A.S. Candidate Endorsments

The Triton’s Editorial Board took great care in deciding how to structure an endorsement for Associated Students, as well as who and why we should endorse. Going beyond simply interviewing the slates on relevant positions, The Triton listened to each slate speak on their positions and watched how they presented their positions, what was emphasized, and how they interacted with each other while presenting.

We reviewed the experience and background of slate members and carefully considered our decision: The Triton’s Editorial Board endorses the platform and membership of Students Determined so that our student government can cohesively progress toward a better campus and we, as a campus, can provide a better quality student life.

A.S. Presidential Candidate Daniel Juarez has described Students Determined as a “coalition.”

Students Determined, in all of its capacity feels like exactly that, a diverse coalition primed to fairly discuss and implement its ideas on a campus-wide and UC-wide scale.

When Juarez says this, they aren’t simply tossing around rhetoric: the slate is comprised of students from all areas of campus and various capacities of involvement. Students Determined is comprised of General Store Co-Op employees, sustainability advocates, Greek life members, activists, and current A.S. members.

Under Juarez’s leadership, Students Determined seems primed to implement its platform and lobby both administration and the UC system for results. Juarez and the rest of the slate made clear their objectives and put forth actionable requests to administration, pointing out current problems.

Emphasizing issues of subsidized housing, adequate parking, transit, and mental health, Students Determined candidates have done their research and were able to cohesively present a strong platform relevant to the current issues that the UC faces. We believe Lauren Roberts’ experience within A.S. is a strong qualifier for this level of action as your next A.S. Vice President of External Affairs.

We trust that the student body should put its vote behind Students Determined, both in terms of platform and in terms of the members that comprise it. In this capacity, it is worth understanding that candidates have had to drop from their respective slate for various reasons.  We understand that in certain circumstances, your vote must go to the opposition. However, we strongly advocate that when the possibility presents itself to vote for Students Determined, you do so.

We say this with one exception: the Board strongly believes that Aditi Gautam is an extremely strong candidate for A.S. Campus Wide Senator and suggests that she be considered as an acceptable alternative suggestion. As both an activist and student, she has made clear he stances on not accepting bigotry at UCSD time and time again, standing in solidarity with the student body and taking an active role in attempting to better the campus.

An endorsement is putting our faith in a platform and a candidate — whichever slate stands as our elected at the end of the week, The Triton will be there to cover their progress and discuss how they will be taking their platform from campaign promises to a reality come Fall quarter.

A lot of campaigning is rhetoric and we believe that Students Determined will not offer rhetoric , but put their words into action.

Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Triton Editorial Board. If you’d like to respond to one of our Editorials, we encourage it.