Meet your Student Government Association candidates: Bryce Krull

Senior  

Agriculture Marketing Communications Major

Current Position on Student Senate: CAFES Senator 

Running For: President and Vice President 

Q: Why have you decided to run? 

A: After four years on this campus, I have chosen to run in my final year on campus to fix the problems that have gone unaddressed for four long years. This includes points like student mental safety, inclusivity, sexual health and student comfort. We need a campus that is truly a home away from home, which makes you not want to ever leave. Through sustainable options like having the Greenovation Fund established, we could advance this campus forward. I am here running on the pride that I am, “With you, for you, for UWRF!”

Q: What issues will you focus on if elected? 

A: Some of the key issues we need to focus on are developing spaces in which our students feel like one. These areas can be safe spaces where they know that no one will judge them but also be able to relax. This can include the development of a campus bar and other common spaces like coffee bars where students can relax and unwind together.

Also, our students' mental health and sexual health on this campus is something that is alarming. Developing ways to make preventative treatments as well as safe sex options more available for students will be kept in developing better sexual health.

The final point I want to bring awareness to is student affordability of college. We need to work to get students in front of government officials to promote education support like the Pell Grant and advancement of FAFSA funding for first-generation and limited income students. Everyone should have the right to an education if they are willing to put in the hard work to get it. Check out our Facebook page for more information on key issues we are working for!

Q: How will you better engage with students? 

A: Engaging with the students we represent will be something I hope we always are striving to do more. I will plan to do weekly Facebook live video streams where students can come online and send questions in for us to answer.

I also would like to see student engagement on a more personal level. I will look to have a once a month round table discussions where students can come and sit down with all student senators and discuss the issues they would like to see come forth to Student Senate.

These two things alone will help increase visibility with students and engage them in our discussions! We hope that if we are elected and can do these engagement opportunities, students will also take the time to engage with us back as we want to better them. We are always “With you, for you, for UWRF!”

Q: How can the Student Government Association be improved? 

A: Over the past couple years, the focus of the Student Government Association has stepped away from writing policy changes and done more programming and budget development. While I see the value in most, these are short term things that will have no guarantee in the future.

If elected, I hope to advance more policy to protect students and give students the power to control the university which their funding goes toward. I feel that as we move forward, the development of a Student Organization Protection Act (SOPA) should be put into place.

This SOPA would give students the power back to not only create student organizations as they do now but have the final say in removing or suspending them from campus. Currently, that power sits in the hands of the university, which doesn't benefit from the programming that these student organizations try so hard to put on. It's time for students to finally get their voice back on this university and put programming back in the office of Student Involvement, not student government.

Q: Why should students vote for you? 

A: As a student of this university for four years and going in to my fifth, I have seen many changes to this university, but not the ones that will benefit students long term. Students should vote for me so that, after four long years, we can begin to rebuild the student lives and comfort that has been forgotten.

Two of my opponents also have not had a voting right on Senate and have no track record of voting for or against the betterment of students. You can go on to FalconSync and see that I have been working for students. Students also are familiar with who I am, as I have been involved in several student organizations over the past four years of my time at UW-River Falls. Being a large part of Greek Life and involved in student organizations from CAFES and CBE, I have been involved with a vast group of students. I know I can represent them and will be true to my campaign promise! With you, for you, for UWRF!

The Student Government Association election will be held on FalconSync starting at 8 a.m. Monday, April 17 and ending at 4 p.m. Friday, April 21.