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CANDIDATE INFO
BOARD OF TRUSTEES GRADUATE CANDIDATES Kevin Braghirol, Class of 2018 My name is Kevin Braghirol and I am a second year medical student at the UConn Health Center in Farmington. I am an alumni (CLAS, 2014) with a major in Molecular/Cell Biology as well as a double minor in Physiology/Neurobiology and History. I feel that I am qualified for the position of Graduate Student Representative to the Board of Trustees because I have been in the university system for five and a half years, am very hardworking, and have experience at the main campus and the Health Center. I look forward to meeting and working with the students from the other campuses to better represent them as well. I am easily accessible, decisive, and have a deep love of the University. As a trustee, I hope to help maintain fiscal responsibility to stem the rise in tuition and to increase student access to educational technologies, grants, and scholarships. I will do everything I can to further the University as a whole and ensure that the graduate student voice is heard.
Taylor Eagan, Class of 2019 My name is Taylor Eagan, a first year law student at UConn. I did my undergraduate at Fordham University in the Bronx, and am glad to be back home in Connecticut to be a candidate for representative to the Board of Trustees! I’m excited to run for this position, and committing my energy and skills into my school to seek the improvement of student life. When the Governor proposes a 5% reduction of funding to higher education, a united front must respond, led by representatives actively campaigning for the interests of the students it represents. I studied political economy at Fordham; this background makes me exceptionally qualified to negotiate these issues for the sake of all UConn students. I am running this term to engage with my fellow students who are just as interested in moving towards the future. I am a high-energy person who will work passionately for the UConn community; I look forward to being elected as your representative to the Board, and making myself available for all students to discuss our school!
GRADUATE STUDENT SENATE CANDIDATE Thomas Briggs I was a GSS Senator for Political Science for 3 semesters and have served on the GSS Executive Committee as Communications Director for the academic year 2015-6. As an At-Large senator I would particularly represent international graduate students and those without cars.
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BOARD OF TRUSTEES UNDERGRADUATE CANDIDATES Adam Kuegler My name is Adam Kuegler and I’m a CLAS student seeking a B.A. in Political Science. As the USG Vice President and a former Multicultural-Diversity Senator and External Affairs Chairman, I have achieved results. I helped change state law to allow Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners to perform treatment on campus rather than forcing survivors to travel. I’ve fought to reduce state budget cuts and preserve programs on all of UConn’s campuses. I’ve advocated for inclusion and healthy discourse. Administrators and legislators know me, and they know that I stand up for students. When elected, I will continue advocating for results that matter to students. In addition to the above initiatives, I will defiantly discourage backroom budget discussions and examine the budget line-by-line to ensure that student funds are used efficiently. I will seek input through adequately publicized office hours and keep students up-to-date using Daily Campus letters. Finally, I will have the courage to disagree with administrators and other Trustees because I know that the best solutions come from discourse that includes the student voice.
Freddy Santiago My name is Freddy Santiago. I am an Urban Community Studies major at our West Hartford Campus. I am currently serving as a Senator in my local Student Government. When I first joined, I was tasked with organizing an ad-hoc Advocacy Committee. Since then, advocacy identifies everything I do. I have developed strong relationships with every club and organization, advisor, and director on campus. I’ve met amazing people from every campus, and I have strong ties to every student government. My number one goal should I be elected would be to communicate and collaborate immediately with student leaders, within my jurisdiction, to organize student voices. I’m a firm believer that this position is most effective in tandem with student leadership, and I am as passionate and groomed for this task as possible. As a Storrs student next semester, I will have even more depth, perspective, and resources accessible. Unfortunately, I have a word-cap on this statement, but if you have any further questions, please email me directly at juan.santiago@uconn.edu. I have plenty more to say.
Christine Savino My name is Christine Savino, and I am a Sophomore Economics major. Through philanthropic activities such as Let’s Get Ready, in which I tutor the financially disadvantaged in the SAT, and Habitat for Humanity, in which I build homes both domestically and internationally, I have developed a deep empathy towards those who are in need and unlike myself. Thus, as a Trustee I will strive to empathize with UConn’s diverse viewpoints and wishes in order to make the most efficient decisions possible. Likewise, as an honors student balancing work, education, and extracurricular activities daily, I understand and value the importance of goals and persevering until they are achieved. This deeply ingrained drive, empathy, and desire to help others makes me a favorable candidate. If elected, I will facilitate awareness and dialogue about important budgetary, social, and other issues that I will be faced with. Furthermore, I plan to make all decisions based on the needs of UConn and persevere until they are met. Thus, I am optimistic about creating a more unified and informed UConn.
