The Mirror: How did you get appointed to your current position?
Alicia Zapf: Ali Ghiorzi ’08, the FUSA chief justice, approached me because she knew I was interested in the elections and had also worked both this and the previous fall elections. Since I am one of the four seniors on the student court, she thought I would be ideal for the job. In court, everyone is equal outside the chief justice, and everyone has different tasks, like organizing lectures, sponsoring events and heading the elections commission.
TM: What are some of your duties? AZ: I attend weekly meetings with Caroline Joy, faculty advisor for FUSA and assistant director of student activities and facilities. We discuss the process, especially the petition process. Right now we are in a lull, but on Feb. 8, all of the positions are due in. Our biggest responsibility is on the day of election, [by] maintaining the integrity of the election and ensuring there is no campaigning around election area. [We] make sure the election process is not compromised. We also use a lot of advertising to try to get students to vote.
TM: What do you think about recent student-voter turnout? AZ: During sophomore year [2005-06], when Hutch was running for first term, a lot of people were excited and campaigning for the two seniors running at the time. A lot of students were excited. Hutch was different and challenged the seniors. The biggest problem is enough students aren’t aware; if they see it in places, they will go vote.
TM: What happens to those pink forms candidates must fill out? Who do they go to and who sees those questions on the second page? AZ: The paper goes to the office of student life and activities, and Caroline Joy looks at them first to make sure they are complete. She makes sure they have the signatures and gives students the opportunity to get signatures if they are short. Questions are not looked at by the commission but are posted on bulletin boards next to the candidates’ pictures so students can see the picture then see the answers of the candidates.
TM: What do you think the chances are of another sophomore winning the election? AZ: Possible; whoever comes in with the most appealing ideas will win the election. Hutch broke the mold. Now kids don’t have to have junior standing to campaign competitively. As long as they are coming in with new ideas, the students will respond.
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