A disconnect exists between Student Union and the student body, and within Student Union itself. We seek, as Connection, to connect these separate pieces, and, in doing so, create a more cohesive student body and a more effective student government.

We have based our platform on eight core ideas, or puzzle pieces: Advocacy. Transparency. Diversity. Inclusion. Sustainability. Responsiveness. Campus Relations. Community Outreach.

We intend to take a two-pronged approach to bring these ideas together to reach our goal: revitalizing Student Union’s internal connections and increasing our outreach to the rest of the Washington University community. A more connected Student Union that communicates more to the student body will ultimately be more effective in advancing its goals of “Advocate, Allocate and Program” and representing student interests to the administration.

Connecting the different branches and entities of the Student Union administration is the first step in creating a functioning organization. Through an enhanced Student Union retreat that draws upon tenets of social justice and advocacy, the administration will have the opportunity to communicate, collaborate and connect with each other in ways that are not fully realized. The leadership of both Senate and Treasury, Class Councils, School Councils, the Green Events Commission, the Diversity Affairs Council, Constitutional Council, Social Programming Board and Engage 360 should all be working together in ways to facilitate dialogue amongst themselves but also the constituents that they represent. We also believe recruitment, outreach and retention are key for the success and longevity of this organization. We want to see Senators tabling and interacting in buildings where their constituents are; we want to host forums that allow you to learn more about what we are doing and how we are doing it.

From there, we move outside of Student Union and into the student body. More simply, we seek to improve and enhance communications between Student Union and students campus-wide and, therefore, to increase the transparency and approachability of Student Union as a governing body.

We intend to educate the undergraduate community on the inner workings of Student Union. We intend to make students more aware of what Student Union looks like and where their money goes, and give them more a say in those matters. All of this will be done with open forums on the general budget and Student Union functions to facilitate discussion between Student Union members and students, and with a monthly newsletter encompassing recent events, Senate votes and Treasury allocations. We intend to make the weekly emails fun and rewarding to read, supplementing them with photos, videos and a wider variety of student-run programs. We intend to reevaluate Student Union presence on social media, and use that as an effective but unobtrusive marketing tool. We intend to help student groups to better advertise themselves, particularly on the web, by encouraging regular updating of information and making the Student Union PR Committee a more active body for student groups to use. We intend to generate and streamline a global programming calendar. We intend to completely revamp the Student Union website and encourage use of Portfolio. We intend to make student groups more comfortable coming to Student Union for help, advice and resources. We intend to reach out into the St. Louis community, to connect not only on campus, but with the city in which we reside.

We fully believe that Connection is your best choice for Student Union Exec 2014. We come from a wider variety of organizations than our opposition and have served in a wider range of leadership positions. Class President. RA. APO President and Treasurer. CS40 Exec. VP Programming of Panhellenic. College Council VP. Class Council Cabinet. Ervin Scholar. Sorority and Fraternity Exec. Student Admissions (SAC and CIT). Varsity and Club Athletics. Student Union Senate and Treasury. Co-Chair of Student Tech Advisors. Our connections to the broader student body enable us to better represent, understand and further the interests of the entire University community.

This is your student government—you shouldn’t need to come to us. We should, and want, to come to you. We will strive to connect with each and every one of you. We are Connection.

Go to www.connectwashu2014.com for more information regarding our candidacy and our platform.

Connection consists of Will Ralls, Archer Brock, Victoria Hulsing, Sam Gorsche and Ryan Halvorsen.