Why are you running in the ASUO Elections?
Hi! My name is Tiera Garrety, I am currently in the Master of Public Administration program, and am running for the Senate Graduate Representative Seat 22. Having been in the Senate this past year, I have noticed the concerning underrepresentation of graduate students within ASUO. Some issues that have been voiced to me as a Senator and that I would like to take immediate action on, include: Maintaining relationships with and improving the support of student organizations at the Portland campus, as the population majority is graduate students; Continuing non-finance committee relationships with the Spencerview Co-Op and other services that support graduate students to advocate for sustainability; Working to revamp graduate student organization requirements because PCM meetings and recognition criteria are often the biggest hurdles for these organization; and, fostering holistic relationships with GTFF and other organizations vital to our campus structure. Together, I want to make sure that the graduate population is heard within our student government, and I am committed to working collaboratively to ensure that necessary changes are made. From issues surrounding student organization support to basic needs services, I am here to be your advocate. Let’s work together to make ASUO work for us.
As one of the most front facing parts of ASUO, how do you plan on making these interactions as positive as possible for students?
As a leader of the Native American Student Union for the past three years, I have experienced firsthand the highs and lows of ASUO. Seeing how deteriorated the NASU and ASUO relationship was, yet knowing there were opportunities to change, inspired me to run last year and make our student government work for the students we serve. While serving on the PFC, my belief has always been that our orgs know what is best for them. They are the ones that work day-in and day-out with their communities, as a team, and with their budgets. As Senate, we only see a small portion of the actual impact they have on our campus. As the Graduate Representative, I want to continue fostering better relationships with our student organizations with the understanding that each dollar spent changes the experience of our students in ways that will impact them far beyond their college careers. I believe that operating as a Senate with the shared understanding that surplus is not something we should keep, but rather give back to our student organizations with the trust that they know what is best for their communities, is how we make ASUO a better experience for all.
How are you connected to the academic programs you represent? How will you utilize these connections to best represent students?
My interest to run for the Graduate Representative seat stems from my interaction with a lot of ASUO-recognized graduate student organizations. Through this, I have learned that some of the biggest ASUO barriers for grads are time, inaccessibility of ASUO, and funding. With my background not only as an ASUO official, but also as a student org leader, I am completely confident in my ability to begin breaking down these barriers right away. But, that’s not where the conversation ends. I want to go beyond our student orgs, departments, and contracts and hear directly from our students. Whether that means tabling, reaching out to classes and programs, or talking to strangers on the street, I am committed to being an accessible resource for students. Changing ASUO to work for grads is not something that I can do on my own, I want to have your help and ideas too.