Two of the five candidates for ASG president have emerged as natural leaders with the potential to create necessary and transformative change: Mark Crain and Neal Sales-Griffin. Both Crain and Sales-Griffin present compelling and practical platforms and back up their ideas with leadership experience and an understanding of ASG. Either would make a strong president.
But Sales-Griffin's personality and passion set him apart by making him the candidate most likely to reach ASG's most important constituencies: NU's administration and students who have learned to regard student government with skepticism and apathy.
The SESP junior and two-quarter ASG senator has achieved accolades in outside leadership roles. As a freshman, Sales-Griffin was elected president of the Ayers College of Commerce and Industry, and at the helm of the Institute for Student Business Education, Sales-Griffin led expansions of ISBE's membership and scope.
Sales-Griffin is the only candidate to have served as a senator. During this year's campaign, ASG experience has become taboo; Sales-Griffin has labeled himself on his campaign Web site as an "inside outsider." But with a long list of challenges facing student government after years of broken promises, the incoming president will not have time to acquaint himself with the finer points of ASG procedure and Senate politics. He must have the background and experience on Day One to engage an organization stunted by its culture. He will need the charisma and drive to get students outside Norris interested in ASG for the first time.
By itself, charisma will not make ASG more responsive to student needs, nor will it spark effective reform. If elected, Sales-Griffin will need to couple his charm with bold ideas, and he will need to exhibit patience and toughness to deal with the university's bureaucracy and red tape.
While Sales-Griffin does not have a 10-point plan for change already written, as outgoing president Jonathan Webber did, he displays an understanding of the need for achieving consensus within and outside ASG. His first order of business, he says, is to "sit down with the people elected and create a plan."
2008 Woodie Awards
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Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 7
Ben Parr
posted 4/14/08 @ 9:31 AM CST
GO NEAL!!!! You will succeed where others have failed with ASG.
But first let's get you elected.
security
posted 4/14/08 @ 2:46 PM CST
"A former Marine, Scott Burton brings a unique perspective to the presidential election. But his platform focuses too much on security and not enough on other important aspects. (Continued…)
PD
posted 4/14/08 @ 4:20 PM CST
h-y-p-o-c-r-i-s-y.
seriously, the capitals make you seem *real* mature. In case you didn't notice, "other important aspects" doesn't mean security is unimportant--it just means that Scott's platform is narrow; rather than providing a broad plan, it focuses solely on a single issue. (Continued…)
Ren? Jovel
posted 4/14/08 @ 6:51 PM CST
NSG for ASG!
PD = pure dumbass
posted 4/15/08 @ 10:28 AM CST
narrow or not, security should always be #1 priority. OK PD?
:-)
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