of the Emerald’s independence. Let’s hope, for students’ sake, we get one again.