There has been a lot of buzz around campus about Jeff Lulay and Nolan Smith.
This past Monday they decided to run for President and Vice President for ASOSU as write-in candidates. So far tey have campaigned mainly through social media, using hashtags and networking to make their write-in possibility known. To some this was seen as a joke considering the other candidates have been campaigning and preparing their platforms for weeks, but Jeff and Nolan are very serious and actually want to make a difference here at OSU. No matter what your opinions are on the last minute duo, this is your chance to learn more about them.
HC at Oregon State’s very own Madison Medley sat down with Jeff and Nolan to learn their real story. Their interview is transcribed below:
Name: Jeffrey Lulay
Major: Business Marketing
Potential position: President
Madison: Jeff, besides being one of the most talked about ASOSU presidential candidates, what else are you involved in on campus?
Jeff: I work as a manager at Dixon, an intern at the athletic department and I’m the president of the BeaverDam. I also try and be as active as possible in other events and activities that take place on campus when I’m not working or in class.
Madison: Why do you think you are qualified to be the ASOSU President?
Jeff: I believe my diverse background, strong involvement in OSU campus life, and my personality make me the ideal candidate as ASOSU president. I have a strong passion about this school and the people who go to school here. Nolan and I bring a new look to ASOSU that helps grow and widen their network. Decisions and choices continue to be made, and the student body is unaware of these decisions. It’s outrageous! We want someone responsible in this position, that is able to confidently address the student body and engage them with their choices. Nolan and I can do that, we can increase student involvement and student input.
Madison: How are you reacting to criticism about you running for president without longer consideration?
Jeff: Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and we have to respect that. I can see why some individuals are upset, the other candidates put in a lot of hard work and preparation for this position and I commend them for that. The position was not marketed well and did not reach the student body. This trend continues into voting, where we only see 3% of the students voting. Nolan and I can change that, we have already by running as write-in candidates! Even though we started our push for office extremely late, it’s good, healthy competition for everyone involved in this election process.
Madison: How do you hope to make a difference to this campus?
Jeff: I hope to bring a stronger, more confident voice to the students. Like i said earlier, a lot of decisions have been made without the student body knowing. It’s unacceptable to spend student money and make decisions for people that are uniformed. Nolan and I believe we can grow ASOSU and create a stronger and more inclusive student government.
Name: Nolan Smith
Major: Construction Engineering Management
Potential Position: Vice President
Madison: Nolan, what are you involved in at Oregon State?
Nolan: I’ve been a member of AGC — the Association of General Contractors — as well as a frequent participant in intramural sports, ranging from soccer to basketball, flag football and softball. Also, I work at the Engineering Café in Kelly, and most recently I’ve applied for Social Chair of the Beaver Dam next year.
Madison: What made you decide to pair up with Jeff Lulay for this election? :
Nolan: Jeff and I saw the opportunity to be a real factor in the election this year. We’ve always thought about running for office, but never actually committed to it. Jeff and I work well together and can function in a professional setting. We both have common goals for this university, one being to engage the student body furthermore in these topics revolving around student body government.
Madison: What do you hope to do with your position?
Nolan: My main goal is to see more students get involved with the student body government. What I’ve most recently heard is that less than 700 students have voted this year. In order to be a voice of the student body we need to have more participants, and the vote total is a direct correlation to participation, which we seems to be lacking.
Madison: Why do you think yourself and Jeff are being criticized for joining the elections so late?
Nolan: Due to our late entry, or “un-official” entry as some people are calling it, Jeff and I have been receiving criticism because people see it as though we are not taking the election seriously. By being write-in candidates, we didn’t go through all the hoops and gates that the other candidates did, and some people see that as being lazy or less motivated. I feel Jeff and I have done a great job representing this university through many different media, whether that is clubs, or campus jobs, we have done our best to show the best side of Oregon State University. By showing a write-in entry can be a factor, I feel we are well on our way to making the Associated Students of Oregon State University a more acknowledged and recognized group.
Whether you are with them or not, we encourage everyone reading to get involved with the election and vote here.