Leanna Sauerlender

Running for vice president for governmental affairs

Major: political science

Why do you want to run for AS? "I want to run for the VP for government affairs because I have a strong passion for working in politics and specifically for student advocacy. I feel that there’s a lot of gaps on our campus where student voices aren’t heard. I think it’s an outcome of my passion for the students on this campus and also for creating change so that future generations can have a better campus than the ones we have now." What issues do you want to tackle? "An issue that is really on the forefront this year is the creation of the ethnic student center. I really need it to be something that our administration and our student body puts as a priority because right now we are putting other things before it.  Also, a big focus of mine is going to be on student success so creating more resources on campus so that students do have an equitable chance at success. Another issue I want to address this year is to revamp the AS Legislative Affairs Counsel because if I feel that the LAC doesn’t do as much as we could." How would you address these specifically? "The way we need to do this is by gathering state funding. And the way we can do that is by creating a legislative agenda that speaks to state legislators in a way that really inspires and reaches out to them in a way that is meaningful and makes them believe what we need is real on our campus. And creating pathways with administration so we can create change." What are your qualifications? "My first year here I worked in the president’s office under Bruce Shepard and Sabah Randhawa during that transitional period. It was really fulfilling and I learned a lot about the administration side of this campus but I wanted to do more when it came to student advocacy so I went over to the AS. I currently work in the AS board office as the board assistant for academic affairs. That qualifies me because I know a lot about the internal structure of the AS. I was on the hiring committee for the new VP student enrollment and success. It taught me a lot about how faculty operate and what the faculty division of the institution looks like. What qualifies me is my engagement on our campus, and how involved I’ve been in not just student life but administration involvement, faculty involvement and student involvement."

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READ THE OTHER AS CANDIDATE INTERVIEWS:

President: 

Simrun Chhabra

Mary Moeller

Sterling Rettke

VP for Academic Affairs:

Hunter Eider

Julianna Jackson

VP for Activities:

Julia Rutledge

VP for Business and Operations:

Alex Lavallee

VP for Diversity:

Marquis Mason

Erick Yanzon

VP for Governmental Affairs:

Leanna Sauerlender

Ana Ramirez

VP for Student Life:

Fallon Acosta

Annie Gordon

Courtney Manz

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