Candidate Statements for the AAS Special Election

The Editorial Board

The following statements are from candidates running in special elections for open senate seats. Statements have been edited for grammar and length.

Class of 2023 Senators:

Javid Alizada ’23

I am many things — a sweetheart, a cool guy from Azerbaijan, a decent biochemistry major, and an average party enjoyer — but, most importantly, I am a passionate member of the class of 2023. Why am I qualified you might ask? I have lived through a war, I applied to

Amherst in mid-December without knowing what the Common App was, I dove with sharks and climbed a volcano just for the fun of it, and I have done many other things that display my fearless and energetic spirit. Regardless of the issue, I am willing to fight for it!

Class of 2024 Senators: Trevor Gasgarth ’24

I am passionate about increasing communication between the Association of Amherst Students (AAS) and student body, as well as enhancing social activities on campus. Communication is essential to ensure that the student voice is heard and that our needs are met by the AAS. Furthermore, by increasing the number of activities on campus, we can create a more vibrant and engaging community. I am committed to creating more social events such as the rave from the fall of 2019. If elected, I promise to work tirelessly to improve our college experience and make our campus a more enjoyable and inclusive place.

Lucas Romualdo ’24

I’m Lucas Romualdo and I’m running to be your senator. I’ve previously been a senator and the AAS secretary, and I’m running to improve transparency and next year’s budget planning.

My priorities are (1) transparency: There should be more accountability from senators to report on faculty committees’ decision-making.

(2) Financial Sensibility: Student activities fee revenue is down 14 percent from 2019 and only 60 percent of allocations are spent. Restore the student activities fee back to pre-pandemic levels and ensure that they receive only what they plan to spend. Let’s free up more student money for clubs and events.

Transfer Senators:

Erik Arciniega ’26

As the current co-chair of La Causa, I have had the privilege of advocating for a better student experience for our large and diverse group. I believe that I can bring this same energy and commitment to the Senate, where my primary concern will be to ensure that all students’ voices are heard. If elected, I would advocate for better resources and services, increased transparency from our administration, and greater opportunities for student engagement. As a hardworking and dedicated student leader, I promise to listen to your ideas and work collaboratively with my fellow senators to achieve our shared goals.