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UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT Candidates for President/Vice-President Daniel Byrd, President / Irma Valverde, Vice-President Hello, our names and Daniel Byrd and Irma Valverde and we are running for President and Vice President. We have run a campaign about students. We have no only listened to students’ concerns during this campaign, but we will continue to do so when we are in office. If we are elected, USG will be more inclusive - allowing all students to have a say in their student government. We believe we are the best candidates for the job due to our experience and accomplishments. We both hold executive positions in USG and understand the commitment and dedication these offices require. Through our executive experience, we have formed relationships with the administration. With the help of our committees we have gotten great things done for UConn. The job of President and Vice President come with a lot of responsibility, and we are ready to meet that challenge. We want to continue our work to get free “open source” textbooks on campus to save students thousands of dollars. We want to fight to secure state funding so tuition does not continue to rise. We are committed to improving campus safety as we have this year. These are just a few of the things we want to get done over the next year. We hope you will vote for us because our goal is to build a better UConn with you!
Eliza Conrad, President / Joy Sgobbo, Vice-President
lives at the University.
UConn students work tirelessly every day to reach their goals. It is our duty as members of the Undergraduate Student Government to assure that UConn is helping students accomplish these ambitions. If elected, we will make sure that the Administration listens to the ideas, viewpoints, and concerns of the student body. We will implement more effective communication strategies to make sure that we are listening to what students are saying. We will advocate tirelessly on behalf of UConn students to not only meet their needs, but to affect actual change that will improve their
Stephanie Sponzo, President / Haddiyyah Ali, Vice-President Greetings fellow Huskies, we are Stephanie Sponzo and Haddiyyah Ali. We currently serve as McMahon and commuter senators, respectively, and are running to represent you as the President and Vice President of the Undergraduate Student Government. We are committed to the student voice and know that we have the passion, drive, and leadership ability to empower UConn and empower you. Our platform initiatives are to increase diversity, visibility, transparency, and accountability within the Undergraduate Student Government in order to represent you all to the best of our ability. A vote for Sponzo Ali is a vote for an empowered student body.
Candidates for Comptroller Rishita Jani Ayn Rand, an American philosopher, said “Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.” Having been on USG Executive Committee as both a Funding Board Chair and Executive Director of Programs, I aim to push the students’ agenda and further their interests through the resources the Undergraduate Student Government can provide. I hope to work with Administration and create a clear outline within our organization. This can only be done with perspective, experience, and fiscal responsibility; all of which I prove to possess.
Sarthak (Sam) Shah
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‘Fulfilling’ is my motto and so is the meaning of my name ‘Sarthak’ in Sanskrit language. This motto has already been adhered to the Comptroller’s position I am running for. Having a strong foundation in mathematics and management, I am ready to efficiently govern the financial aspects of USG. Student Activity Groups come to USG with a myriad of funding related matters. As the Comptroller and Chair of the Appeals Board I will not only prepare USG’s budget projections and allocations, but will also assist student groups with their funding issues in a punctual manner.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT *NOTE: Although there are no candidates running for School of Education, School of Fine Arts, School of Nursing, School of Pharmacy, or Ratcliffe Hicks School of Agriculture Senators, there will be a write-in option.
Candidates for Senator Position - ACES Soledad Castellano My name is Soledad Castellano and I am running for the 2016-2017 Academic Center for Exploratory Students Senator position. I look to represent my student peers with honesty and integrity while always keeping my fellow students’ best interests in the forefront. If elected, I will promise to do my best to ensure that the needs and voices of my fellow student are the only things I hear when I make legislative and community based decisions. Go Huskies!
Sushanth Kockonda “A man of character will make himself worthy of any position he is given.” I, Sushanth Kockonda, am running for the privilege to serve you as your Undergraduate Student Government Senator from ACES. I will strive to be the effective voice for ACES students at the USG while catering to the needs of all student groups on campus to the best of my ability. I am ready to learn and provide dedicated counsel to the student body. I assure you that all concerns will just not be heard but also suitably addressed.
Benjamin Murray This year will hopefully be my second term serving ACES as a Senator. I have been active in USG throughout the past year and hope that you will vote for me so that we can continue the great work that we have been doing for our university. Thank you for your help in my reelection and for making your vote and voice count.
