Junge runs unopposed for EVP, aims to bridge gap between SA and student body

By Ivana Hsyung     2/13/24 10:25pm

Baker College freshman Asianna Junge is running unopposed for the position of the Student Association external vice president. She is currently serving as one of Baker’s new student representatives. 

Junge is campaigning on transparency, accountability and accessibility. Junge recounted her own confusion as a new student representative sitting through the SA’s weekly meetings, which are open to the general student body. This motivates her to push for more comprehensible communication of the SA’s conversations and initiatives, she explained. 

“What are we aiming to do with resolutions? What is the end goal? What were the steps that we took to get there? I want to find a way to bridge [the gap between the student body and the SA] and make it easier to understand and be held accountable,” Junge said.

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Junge said she aims to promote transparency in the SA, from money and time delegation to decision making and processes. She plans to work with the SA to condense the Senate minutes into a digestible list and to use social media platforms to spread awareness about weekly discussion topics. 

“Not a lot of people are going to sit through and read every single thing that everyone says [in the Senate minutes],” Junge said. She hopes that a summarized form of Senate minutes might help everyone be on the same page.

Junge became interested in running for EVP after shadowing Crystal Unegbu, the current EVP who is running unopposed for internal vice president, and having the opportunity to participate in their weekly meetings. Junge lists Senator dinners, which the EVP coordinates, as an example of an important time of communication and connection.

According to Junge, the main role of the EVP is to communicate with and facilitate conversations between senators, the undergraduate student body and faculty. Junge also acknowledges that EVPs have the opportunity to contribute a lot to the executive committee. 

“I anticipate in those meetings, I’d be able to share more of my perspective as a first-generation and an out-of-state student,” Junge said. 

Junge specifically hopes to hold more open town halls for students to voice their opinions, especially after resolutions are passed.  

“It’s a way to voice opinions and hear more from the student body,” Junge said. “Getting to hear more perspectives on a regular basis will improve the SA over time.”

In order to promote attendance to student body gatherings such as town halls, Junge emphasizes the importance of showcasing the impact of student-led committees and resolutions. 

“We need to show [the student body] what has been changed, what these [committees and resolutions] have done, and how they can contribute to that,” Junge said. “People don’t want to go to something that they think is going to do nothing, or is redundant. I think it really has to start with us showing that by attending, you can make a difference.”

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