Why are you running in the ASUO Elections?
I’m Tyler (she/hers) and I grew up in the East Bay Area in California. I’m a junior studying Neuroscience with minors in Sociology and Planning, Public Policy and Management. On campus, I work at the Women's Center, for campus DEI, in Dr. Doty’s CYPEER lab, and for Insurgent - a radical publishing collective. I also help lead: Letters for Abolition, The Ignored Genocides, and Leftists of Color Collective. I am running to be a voice for the underrepresented people on this campus. We can all get so busy, and it's hard to find 9-5pm time to express things we want improved- I got you. I want to make sure student organizations on campus have everything they need to flourish because the communities we cultivate are vital to many students' social and mental health and our missions are valuable. I have been advocating for many things since coming here to UO: worker protections, LGBTQIA2S+ Rights, racial justice through my job, sexual violence prevention education through Get Explicit, and my next goal is advocating for you. I have many ideas to craft projects and change policy to break down barriers between us and graduating, while making sure our time here is fruitful.
As one of the most front facing parts of ASUO, how do you plan on making these interactions as positive as possible for students?
Going to the Senate Hearings as an organization leader is quite familiar to me. Student organizations planning trips, special meetings and events have always been so worthwhile when experiencing the final product. As a senator, I can pledge you my attention and support during these late meetings to actively listen to what your organization wishes to fund. Feeling seen is very important to me, so know that your presence and thoughts will always be acknowledged when speaking into that microphone.
How are you connected to the academic programs you represent? How will you utilize these connections to best represent students?
Beyond the classroom, I encounter many of my classmates in the libraries and during office hours. I will utilize these connections by doing what I'm good at, listening. Let me tell you a story. I went to a Senate Hearing in Fall term of 2024, and asked what we could do about the P/NP and Grade Change policy. I heard my classmates express their worries, and I found myself thinking it’s nonsensical that we have to decide by week 7 when we still have midterms weeks 8-10! Especially when these grades impact our transcripts which many STEM majors find impacting their future schooling and current or future scholarships. After giving a little speech, and many weeks, it’s because of my advocacy and the University Senate following up on my concerns that this school policy will be changing from week 7 to week 9.