Alliger/Walter campaign for government downsizing

Dan Slatterly

Editor’s note: This is the last in a series of three profiles on the Government of the Student Body executive slate candidates.

A look at the campaign put together by Government of the Student Body executive hopefuls Henry Alliger and Sarah Walter reveals a structure that looks more like something from the general election in November than a GSB election.

The slate has four campaign aides helping with the logistics of the campaign and work that needs to be done before the March 7 and 8 elections.

Erin Marth is the slate’s director of operations, with Bryan Humphreys as the director of strategy, Myron Batsa as the director of public relations and Nathan Zoromski as the director of human resources.

Alliger said the reason for these four positions is to spread the work around among campaign members so no one is overworked.

Alliger and Walter are pushing for a smaller GSB cabinet.

Although their campaign includes four directors, Alliger contends the GSB cabinet consists of too many underused positions.

“The broad overtone is simplify GSB to make it more accountable, accessible and responsive to students,” he said.

Alliger said the slate aims to simplify the cabinet by bringing it down from 14 to eight spots.

This is two more than the required six.

According to GSB bylaws, the cabinet must consist of a treasurer, secretary, chief of staff, director of government relations, director of student diversity and director of information technologies.

The bylaws allow for ad hoc positions to be created under executive order.

“The cabinet is absolutely too large to be efficient,” Alliger said. “I don’t think it is an efficient use of resources.”

He said he has observed this as he has served on GSB for the past three years.

Walter, junior in mechanical engineering, also has GSB experience, having served the past two years as director of student diversity and as an engineering senator.

Both said this experience will be key in trying to simplify GSB.

Alliger said he also runs two businesses outside of school — Alliger Cattle Company, which he started from nothing, and Packer’s Pit LLC, which he built up after he inherited it from his family.

Walter said she has never seen anyone work as hard and late as Alliger does.

Alliger said he sometimes forgets to eat when he gets busy.

The duo also wants to focus on simplifying student life and student involvement.

Walter said the slate will help students learn to raise funds more efficiently.

He also said the slate would teach groups how they can receive GSB funding.

“I think it is the responsibility of GSB if they can’t fund student organizations and help students organizations find easy and productive ways of fund raising,” Walter said.

Although they are committed to seeing that more student organizations receive support from GSB, the two said they are equally committed to being fiscally responsible.

“We as executives need to be fiscally responsible with overseeing the budget,” Alliger said.

The two said they would also retool the GSB Web site.

Changes to the Web site would make it more accessible and a better resource for students.

“I view any increase in responsibility or increase in leadership position as an opportunity to serve more people and make their lives better,” Alliger said.

Elections for GSB are scheduled for March 7 and 8.