Monday, January 28, 2008
United Students announced at a meeting last night that it is running this year as a student-focused coalition, concentrating more on student issues than the internal workings of Student Senate.
Adam McGonigle, Wichita sophomore, is running as the coalition’s presidential candidate. McGonigle is currently the Chairman of the Student Senate Executive Committee.
United Students has unveiled its candidates for the approaching Student Senate election. Adam McGonigle, a Wichita sophomore, as presidential candidate and his runningmate, Michael Gillaspie, an Ashland junior. McGonigle, pictured here, addresses the group, Sunday at its introductory meeting held at Phi Delta Theta.
“We think there are some things with Student Senate we can do better,” McGonigle said. “We can create a coalition that is more representative of the campus.”
He said the main focus for this campaign would be to get student input. United Students will try to visit all 511 campus groups to see what the students want and need from senate.
McGonigle’s running mate Michael Gillaspie, Ashland junior, is new to Student Senate. Ashland was confirmed as interfraternity council senator at the beginning of the semester. Ashland is also director of Jubilee Café, a volunteer program that serves breakfast to the homeless and in-need community members of Lawrence.
“I have an encompassing background of what campus has to offer,” Gillaspie said. “I can bring new perspective and new ideas to Senate.”
The coalition plans to start visiting student organizations soon to help develop its platforms for the elections in April. It will meet with organization leaders first and then with entire groups to get a broader idea of what students need.
“Although the president of the group may be a great representative, all 50 people in the group may have something else to add,” Gillaspie said. “In politics we sometimes spend too much time talking when the best thing we can do is sit down and listen to the people we represent.”
McGonigle represented students as a freshman senator last year. Though he is the youngest of all candidates running this year, he said his age would not be a factor in the election because he’s already had a chance to work with school administrators.
“Age is usually accompanied by experience,” McGonigle said. “I’ve had a unique experience by being a sophomore Student Executive Chair where I’ve gained an understanding of Senate.”
United Students is the second coalition to announce its candidates. Connect, the coalition that also had its first meeting of the semester yesterday, announced its candidates in December: Austin Kelly, Lawrence senior, for president, and Jason Oruch, Plano, Texas, junior, for vice president.
McGonigle said coalitions usually wait until January to announce their candidates.
“Coalitions can be very divisive in Senate,” McGonigle said. “When it is clear whose side you’re on, it can be disruptive.”
McGonigle said it was important to him to not disrupt the environment of Senate too early.
To join United Students or to learn more about its coalition, visit its Facebook group “United Students.”
— Edited by Jessica Sain-Baird
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Comments
United Students meets, discusses plans
If you look at the the URL of the picture above you'll see that the picture of the reddish white guy as being kunited.jpg.
Wait, I thought personal ambition imploded KUnited years ago. What happened?
United Students meets, discusses plans
Nice catch on the KUnited thing, leehauitu.
Good work, Kansan website editor, knowing WTF is going on.
United Students meets, discusses plans
Hah, looks like the photo was named incorrectly when imaged for the web. Indeed, nice catch. It shall be fixed! (I can knows WTF is goes on?)
United Students meets, discusses plans
The precious jpg hath been a-fixed. Cheerios!
United Students meets, discusses plans
The Kansan editors didn't accidentally misname the photograph. They just have a sense of humor.
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