“Helping students take back the university” is the motto for Undergraduate Student Government presidential candidate Keith Little and running mate Mike Valo.
Little and Valo grew up together in Toledo and attended high school at Toledo Christian. The candidates are juniors in finance.
Both hopefuls have remained actively involved in student organizations while at Ohio State. Little is a member of Bucket and Dipper, a junior class honorary. He also participates in Campus Crusade and the Honors Business Cohort Program. Valo is a member of the Student Alumni Council, Greek Life and Campus Crusade. They also participate in intramural sports.
Neither of the men has had any student government experience, but they say they have followed USG closely in their three years at Ohio State.
They feel the university should respect the six percent tuition cap. “The tuition cap should stay where it is,” Little said. “We recognize that OSU would like to have the additional three percent to improve our education, and we’re all for academic improvements.”
Little has a plan for fixing the problem. “The state of Ohio needs to step up to the plate and fund its state universities better,” he said.
If elected, Little and Valo will work to get in touch with all of the undergraduate student bodies at state-funded universities in Ohio. They would like to form a committee of leaders from these universities to represent all of the students in front of the Ohio Legislature. “After all, this dilemma that Ohio State is facing will soon be happening at all of the state universities in Ohio,” Little said.
They would also push OSU to take an initiative to attract additional finances through fund raising or other methods before hiking the tuition 9 percent. In addition, Little said they would like to know how the latest billion-dollar endowment has been spent so quickly.
Little and Valo think discretionary funds should exist, but in a limited amount. “Discretionary funds are an important part of the USG system,” Little said. “They allow the president to provide resources for important projects that might not fit into the overall senate budget. These funds should be used only for projects that will benefit the students, not for padding the president’s office, or making personal dinner appointments.”
A section of their platform states there will be no tolerance for inappropriate or corruptive behavior among USG members, especially with regard to to promoting personal political agendas and careers.
Little and Valo would also like to improve off-campus safety. One of their ideas is to sponsor free self-defense classes in almost every residence hall next year. They believe this program would be a fun way to meet people in the residence halls and at the same time broaden student awareness of safety issues on campus.
Restoring the faith in USG has been a key issue this campaign season. Little and Valo envision USG as transparent, allowing students to see and know everything that is going on. The candidates will update their Web site, making it a resource center for students as well as a window into USG. They will release their budget and expense reports to the Lantern monthly, or more often if students desire.
“It all comes down to making things happen,” Little said. “Undergraduates’ faith will be restored when they see things they have asked for getting done.”
