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I’m running for re-election to ASUAF because I believe UAF has the potential to be a leader in environmental sustainability, and I want to ensure students play a key role in shaping that future. Over the past year, I’ve worked to pass environmental legislation, adopt a highway, and advocate for sustainability initiatives that make a real impact. With your support, I’ll continue pushing for a greener, more sustainable UAF while making it easier for students to get involved in meaningful change.

Previously, I had very little motivation to get involved in my communities and felt little to no connection to student leadership. However, over the past year, my experiences have cultivated my interest and shown me the potential for enrichment through communal engagement. Studying abroad in Ireland and exploring new communities exposed me to attitudes towards participation that reshaped my conception of community. Through this realization, the overwhelming potential has driven me to get involved in the most impactful way possible; I see an opportunity in ASUAF and feel driven to apply myself. In my experiences at UAF, a recurring theme is the acceptance of mediocrity. Whether it is complaints between friends about food or campus maintenance, or decisions by the school board, I see no reason for inactivity or compliance. My goals are simple but unwavering; the ÀÖ»¢Ö±²¥ is our school, and we should see ourselves represented. The events should reflect our interests and demand our presence. Traditions should feel uniting and exciting; in other words, we should be proud of UAF, and engagement should be inspiring, not tedious. We can and will achieve this together.

As a sophomore at UAF, it has been a privilege to be a student here. Though I was online for most of my time here, this semester I flew from Alabama to campus to be here and the amount of activities, social friendliness, educational opportunities, and the ability to grow has welcomed me here. However, knowing the ins and outs of my university is something I value and want to discover that and being part of ASUAF would be the best opportunity to do so.  I would be able to see and possibly solve the on-campus problems here and also serve the "interests, needs, and wants" of my fellow students as cited by the code of ethics from ASUAF. Not only that but I would be able to grow as an individual here for the next 2-3 years amongst the other members of ASUAF.

Although I’ve been here in person for almost a semester, I’ve noticed several problems that I’d like to address with the rest of the ASUAF community. When I first arrived, I was immediately struck by the inconsistency in transportation. Walking across campus in the coldest city in the USA can be challenging, and we need shuttle buses to help us get around. However, students and I have complained that the shuttle times are very inconsistent. Buses don’t come every 15 minutes as advertised, and one of them, the Yukon bus, has caused me to be late to class a few times. Waiting at the bus stop is also not ideal, as it’s still very chilly. Having the buses come on time would be greatly appreciated.

Another issue I’ve noticed is the hours of the dining hall. Others and I believe the hours should be extended from 7 am to 8 pm instead of 7 am to 7 pm. Half of our students have classes that run late from 5 pm to 8 pm, and they don’t have time to get dinner or, if they do, they’re hungry again. Extending the hours by one or even two hours would be great, as students who are up later can head to the dining hall and eat instead of rushing from MBS to the Wood Center at 6:55 pm to try to get a meal that’s just a bunch of scraps. 

Lastly, another problem I’ve seen here is the sidewalk lighting at night, which is a safety and comfort issue. Some walking paths are dim or poorly lit, and the winter darkness makes it even worse, especially. A simple solution could be to install more lights and poles, and emergency call boxes in dark areas, possibly.  

These are problems that I hope to solve and would be considered accomplishments by ASUAF. 

My name is Mack Benn, and I am a current second-year student studying Homeland Security. I have already been serving as a senator and hope to continue. As a senator, my goal is to represent the student body to the best of my ability and and make the student opinion be shared. Something I am hoping to accomplish this upcoming session would be working with the SRC to improve it in some capacity. The ambition would be to look at an expansion or renovation of some kind.  If this appeals to you, I would be honored to have your vote.

• Facilitate and sponsor student clubs and departments in securing additional ASUAF funding.
• Develop initiatives to increase student participation and campus engagement, including a university pep band.
• Improve communication between students, ASUAF, and university departments.

I am a 3rd generation UAF Business Administration major and lifelong Fairbanksan with experience in leadership roles and community service through volunteer activities, officer positions in multiple clubs, and work experience. I am interested in joining ASUAF because it will give me the opportunity to get more involved in my community, gain experience, and advocate for the students of our university. ASUAF stands as a voice for the student body and representative of their interests, though many students are unaware of how to utilize this resource and have their voices heard. If I am elected I hope to mitigate this disconnect by organizing accessible avenues for communication, increasing student awareness, and strengthening communication between students and representatives.