ASG elects eight new senators

Miami University’s Associated Student Government (ASG) elected two on-campus senators, two off-campus senators and four senators-at-large at its Feb. 2 meeting.

Before the elections, ASG approved its first round of student organization funding for the semester.

This round, ASG granted just more than $67,000 in funding to 45 different organizations — far less than the $210,000 that was budgeted. Organizations will have two more opportunities to request funding this semester.

The first election held was for the four senator-at-large positions. Sophomore Eli Davies, first-year Hunter Wells, first-year Teryn Scott, sophomore Cathleen McLaughlin, sophomore Ethan Tinsley and sophomore Max Rionda ran for the positions.

Davies already has a bit of experience with ASG, since he served as an alternate during the Jan. 26 meeting. He said, if elected, he’d like to improve the ASG website and work on diversity and inclusion-related initiatives.

Wells said he didn’t know much about ASG or have any specific plans for if he was elected. He said he cared more about ASG electing the best person for the position than about getting elected himself.

Scott said she was running for ASG because she enjoys discussion and having her views challenged. She said she’d want to work on advertising services available to students — such as receiving Microsoft Office for free.

McLaughlin said, if elected, she’d want to improve transparency between administration and students and would make an effort to improve students’ comprehension of topics like the Title IX process and the First Amendment.

Tinsley, who served on ASG last year, said he’d work on being more open-minded and getting out of his comfort zone if he was elected again. He also said he’d like to improve food inclusivity in the dining halls.

Rionda said he’d want to work on furthering diversity and inclusion efforts, improving campus safety and increasing enforcement of the mask policy if elected.

ASG elected Davies, Scott, McLaughlin and Rionda to the positions.

First-year Elizabeth Travis ran unopposed for the position of on-campus senator for district four.

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Travis said she would work on finding alternatives to disposable products in dining halls and improve lighting on campus. ASG elected her to the position.

First-years Olivia Thomas and Grace Payne ran for the position of on-campus senator for district eight.

Thomas, who is Latina, said she wanted to run for ASG because she felt her identity wasn’t adequately represented on campus. She also said she wanted to make her opinions on Miami’s response to COVID heard.

Payne, who is gluten intolerant, said she’d want to expand dining options for people with food sensitivities if elected. She also said she’d want to improve advertising for mental health resources on campus.

ASG elected Thomas to the position.

Juniors Aidan McKeon, Katie Skelly and Andrew Abata ran for the two off-campus senator positions.

McKeon, who was on ASG last year, said he’d work on educating students about the off-campus rental system if elected. He also said he’d make an effort to get more legislation to the floor than he did during his first term.

Skelly currently serves as an at-large member of ASG’s funding and audit committee, which she said partially inspired her to run for a senate seat. She also said she’d work on ensuring off-campus students feel connected to Miami during the pandemic.

Abata said he’d work on improving campus safety, specifically sexual assault prevention, if elected. He also said he’d try to create more casual outlets for students to discuss their mental health concerns other than therapy.

ASG elected McKeon and Skelly to the positions.

ASG’s next meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m.

@madphabes

phabymr@miamioh.edu