Candidates for Senator Position - MCD Fahima Dirir My name is Fahima Dirir. I currently serve in student government as the African American Cultural Center ex-officio and I’m running for MCD Senator. As an active member of the AACC and activist on campus, I feel I have the experience and initiative to best serve the student body. As MCD Senator, I hope to not only create specialized safe spaces for underrepresented groups, but a generally safer inclusive campus for everyone.
Vanessa Villar My name is Vanessa Villar and I hope to be your next Multi-Cultural and Diversity Senator. As a freshman, I first found comfort within the cultural centers. My first experience was with PRLACC as a M.E.T.A.S mentee and later I became the representative of PRLACC within USG. Since then, I have continuously supported each cultural center by attending their events. I have also volunteered in the past two “Cultural Center Open Houses” hosted by the Student Development committee. If elected I will go beyond representing diversity within UConn but I will make sure each underrepresented student’s voice is being heard. 4
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT Candidates for Senator Positions - CLAS Ama Appiah My name is Ama Appiah, and I am currently a freshman here at UCONN. I have a love for interacting with my peers, therefore, I would like to represent them accurately within the academic community. I have worked in various leadership roles within the past 4 years. For example, I have worked as an advisor to my local mayor, with the state on multiple youth issues such as safe driving, alongside Gov. Dan Malloy and the Attorney General to implement solutions to these issues, and have served on my high school’s executive board. These experiences have allowed me to develop certain leadership and communication skills that I believe are imperative for a role such as CLAS senator. Thank you for the support!
Sydney Carr My name is Sydney Carr. I am currently a sophomore here with a major in political science. I wish to formally announce my candidacy for the position of Senator for CLAS. As a current member of CLAS, I intend to make active changes in regards to the academic well-being of my constituency. I will listen to the concerns of each student, and perform on their behalf so that their voices might be heard. I will try my very best to guarantee that my constituents’ needs are met, ensuring that they are happy here at UConn!
Richa Jain Knowledge is ubiquitous. Inspiration is rampant. The opportunity is now. We will take what is ours with fire and blood. “They” don’t want you to have nice things. “They” don’t want you to have a bug-free meal. “They” don’t want you to have secure WiFi. “They” don’t want you to get a good buy-back price from the Co-Op. Richa wants you to succeed. Richa wants all the above and so much more. She strives to keep transparency and uphold a government of the people, for the people. Voting for Richa as CLAS Senator is major key to success.
Michael Lanza I have taken great pride in serving as a Senator for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and member of the External Affairs Committee this year. There is still much to be done, though. If reelected, I will strive not only to represent the needs of the CLAS student body, but to work to the best of my ability to improve quality of life for everyone on campus.
Michael Laporte As an advocate, I have worked tirelessly on behalf of students, representing their needs. While at Manchester Community College, I wrote a bill for the Legislative Higher Education Committee that will change the way the State Board of Regents for Higher Education can handle student money, as well as editorials for several state newspapers, criticizing the Board for their practices. At UConn, I will work to keep the UConn Co-Op independent, I will continue to advocate for holding tuition flat or lowering it, and I will do my utmost to represent students objectively in every field possible.
Lauren Oldziej
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My name is Lauren Oldziej and I am running for the position of CLAS Senator for a second term. I am passionate about representing the interests of the student body and addressing issues that face our school. This year I have been involved in helping student groups receive necessary funding as well as recently traveling to Hartford in efforts to prevent detrimental cuts to UConn’s budget. For the last year of my college career I would love nothing more than to continue serving you and making a difference in student life at UConn.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT Candidates for Senator Positions - CLAS Vinaya Rajahraman Hi, my name is Vinaya Rajahraman and I am running to be a CLAS senator in USG. I am currently a first year biology student with an interest in politics and would like to hear each of your requests and concerns with the way UConn is currently operating. I would like to work with you to change policies and fix flaws within the campus, such as the limited seating in Homer Babbidge. My goal is to serve as a voice for my fellow CLAS student body; your opinions are what matter the most to me. Thank you for your votes!
Carli Riccio Hi! My name is Carli Riccio, and I am hoping that you will vote for me as a CLAS Senator! As a Connecticut native and the daughter of UConn alumni, this school holds a special place in my heart. “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” is a quote that I try to incorporate into every aspect of my life and would love the opportunity to apply it as a CLAS Senator. I will work tirelessly to harness the brilliant, spontaneous ideas of my peers and turn them into a reality. We all have a chance to leave our mark here at UConn. By voting for me as Senator I promise that, together, we can leave a lasting impression that will not easily be forgotten.
