Meet the ASG presidential candidates

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Love and Mavily these are the words Associated Student Government presidential nominees Ben Linzey and Carly Hanley used to describe their respective campaigns.

Linzey, who is running alongside Gabby Gile, hopes to improve ASG’s role in Student Life, Residence Life and with the student body.

“We believe if you get students involved in one thing whether if it is through athletics, clubs or organizations, their experience is going to be better,” Linzey, who is the current ASG President, said. “We also want to publicize for the freshman that they can and should get involved.”

Hanley, whose running partner is Libby Bierbaum, wants to change the comfortability for students on campus. Like Linzey’s campaign, Hanley aspires to have a better relationship with different clubs and organizations.

Her word for the campaign, Mavily, means the Colorado Mesa University student body is one.

“That means we are all united,” Hanley said. “This is where people are choosing their home for four years and it’s arguably the most important time in life for these people, so I want them to feel like they are in a community.”

Hanley chose Bierbaum as her running mate because they have worked on other past projects as a team and she liked the results.

Bierbaum also shares the same message Hanley wants for the school.

“Our campaign’s goal is to progressively move toward cultivating an environment where the individual student, a club or an organization feels like they are fully recognized and that their voices are being heard,” Bierbaum wrote in a text message to the Criterion. “In implementing this we can unify all of our students creating a welcoming and safe community for them to participate in during their four years here at CMU.”

Linzey believes his platform differs from Hanley’s campaign by “the diversity of ideas” his campaign offers. He also wants to push away the notion of a safe place.

“Our campaign is more about involvement and activities rather than just a safe place,” Linzey said. “I think we can be more powerful in making those opportunities more present to the students to get involved.”

As a newer candidate, Hanley thinks she and Bierbaum add a fresher, different voice than the current incumbent, Linzey.

“Having me in office will be something new for this campus,” Hanley said. “My vice presidential candidate, Bierbaum, offers a lot of experience that the the other vice president candidate does not offer.”

While Gile may not have as much experience as Bierbaum, Linzey chose Gile as his running mate because of their differing ideals. Gile has only been a senator for the past semester and he believes she can offer a newer viewpoint.

“The first time I thought Gabby would be a great partner is when we disagreed,” Linzey said. “We can collaborate and come to a consensus and a middle ground for the things we talk about.”

The nominees will next debate about issues affecting the campus at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Both Linzey/Gile and Hanley/Bierbaum will face off for the debate.

Voting starts on Wednesday through Friday with physical polling booths open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and online Orgsync polling open day and night.

For more information about the nominees, students can look at the candidate’s Facebook page and Instagram account at either Linzey/Gile or Hanley/Bierbaum 2017.