DAILY LOBO new mexico
The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895
dailylobo.com Available on the
App Store
GET IT ON
Google play
April 4, 2016 | Volume 120 | Issue 56
ASUNM
Presidential head-to-head Kyle Biederwolf would promote student safety and success
Randy Ko hopes to improve student collaboration
Courtesy ASUNM
By Denicia Aragon Kyle Biederwolf said the Associated Students of UNM was his first taste of student politics. It was in his second freshman semester that the junior business major ran for ASUNM senate. During his two terms in the senate, he has sat on the finance committee and outreach committee. After those two terms he applied to become the executive director of Emerging Lobo Leaders and has held that title ever since. He was also board president of the SUB and the head of recruitment for Alpha Tau Omega. UNM, he said, has been an important part of learning who he is. “I have been affected by UNM. This University has given me so much and I want to be able to give something back,” Biederwolf said. As ASUNM president, Biederwolf would have three initiatives for safety. The first, to improve communication between ASUNM and the policy office. “We want to get the actual facts and know exactly what we can do,” Biederwolf said. “Anyone can say they are going to do something, but the only way something can actually be done is working with the policy office.” Second, he would like to have a senator representing the safety committee. And third, although the Women’s Resource Center hosts a few self defense classes once in a while, Biederwolf said there needs to be more consistent programs, such as a weekly
class at the Johnson Center. For his outreach focus, Biederwolf said he wants to make sure that every single opinion that comes through the executive leaders on this campus has a student voice behind it, whether it be a student poll, walking around Smith Plaza asking questions to students or hosting an open forum for political discussions. “We would like to have an open forum every month or maybe more. That is how we can find out what the students want,” he said. “If I’m elected, I want to have a weekly newsletter or video of everything that passes through ASUNM for any student to see.” Biederwolf ’s success focus involves creating a UNM After Hours program, providing students that are busy during the day with student services and resources that are right now only available during daylight hours. “With all these different angles that I have been able to do on this campus and all the different experiences that I’ve had, it has prepared me for this position,” he said. “Being able to work with administrators and work with students and departments, run meetings, things in my past have prepared me for this position. I’m excited to set in and improve ASUNM, whether it is in safety or supporting students as a whole. I believe stepping forward in the position I can get it done, and I believe that my entire team can get it done as well.” Denicia Aragon is a freelance writer with the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at news @dailylobo.com on Twitter @DailyLobo.
Early Voting Thursday, April 7 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. SUB Mall Level (Next to Welcome Desk)
Courtesy ASUNM
By Denicia Aragon Randy Ko has been involved in student government since his freshman year in high school. He joined Emerging Lobo Leaders when he first began attending UNM, providing him a glimpse of what the Associated Students of UNM does on behalf of students on campus. Last year, he took his first big step into student government, elected into ASUNM senate and becoming a voting member of the Student Fee Review Board. The sophomore biochemistry major only became more involved in UNM after that, within ASUNM and without. He is currently an ASUNM representative forthe Student Publication Board, a member of the faculty senate undergraduate committee, a UNM Presidential Scholar, a UNM Trailblazers alumni ambassador, an ASUNM community experience member, the Phi Delta Theta scholarship chairman, and graduation chair for the Order of Omega. “College is where you can find out where your passion is, and getting involved on campus is a good way for students to figure out what their passion is,” Ko said. “Many students don’t realize how many organizations are on campus and that there is something at UNM for everyone.” Ko has been involved in launching many self defense projects geared toward students. These projects are not only about non-lethal defense tools, such as stun guns and pepper spray, but they also provide self defense classes and programs to educate students about what is going on around them.
As for student accessibility to ASUNM, Ko would like to create a survey system making sure adequate student input on all of the decisions ASUNM will be making is provided. “There hasn’t been a great way to get student feedback, and it is somewhat complicated to make sure that the feedback we are getting is from actual students,” Ko said. “So, I would like to work with the IT department to add an aspect on MyUNM and an application for ASUNM on the website.” To improve transparency among students and student government, Ko said he is looking into sending a weekly e-mail of the ASUNM agenda to students so they feel welcomed to attend the meetings. “We have done all kinds of outreach, and we would like different ways on how we can get students involved in student government,” Ko said. Ultimately, Ko said he hopes to become president of ASUNM as a way to create a true give-and-take relationship that offers collaboration and transparency to undergraduates. “I envision a campus where students are not only a big part of the rule-making process, but also connected through the organizations that give students the experiences to make their college degree a strong foundation for their lives,” he said. “I firmly believe that being ASUNM president would present me with an opportunity to help create both a connected student body and a strong student community.” Denicia Aragon is a staff writer with the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at news @dailylobo.com on Twitter @DailyLobo.
ASUNM Election Day Wednesday, April 13 Locations and times: my.unm.edu / 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Student Residence Center Commons / 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Student Union Building / Main Level / 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Zimmerman Library / 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Polling locations and times are subject to change