Neal Shah No Photo Available
As Senator I will approach the issues our university faces in a positive and ethical manner. My passion for Uconn and the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences will drive me to advocate for the needs of the students of this campus.
Timothy Sullivan No Photo Available
My name is Tim Sullivan and I am running for my second term as a Senator for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Currently, I am a junior studying political science and economics. I serve on both the student services and external affairs committees. I ask for your vote, so I may continue to serve the student body.
Kristin Von Ohlsen Hi everyone, my name is Kristin Von Ohlsen and I am a freshman from Ridgefield, CT seeking a dual degree in Psychology and Human Rights. As your representative, I would help bring the student body’s concerns and ideas to attention and enact change. I myself am interested in getting involved in streamlining academic requirements in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, fostering greater transparency between the administration and the students, and working to keep the cost of UConn as low as possible. I look forward to meeting more members of our community and hearing what you have to say!
George Wang For the past two years, I’ve served the CLAS constituency through hard work and dedication. I hope that you will continue to support all that we’ve accomplished and will accomplish by voting Wang again. USG exists to serve the student body and I’m proud to say that I’ve worked to forward the student body’s interests since day one.
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UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT Candidates for Senator Positions - ENGR Leena Chacrone As a mechanical engineering major involved in the engineering community, I take part in conversations regarding ways in which the department can improve its practice. Along with fellow senators, I wish to represent the hundreds of UConn engineers and advocate for their concerns by encouraging open and active communication between them and myself. I have vision to not only be a liaison between students and the department, but to campaign for my constituents’ desires. With my leadership, I have no doubt the Engineering department will appeal to all its students and that their voices will be heard where it matters.
Myles Gibbs As a fifth year Eurotech student, I have had a long and diverse experience as an undergraduate engineering student here at UConn. I have many great ideas based off this experience as to how we can improve student life here at UConn. Please consider giving me the opportunity to bring these ideas to fruition.
Jacob Kowalski I have always believed very passionately in the importance of engineering at UConn, and I am very excited to be running for senator. The School of Engineering needs someone to advocate strongly for our interests, to which I am well suited. Unlike many engineering students, I have political experience. I’m serving as the Co-Political Director of the UConn College Democrats. I write for opinion in the Daily Campus and I’ve even penned an op-ed calling for the establishment of an aerospace department. If you want someone with the dedication and experience to fight for engineering then give me your vote.
Soumya Kundu The Senate of the Undergraduate Student Government exists to represent the interests and needs of the student body and advocate for change when necessary. As an active senator in USG for the past two years, and as the current senator for the School of Engineering, I have pursued important issues affecting students all across this campus through my work on the Academic Affairs committee and through legislation for engineering groups in need of help. If elected, I look forward to continue my commitment to USG by effectively representing and advocating for the students in the School of Engineering.
John Wilson No Photo Available
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My name is Jack Wilson. I am a junior in Civil Engineering running for Senate. I am focused, creative and as your Senator will work hard to help make UCONN an even better place. So please vote for – Jack Wilson – and keep on rocking in the free world!
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT Candidate for Senator Position - CAHNR Christian Allyn With great enthusiasm I hope to represent CAHNR students as your Senator to USG. With experiences at UConn working with Tier II and Tier III organizations, lobbying at the State Capitol and being involved politically, I have gained the skills and connections necessary to represent CAHNR students and organizations. As a USG Senator, I will actively work with CAHNR student organizations to help them get the funding they request. Above all, I plan to share with USG the importance of the Agriculture, Health and Natural Resource industries in Connecticut, and how funding of related student organizations fuels the industry’s growth.
Candidate for Senator Position - Business Francesca Caruso After finishing my first year and a half as a senator, I can say I have learned a lot about what being a senator means. One of the most important aspects is communication. I have learned just how critical it is to a functioning and transparent relationship between a senator and their electorate. Thus, my objective for this upcoming year is to facilitate strong connections between my future constituency and myself. This will allow me to represent the voices of the business school to the best of my ability.
Sarah Curtis I believe that I would be a good candidate for Business School leadership because of my active and ongoing role as a leader in business. I am V.P. Marketing of Women in Business and I seek to benefit all members of the business community. I will be an active voice that will advocate for whatever changes need to be made.
