Samantha So is a fourth-year biology student who has gotten very involved in the last year. So sits on several AMS committees — such as the AMS Legislative Procedures Committee and the Education Committee — and hopes to translate that experience into the Senate role.
Describe your platform and what sets you apart from the opposition.
Student engagement and maximizing space for student learning. I want to improve student engagement … making it easier for them to look up information on running next year. It would be cool if whatever [Senate] could legally disclose, there could be a monthly report [of that] online. There should be a two-way conversation with students so they aren’t just informing them. Students should be able to give feedback.
Have you been involved with the AMS before? If so, what do you think you bring from that?
I stumbled into a student life and communications committee meeting and I was appointed as the all-presidents co-chair for the last year. I really liked that and I really wanted to get involved with the AMS. I ran in the Science Undergraduate Society elections as AMS representative and I won. Over the summer I jumped right in. I sat on seven AMS committees over the summer. I was elected chair of the education committee and vice chair of the legislative procedure committee. I was reappointed to all the committees I was on this fall and the university external relations committee. So I’m on eight committees.
What are some challenges you think you’ll be facing if you are elected into this position?
The whole thing with student engagement. It’s been really nice that they’ve been utilizing social media to talk to students, let students know what is happening in the Senate meeting. Because they are so tight-knit it’s really hard for students to understand what’s happening outside those tweets. I’ll use this year’s elections as an example — it’s hard to truly grasp what’s going on even with those tweets. It’s a one-way feedback thing, you can’t really asked questions. It’s on Twitter and not everyone has Twitter. It’s a challenge that students around me that aren’t senators don’t know what’s happening and these issues and these decisions affect them.
[At the debates] only the incumbents knew everything because they had access to ad hoc minutes and they sat on ad hoc committees. Students who don’t sit on Senate can’t easily access them. I want to make it more accessible because Senate is a body that deals with issues for all students.
Who is the most important body or person you need to collaborate with in this position, and how will you foster a relationship with them?
I believe it is the Student Senate Caucus. Student Senate Caucus must work together to strategically speak and vote to advocate on behalf of students, voice student opinions, and work to guide Senate toward decisions that are best for students. To work toward this, I intend to attend every Caucus meeting I can attend, as well as the monthly (or, if possible, more frequently than monthly), strategic planning meetings, and most importantly, every senate meeting. In addition, I wish to work toward increased bonding over the summer term for senators (who are in town), and perhaps a greater level of transition-type interaction between incumbent senators and new senators over the summer term to not only build bonds, but ensure better senator understanding of goals, senate, and strategy.
What three committees would you like to sit on as a senator, and why?
I would choose academic building needs, curriculum committee, the academic appeals committee on academic standings — it would be good to have a student voice on that committee.
Interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.