The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Issue date: 3/28/08 Section: News

Media Credit: photo courtesy of Taylor Smoot Sen. Taylor Smoot (left) and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Quinn Girrens focus their campaign on campus tradition and promotion of student organizations

Taylor Smoot would like to see Rage Against the Machine play at CSU, while Quinn Girrens would prefer Dave Matthews Band.

And while both might not get their dream band - the negotiation process for performing artists is complicated - Smoot and Girrens said they want to bring a large-scale homecoming concert to CSU this fall, just one of several goals the two have established in their bid for the presidency and vice presidency of the Associated Students of CSU.

Above all, however, the two say ASCSU needs to return to its position as an accessible resource for student organizations.

Smoot, a senior political science major who is running for president, said ASCSU's current administration had been "wonderful" with their work in tuition and student fees, but said external communication needed improvement.

"At this point, ASCSU is not the center for collaboration for all student organizations," Smoot said. "If something's going on in one area, we need to let everybody know. If there's an issue that needs to be advocated for, they come to us, we work with them… I think we at this point really need to step up our game in not just delegating, but also actively supporting."

As an example, Smoot notes the lack of consistency in the senate's Diversity Advocacy Council, a group responsible for acting as a representative for diversity groups on campus.

"This year, the DAC has not met since November. In that sense, we're not at all a center for collaboration for diversity," Smoot said. "I want to have a working diversity advocacy council, and there's been excuse after excuse of why it hasn't met. Bottom line: its supposed to be there to represent a student voice for diversity on campus for ASCSU."

Along with this, both said they'd place emphasis on creating a strong cabinet with their presidency.

"We don't have all the answers so you have use some ways to find it," Girrens said. "ASCSU has so many resources to use in working with the Penley admistration and the state capitol, organizations on campus…if you just show up, go to these groups and listen to what they have to say, then you have a resource."

Continued...

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