Erik Jansson No Photo Available
My name is Erik Jansson and I just transferred from the Stamford campus. I started off as a Senator and quickly became the Director of Student Activities within our student government. I planned and budgeted all on campus events. I was then promoted to Student Affairs Officer where I helped improve the lives of the students by posing as the middleman between the students and the faculty. If any complaint were received I would help the student find a solution. I would like to use what I have learned to help improve this campus as I did at Stamford.
Austin Langer My name is Austin Langer, I’m from Ridgefield, CT, and I am currently a finance and political science dual degree student. I have had a great first year serving as Storrs Center senator by fighting for students’ rights and working with administrators to improve the quality of our lives. One issue I want to continue to combat is the erosion of funding for higher education here at UConn. I would like to work with you to combat these funding cuts, and any issues you choose to bring to my attention. Thanks for your support and votes!
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UCONN CO-OP BOARD OF DIRECTORS CANDIDATES David Anzini
Undergraduate Student 2017
Distinguished Members, my name is David Anzini. I’m a junior marketing major here at UConn and currently sit on the UConn Co-op board of directors. When I was looking for colleges back in high school, UConn was a major interest of mine, I even bought a shirt from the Co-op to motivate myself through common app. On the day that I got my acceptance letter, I broke out my shirt and proudly wore it around the halls of my small town New York high school. In my freshman year, I saw the election packets at the Co-op and ran for a seat on the board. After winning in the election, I immediately got involved and took part in monthly meetings, by the discretion of the board. In my first term as a board member, I was elected as Vice-Chair alongside the previous Chair Stephen Klinck. My focus was the student body, the majority of the Co-op’s members, and what we could do for them. At the start of my second year on the board, I was abroad in England, and unfortunately away during a pivotal moment in the history of the UConn Co-op. With the guidance of the board’s new chair Tim Dzurilla, I was given the initiative to start a student ambassador program, which has currently enrolled 6 students. The goal is to provide real world experience to a student while providing aid to staff at the Co-op in a multitude of different areas. During the beginning portion of the semester, with the aid of my newly enrolled ambassadors, we were able to inform thousands of students, faculty, and alumni about the serious threat to the existence of the Co-op. If elected for a second term, I plan to expand student opportunities on campus with the aid and support of the Co-op. I intend to build the student ambassador program even more, and provide more opportunities for students to gain real world experience that can help them past graduation. I intend to build a stronger relationship with our members, one that will show the state of Connecticut and the nation how serious and committed the UConn Co-op is to the well-being of the students and community. The majority of our members are students, they attend a learning institution, and we will provide the tools necessary for them to succeed. We will be a symbol in the community, always centered on not just our interest, but theirs as well. I promise this and more if elected for a second term. Respectfully, David Anzini Jr.
Timothy Dzurilla
Graduate Student 2017
In my current position as Chair of the Board, I have focused on improving the Co-op’s responsiveness to the concerns of our members and University officials. We have been able to start-up new student programs, improve operations and sales, and create a vision for how we can better serve and enhance the educational and cultural experiences at UConn. Moving forward, I would like to focus on improving the usability and functionality of our online store, increase opportunities for member participation, and support Open Education initiatives on campus (aka free textbooks!).
Esha Reddy
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Undergraduate Student 2017
Hello UConn Community! My name is Esha Reddy and I am a rising senior majoring in Management in the School of Business. For the past 40 years, the UConn Co-op has been dedicated to serve its members and local community with a variety of products and services of the highest quality and for the lowest prices possible. However, the University has recently been considering a corporate replacement for the UConn Co-op as the official campus bookstore. As a candidate for the 2016 Board of Directors, it is my mission and goal to raise awareness and support in order to save the Co-op. Since January, I have had the rare opportunity to serve as a UConn Co-op Ambassador. In this role, I collaborated with members of the current Co-op Board of Directors and 5 other ambassadors to create and promote the #SaveTheCoop campaign. Within a three-week period, the Ambassador team and I were able to successfully create a marketing campaign in order to bring this issue to students, faculty, and the local community. This campaign included creating a social media presence through Facebook and Twitter, posting flyers throughout the UConn Storrs campus, and drafting and publishing the official Change.org petition. With the dedication of the entire team and the support of members of the Co-op and UConn community, the Change.org petition received over 5,000 signatures in less than a week, including thousands more on the paper petition. Overall, my experience as a Co-op ambassador gave me a rare look inside the UConn Co-op by providing an opportunity to get to know the Co-op Board of Directors and staff, understanding the relationship between the Co-op and the University, and helping me find areas of improvement within this student-run organization. As a staple amongst the Community, the UConn Co-op is dedicated to serving its members, the students at the University of Connecticut. If elected onto the 2016 Board of Directors, my primary mission is to raise as much awareness and support to save the Co-op by creating a bigger presence of the #SaveTheCoop campaign. In order to increase awareness, I will reach out to key outlets such as The Daily Campus, create a stronger social media presence by
UCONN CO-OP BOARD OF DIRECTORS CANDIDATES Esha Reddy (Continued) encouraging shares and adding more content, and promote the campaign through tabling and possibly #SaveTheCoop merchandise (such as stickers, buttons, and pens). Furthermore, I will increase the responsibilities of the Co-op Ambassador team in order to find more opportunities for the Co-op to get involved within the community. Lastly, as a student-run organization, I believe that the UConn Co-op should create a stronger relationship with other UConn organizations. Therefore, if elected, I will look for more opportunities for the Co-op to work with organizations such as USG, SUBOG, and Community Outreach through various events or programs. A vote for me will ensure that all the Co-op members’ voices will be heard and represented. If elected to the 2016 UConn Co-op Board of Directors, I want to make a difference and save the Co-op!
