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New Student Senate coalition candidates nominated
▶ CONNER MITCHELL
@ConnerMitchell0
a group of around 30 people gathered Thursday night to
nominate executive candidates for the second coalition of the 2016 Student Senate Election.
Richie Hernandez, a junior from Kansas City, Kan., was nominated as the presidential candidate for the coalition, named "Creating Awareness, Raising Equality," or simply CARE KU. John Castellaw, a junior from Wichita, was nominated to be Hernandez's running mate and vice
presidential candidate.
Lauren Read was nominated to serve as elections liaison, a position which serves as the main communicator between the coalition and the Student Senate Elections Commission.
Hernandez, Castellaw and Read were unopposed in their nominations and elected unanimously to their respective positions by CARE KU members.
Hernandez, who served as association of university residence halls senator last year, introduced the main CARE KU platforms to members. Initiatives included mental health
awareness, addressing equality and inclusion on campus, campus safety and security, services for military and veteran students and student resources, specifically focusing on gender neutral housing options.
"We're going to focus on one at a time," Hernandez said. "Once we feel like that
[initiative] has gotten stable enough to where, say, the senators can take it over, we'll pass that on and implement our next platform."
Castellaw said he has not been involved with Student Senate prior to this year when he began sitting in on Student Rights Committee meetings. He said
Hernandez pushed him to get involved in the Senate process.
"I always wanted to get involved in Student Senate, and I tried to my freshman year, but I was too late with the elections," he said. "When it comes to Student Senate itself, I feel like there are a lot of things that
CARE KU coalition initiatives
can be improved on, and I am all about making sure people feel welcome and feel like this is their home."
Mental health awareness
Addressing equality and inclusion on campus
Services for military and veteran students
CARE KU joins OneKU as the second coalition in the 2016 Student Senate Election. OneKU selected executive candidates at a meeting on Feb. 16. Both coalitions must first file official paperwork with the Elections Commission and cannot begin actively campaigning until Mar. 7, according to the official Elections Commission calendar.
Student resources
- Edited by Garrett Long
Cassidy Ritter/KANSAN
Clinton campaign office opens in Lawrence
MADDY MOLONEY AND ALEAH MILLINER @KansiNews
Supporters of Hillary Clinton gathered Wednesday night to celebrate the launch of Clinton's Lawrence campaign office, which will be a hub for those volunteering and campaigning for her presidential run.
Rep. John Wilson (D-Lawrence) attended the office opening and spoke to supporters. He said he believes Clinton's progressive thinking and willingness to work with others makes her the best candidate for the presidency.
With the office opening 11 days before the Kansas caucus on March 5, campaign organizers Andrea Johnson and Moe Shatara plan on using the space to train and organize volunteers. Shatara says he is going to utilize the next 11 days to talk to as many people as possible.
The office opening drew a crowd of nearly 50 people and allowed supporters to sign up for volunteer shifts and discuss why they are voting for Clinton.
"I think one thing people have really been into is the chance to tell people why they support Hillary, why they want her to be our president and, you know, we are giving them that chance," Johnson said. "And once they understand this is their chance to have their voice heard they are all over it."
Lauren Brainer, state director for Clinton's Kansas campaign, said she has been waiting to vote for a female president since the age of four when she asked her parents why no women were running in the 1992 election.
"It's really exciting for me to be able to be here working for the most qualified candidate who also happens to be a woman. I can make a dream I had
when I was four a reality." Brainerd said.
Brainerd, who previously worked for the Obama campaign, loves Clinton's toughness and the way she fights for what she believes. As for the nearing Kansas caucus, Brainerd said she is hopeful.
"We have four camp offices across the state, organizations who stretch through all 47 caucus sites," she said. "We literally have huge phone banks happening in Garden City, which is way out there, and this office, where we have great activity happening here in Lawrence and also in Kansas City. So I just feel confident about the organization we are building and the fact that we are giving democratic Kansans an opportunity to stand up for what they believe in, which has been very exciting."
- Edited by Matthew Clough
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton greets supporters as she arrives to speak to supporters at her election night watch party for the South Carolina Democratic primary
Associated Press