ASWSU appointed a new representative for the vacant College of Arts and Sciences seat at the senate meeting Wednesday night.
Senior political science major Alejandro Gonzalez was approved in an executive session for the position, which was left vacant after the previous senator graduated last month.
Gonzalez is the president of La Hermanadadde O eMe Te, a multicultural group on campus, and mentors students in ROTC.
Gonzalez and sophomore international relations and French major Devon Seymour each spoke before the senate, voicing their reasons for why they deserved the seat.
Gonzalez said a major part of leadership is making decisions, and emphasized his eight years of service in the Navy.
“I have experienced a lot of difficult decision making in my time in the military,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said he hopes to create more unity within the College of Arts and Sciences, formerly known as the College of Liberal Arts. The college includes majors such as English and zoology.
“The biggest thing that I would like to accomplish is to establish stronger ties between the colleges of sciences and the colleges of arts,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez has utilized his resources by listening to the more than 30 ROTC students he trains.
“I get a sense of what they go through in the science community and what kind of resources they need,” Gonzalez said.
Though the task is going to be difficult, said Gonzalez, working with individuals from both sides of the college and creating collaborative events will lead to a more cohesive academic body.
To be assertive and to be there for the students is important, Gonzalez says.
“I am looking forward to what this entails and to what I can contribute to the senate,” Gonzalez said.
Although Gonzalez will only serve until his graduation in May, he said he is optimistic about how he can serve WSU students as a senate member.
“It is about hopefully finding great ideas from the student body and push forward here, in senate and be able to accomplish that if possible,” Gonzalez said.
ASWSU Vice President Derrick Skaug said in an interview with The Daily Evergreen that both candidates were extremely qualified for the position.
“I’ve known Senator Gonzalez as a community leader for quite some time,” Skaug said.
“I’m excited he’ll now be an official member of ASWSU and he brings a very good perspective to the senate.”
