This year’s race for the Executive Vice President comes down features incumbent Howard W. Buffett and one of his committee members, Jay Schumacher.

Schumacher said Buffett’s term last year frustrated him. Buffett said he pledges “continuing commitment” to student groups.

The EVP heads the Executive Committee, whose duties including coordinating training for student group leaders, organizing the fall activities fair and overseeing the 61 ASG-sponsored groups that do not receive funding from the Student Activities Fee.

PROMOTING CHANGE

Frustration prompted Schumacher to run against Buffett, he said.

“I think the problem (with the Executive Committee) is the mentality and the lack of respect that we have for student groups in general,” said Schumacher, a Communication sophomore who has served on the committee since he was a freshman. “I want to have the opportunity to change things.”

Schumacher, a board member of the Students Publishing Company, which oversees The Daily, said he plans to develop the Executive Committee into a “client-focused” organization by improving accountability and communication with student groups.

He also wants to organize a second activities fair in the winter to help B- and T-status groups recruit new members, as well as lobby for student group funding from alumni. During homecoming last year, Schumacher formed a “campus-connect” function that let student organizations meet with alumni.

Sameer Paroo, the staff adviser for the Executive Committee, said Schumacher is a welcome fixture in the Center for Student Involvement — even before he landed a student internship there this year.

“He’s very dedicated and loyal, and if he has his heart on something, he follows through,” Paroo said.

Schumacher, who has seen ASG both as a committee insider and as a student group member, said he has the perspective necessary to lead the Executive Board in a new direction.

“I know what it’s like to start a new group,” said Schumacher, who helped lead the creation of the student-run NU Channel 1. “I know what it’s like to sit there and be upset because ASG isn’t listening.”

Banking on experience

Buffett, a Communication junior, said he decided to run for re-election instead of vying for the presidential spot because his “passion has always been about helping student groups and working for student groups on campus.”

If elected, he plans to continue the efforts he launched during his last term and begin new initiatives to help student groups.

Buffett said he wants to increase funding for B- and T-status groups. This year, new T-status groups received $150 in start-up funds. B-status groups received $300.

The money, secured by Buffett’s predecessor, came from a $7,000 grant from the Office of Student Affairs.

Buffett said he will provide more guidance to student groups vying for A-status, give groups more space in the Norris University Center and continue lobbying for black box theaters at Norris.

Communication senior Nicole Ripley, president of the Student Theatre Coalition, said Buffett has been “really wonderful” to her group and other performance groups throughout his term.

“He sat down with us at the end of last year and addressed what our biggest needs were, and worked really hard throughout the year to help us achieve goals that we really wanted, both in longterm planning and growth and short-term necessities,” Ripley said.

Buffett said he also will work to restructure ASG to create a misconduct committee. Currently the Executive Committee must serve two conflicting roles of encouraging student groups and punishing them for wrongdoings. The dichotomy results in confusion and ineffectiveness, Buffett said.

Reach Julia Neyman at [email protected].

Jay Schumacher

Year: Sophomore

Major: Communication Studies and Economics

Hometown: North Canton, Ohio

Activities and Interests: Working out, playing piano, talking to people

Experience: Two years on Executive Committee, Vice President of Social Affairs of the Residential College Board, planned Fall quarter activities fair, Student Publishing Company Board of Directors

Howard Buffett

Year: Junior

Major: Political Science and Communication Studies

Hometown: Decatur, Ill.

Hobbies: traveling, photography, farming (corn and soybeans), midnight meals at Clarke’s

Experience: EVP last year, 1835 Hinman dorm senator, Student Advisory Committee, Information Technology Committee (ASG-IT), University Hearings and Appeals System