The most disheartening thing about my experience with the Undergraduate Student Government has been hearing so many students ask “What is USG? What have they done for me?” I’ve heard students say that USG doesn’t listen to students, that it takes credit for other groups’ accomplishments, and that it only serves as a resume-builder for wannabe politicians.

Having heard these criticisms, Brad and I decided that we wanted to run for president and vice president so that we could let students know that when USG is led properly, it can benefit students. While USG leaders of the past have alleged that students are apathetic to USG, the truth is USG has grown apathetic to the students.

Brad and I are two 21-year-olds who understand that we do not, and will not ever, know everything. We aren’t running because we think we have the answer to every problem. Instead, we are running because we know we are able and willing to listen to the concerns and needs of the student body and are able to advocate those needs to university officials.

We recognize that every student has a different experience here, and with that comes individualized concerns. We have reached out to students from all areas of this university to listen to their experiences so we could learn what USG can do to better serve them. With this principle in mind, we have organized a team of senate candidates who have had varied experiences at this university. They have lived in all areas of campus and off campus, they have studied in almost every college at the university, and they represent the many different ethnicities, cultures and religions found at Ohio State. We understand that while everyone has a different story, we are all Buckeyes, and USG can help unify our OSU community.

We recognize that we are running for president and vice president of the USG, not of the United States. With that, we know not to make unattainable promises to the students. Our platform is a series of sensible solutions the USG can do to better the student experience at OSU.

I have already been fighting to make buying football tickets easier, and I will continue working to make sure all students who want tickets are able to get them for every home football game, even after the semester conversion.

While we are fortunate to the have the Thompson Library, its current schedule is not conducive to the needs of all of our students. We will fight for Thompson Library to be open 24 hours every day during the academic year.

If elected, we will remain accessible to students and continue seeking out students and their ideas. USG elections should not be the only time that USG is on the Oval. We will be there every week asking students what we can do to better serve them. Members from USG will visit every student organization to learn what the group is doing and what USG can do to help.

Brad and I understand that we are best able to represent you by constantly listening and then responding to your concerns with action. We will ensure that students can easily discover everything that USG does so that you can provide feedback and hold us accountable. Vote Thursday and Friday for me, Brad, and the entire We Are All Buckeyes team so that students will know what USG is, what it is doing, and how we can help. For more information, please visit www.WeAreAllBuckeyes.com or e-mail me at [email protected].