AAS Candidate Statements for Judiciary Council and Treasurer

On Friday, Dec. 7, the Association of Amherst Students will hold elections for Judiciary Council chair, three at-large Judiciary Council positions and treasurer. The students below have announced their candidacies for these elections. Students who are interested in hearing from these candidates or are interested in running but were unable to submit a candidate statement, should attend Speech Night on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7:00 p.m. in Lipton Lecture Hall. In order to run, candidates must bring a petition with 25 signatures from their classmates to Speech Night and prepare a speech. If a candidate cannot attend, they can send a proxy in their place.

Judiciary Council Chair Alicia Ugenti ’21: I would like to be judiciary chair because I feel that this role upholds the integrity of the constitution and confirms that the other branches are doing the same. As Judiciary Council chair I would uphold the important beliefs of duty and honor. I promise to safeguard the ideals of the constitution, as well as take note of all decisions made by the Judiciary Council. If elected, I would be an independent, unbiased decision-maker when faced with difficult questions.

Daniyal Ahmad Khan ’22: Amherst is a beautiful place: tolerant, accepting, understanding and diverse. However, despite all efforts, instances of discrimination, rejection, and conformity still occur. As an international, it’s not the Muslim or Pakistani or South Asian communities I stand for. I stand for those looked down upon for their divergence from the norm. I stand for the extracurriculars whose value is undermined, the groups who are subjected to preconceived notions and the individuals who wonder if there is something wrong with truly being themselves. I stand for them all to ensure that Amherst truly becomes a second home for its students.

Judiciary Council At-Large Members Patrick Friend ’20: I am proud to have been able to serve the Amherst community by being a member of the Judiciary Council and hope to continue to do so throughout my time in Amherst. The main focus of my time on Judiciary Council has been to maintain the modernity and applicability of the Amherst constitution, and I have worked with my fellow council members to make several changes to the constitution to that end. If reelected I will continue to attempt to keep the rules guiding the AAS current, applicable and reflective of the wishes of the student body.

Cameron Matsui ’22: I am running to be an AAS Judiciary Council at-large member because, after only three months, I already love Amherst and would like to give back to the school and its student body through public service. As member of my high school’s senate, I helped to amend the school’s senate constitution to get rid of gender restrictions for senate co-president elections. I believe I can take this experience and make Amherst a more inclusive place through my actions on the AAS Judiciary Committee.

Christian Colby ’22: I am running for the COVETED position of JC At Large Member. If elected I would help restore the Judiciary Council to functioning status (the last ruling posted on the AAS website is from 2016), and interpret our constitution to the best of my ability in order to ensure an equal and enjoyable experience at Amherst for all.

Treasurer: Jordan Edwards ’20: Having served on the Budgetary Committee since my first year, I have personally worked with over a dozen student organizations on this campus to build a better understanding of our funding rules and help form their budgets. Additionally, I have worked with our previous treasurers and current treasurer to make our policies more equitable for all students on campus. If elected, I will ensure that all students have a fair opportunity to access the AAS budget so that the entire school can benefit.

John Ballard ’20: In my time serving on the Budgetary Committee, I’ve recognized a problem surrounding the nature of club funding. While the Student Activity Fund should be equally accessible to every student, newer/smaller clubs don’t have the knowledge and resources to request their share of funding. If elected treasurer, I will push for better transparency surrounding the funding process. I will also endorse the centralized Amherst Club Calendar so that students have access to every club opportunity. It would be an honor to serve Amherst College by ensuring that every student has equal access to the Student Activity Fund.

Chloe Wohlemuth ’22: I have experience from bookkeeping and managing the online shop for a charity, and was SGA treasurer in high school. I am a member of several clubs at Amherst and I want to support the opportunities clubs offer by helping them receive the funding they need. I want to ensure transparency and streamline the funding process for student events and activities. I would love to contribute to the student life at Amherst by enabling student experiences from your input.