Meet the ticket: Amplify IUSA
Nick Laszlo, the ticket’s presidential candidate, said the ticket’s platform addresses four key areas: community development, sustainability, personal health and cross-cultural ?development.
Laszlo said the ticket hopes to increase community engagement both within the IU community and between the IU and Bloomington communities. To do so, he said the ticket hopes to introduce new ?community events.
To address sustainability, Laszlo said the ticket plans to suggest implementing dark hours and installing more motion sensors, as well as switching to more energy-efficient exit signs and beverage machines.
Sohee Kwon, the ticket’s vice president of administration candidate, said the ticket hopes to address three aspects of personal health: mental health, sexual well-being and campus safety.
Rather than introducing new mental health services, she said the ticket hopes to expand on and advocate for current mental health services, including IU Counseling and Psychological Services, Sexual Assault Crisis Services, Crimson Corps and Culture of Care.
To address cross-cultural development, Laszlo said the ticket plans to introduce Skype sessions between incoming international students and current students, allowing incoming international students to ask questions. They also hope to form an international ?student advisory board.
Considered the incumbent ticket, Amplify for IUSA, Laszlo said, has learned from both the successes and mistakes of past administrations.
“You realize what has made other administrations successful, and you also realize what challenges have faced other administrations,” he said. “When you look at our platform items as a whole, what you’ll ?realize is that we’re not doing things that can’t be implemented because we’ve had experience with things that couldn’t be implemented in the past. We know what works and what doesn’t work.”
Nevertheless, Kwon said, adding a fresh perspective also benefits the ticket and its platform.
“Everyone in our administration is currently in IUSA,” she said. “As for me, I’m kind of on the outside of IUSA as the co-chair of Culture of Care. And since we are the incumbent ticket, it is beneficial to have someone on the outside of the administration also be on the ticket to add a new perspective to the administration and to IUSA itself.”
Meet the candidates
Nick Laszlo, presidential candidate, is a junior majoring in finance and entrepreneurship.
Goal: “I hope to create more opportunities for IU students to interact with the Bloomington community and to experience all that this great campus offers.”
Sohee Kwon, vice president of administration candidate, is a sophomore majoring in elementary education.
Goal: “Through my experience in Culture of Care, I have noticed the need for students to be connected with the resources IU has to offer us as students. I’d like to see more attention on these resources and their dissemination.”
Zack Farmer, vice president of congress candidate, is a junior majoring in economics and minoring in marketing.
Goal: “I hope to help raise awareness of IUSA’s Congress and representatives. Representatives have the opportunity to advocate for large issues seen by the student body, and I’d like to empower them to use this opportunity as a way to positively impact campus during their time at IU.”
A.J. Gauthier, treasurer candidate, is a sophomore majoring in finance and accounting.
Goal: “I plan to push cross-cultural collaboration and awareness at the ?University.”
The deadline for tickets to formally announce their intention to run is March 9. Candidates must register by 5 p.m. at the Student Life and Learning office in the ?Indiana Memorial Union.