Joseph Sweet
Alumnus
My name is Joe Sweet and I am running as an alumni candidate for the UConn Co-op Board of Directors. I have been at the University since 2003, as an undergraduate, MBA and law student, and as an employee; and currently serve as the Treasurer for the UConn Co-op Board of Directors. It has been a challenging couple of years. We recently had our 40th anniversary and we are looking to fight for another 40 years as we face prospective takeovers from private bookstores. I ran two years ago to ensure that we provide affordable educational resources and textbooks to students and want to continue those efforts. I believe strongly in bringing (free or low cost) open educational resources to the student body, and will continue to work with the University to promote that effort. I will also work with the University to ensure that we explore avenues to provide cost comparison tools and faculty tools for bringing in lower cost textbooks and materials as part of the classroom requirements. I will work with the Co-op’s suppliers to ensure that we can provide affordable products to the University at-large as the University faces budget challenges with cuts by the State. And, as always, I will challenge our way of doing business so that we can be innovative and address the evolving needs of our students, faculty, staff and alumni. I thank you for your support and look forward to helping the UConn Co-op bookstores progress in serving your needs.
Hunter Watkins Dupont
Undergraduate Student 2019
I know you’re busy with the all of the credits you’re probably taking this semester in the pursuit of the dream career that you think about every so often so, I’ll make brevity essential in what I’m about to say. University of Connecticut, I am just like you. I deal with the daily dilemmas you face; the parking ticket you got at 4:59pm on a Monday, the annoying roommate who won’t ever turn off their alarm clock, the back to back to back and back classes, and the biggest dilemma we all face- the 143.83$ textbook that you’ll use once during the semester. The price of textbooks are a huge issue for us as students, but this issue we already face as University students is at risk of becoming more prevalent than beforehand; the price we pay for the books we need to properly take advantage of the tuition we already pay. In addition to that, a litany of perks we all enjoy such as secret sales, student support services, textbook buybacks, and most importantly the option to return that 143.83$ textbook you never needed. Why is all of this in jeopardy? In part, the corporate buyout proposal that was offered for our beloved Co-op. The proposal received was rather substantial; therefore, it proves to be somewhat incentivizing to allow the purchase of the Co-op especially due to that recent email we received about the proposed further budget cuts to UCONN. This buyout may be a relief for the University but not for its students who rely on that establishment, if the corporate proposal succeeds the price for books will rise roughly 8-9% along with the staggering loss of previous programs meant to benefit students offered by the Co-op. In the effort to save what we cherish, the 20% off sales on game day, the periodic free hot chocolate, the student jobs, and the cheaper than Barnes and Noble price of books- work has to be done. I don’t want you to do that work though because quite frankly it’d be a pain on top of all the courses that you’re currently taking along with all the clubs and activities you’re busy with so that is why, University of Connecticut, I want you to give me the pressure of taking care of all of your needs regarding the Co-op and I want you to worry about everything else that is important to you. I will ensure that prices stay low for things that we need: books, pens, pencils and all the generic school necessities but more importantly I’ll make sure the things we want stay around too- the secret sales whenever our incredible sports teams are playing, the jobs we want to pay for the things we want, and most of all the center of our campus stays in our hands, not some corporate company who has no Husky Pride! Go Huskies *NOTE: All candidate information was provided by the candidates and reported verbatim in this document.
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