Unhappy with ASUNM? Get to know candidates

Editor,

In case you haven’t heard, it’s ASUNM election season. As an undergraduate, I encourage all of my peers to make this election season different and become more involved in the election process.

We should use ASUNM senators’ roles in the Chick-fil-A controversy as a learning experience for how we approach this next election.

For those who may have missed it, ASUNM senators passed a resolution on Feb. 20 to recommend removing Chick-fil-A from campus. A resolution is a gesture and, in this case, it was a recommendation to the SUB Board for its vote on Feb. 27.

However, ASUNM got some flak from those constituents who felt the resolution did not match the wishes of the majority. I urge you to speak with the candidates to see how they view their role and duty to their student constituents, especially if you believe the issue was mishandled. I can speak from experience from my relationships with some of the current senators and candidates, which began in high school student council. For the most part, these candidates truly want to make a difference in the UNM community and are not just looking for political gain or résumé boosters. However, if candidates came out and said that they were running for personal gain, I’d endorse them out of sheer respect for their honesty.

Help these potential senators help you. ASUNM has the power to make significant change that can impact your experience at UNM.

Even though you’re already rerouting your path to class so you don’t pass through Smith Plaza, stop by on the days the candidates are out there in their matching garb — yes, the slate colors are happening again this year — and speak with them. Let them know what issues are important to you, and ask them how they view their role so we can avoid another miscommunication in the future.

Attend the forums, engage with the slates on their Facebook pages and talk with them when they interrupt your student group meeting.

Many of these candidates hope to be politically active in the future and will be in similar decision-making situations. Because we live in a democratic republic, citizens don’t have the opportunity to vote on every issue. Therefore, it is imperative that we use the voting power we do have to elect people who best represent us.

Chanel Wiese
UNM student