With February in full swing, the Clemson Undergraduate Student Government election season is heading into its busiest month of the year. This year’s election will be a race between three student body president and student body vice president candidates: Eli Warnock and Ally Fields, Daniel Ocampo and Bailee Tayles, and Zach Freeman and Maya Khaskhely.
The Tiger sat down with all three tickets to discuss their plans should they be elected. Additionally, each campaign spoke about their qualifications and experiences for the positions, as well as how they would seek to differentiate themselves from the previous administration.
The CUSG president and vice president serve as the executive officers of CUSG’s executive branch alongside their chief of staff. The purpose of CUSG is to serve as a liaison between students and the administration, faculty and staff, while advocating for students in all aspects of campus life, according to its constitution.
Per the constitution, some of the student body president’s powers include recommending legislation, creating committees and vetoing Student Senate legislation requiring the president’s signature.
Eli Warnock and Ally Fields
Eli Warnock is a junior biological sciences major. Ally Fields is a junior health science major.
Warnock and Fields’ main objective is to serve as both resources and vessels and to make the connections and change that people want to see.
Goals
Warnock and Fields’ main goals, if elected, are to increase the voice of students, available resources for students and the connection with the entire Clemson family.
Prior involvements
Warnock and Fields have held positions in four different aspects of student government through various committees.
Most recently, Warnock was the CUSG chief of operations, and Fields was the secretary of activities.
Changes
Some changes the two intend to implement if elected include establishing the secretary of history and traditions as a new cabinet position, restructuring several cabinet positions and the executive branch’s structure, and increasing student government transparency and accessibility.
Warnock and Fields also plan on consolidating funding to have higher impact and greater quality events, lending various student government resources to different student organizations and requiring student government leadership to attend various training sessions.
Working with University leaders
Warnock and Fields intend to have “clear and effective communication” with University leaders about what students want. However, they are also considering the “very real limits” and boundaries established in Thomas Green Clemson’s will they must work within.
Why they are the best team for the job
The two are good friends, have known each other since their freshman year, align on many values and want to bring the vision of Clemson students to fruition.
Warnock and Fields agree that they both want the word “uplift” to be a key part of their potential platform. The two noted that they could not and would not campaign with anyone other than each other.
Difference from previous president and VP
Since the election was uncontested last year, current CUSG President Kellan Fenegan and Vice President André Moxie having a “general vision” was enough, according to Warnock.
“We had to create a platform that’s full of actual ideas,” Warnock told The Tiger. He and Fields plan to continue and build on much of their predecessors’ work.
Daniel Ocampo and Bailee Tayles
Daniel Ocampo is a junior history and secondary education major with minors in athletic leadership and legal studies. Bailee Tayles is a junior English major and political and legal theory minor. She is also a member of the Honors College.
Ocampo and Tayles’ main objective is “honoring the hills” and “moving the mountains.”
Goals
Ocampo and Tayles’ main goals are to honor Clemson’s traditions while catering to students, to deliver resources for supporting students and organizations and to create more cohesiveness with University administration to magnify student voices.
Prior involvement
Throughout his time at Clemson, Ocampo has been a part of the Call Me MiSTER program, the Thomas F. Chapman Scholarship Program and served as assistant deputy secretary for Tiger Prowl.
Tayles has served in 3 different positions in Zeta Tau Alpha: director of sisterhood, vice president of programming and, most recently, president of programming. She also serves on the CUSG judicial branch and the Change Student ethics board and is a member of the Dixon Global Policy Scholars Program in the Honors College.
Changes
Within CUSG, the two hope to recruit more undergraduate students, grow representation, collaborate with more individuals of different backgrounds and work with the president’s council to increase interactions between organization presidents for “cross collaboration.”
Working with University leaders
Ocampo and Tayles intend to advocate for student representation in decision-making processes and close the gap between the student body and University leaders, specifically by seeking representation on the board of trustees.
Why they are the best team for the job
Both Ocampo and Tayles believe that their campaign provides them an “opportunity to serve Clemson.” The president and vice president positions are “not a title for them” they are duties they take seriously.
The two are empowered by the opportunities they have experienced during their time at Clemson and would like to bring people together instead of keeping them separate. If elected, Ocampo plans on utilizing communication with different organizations throughout his term.
Difference from previous president and VP
One change that the two would like to see from their predecessors is for CUSG to increase utilizing opinions from organizations. Ocampo believes it is something that “we have been lacking in the current administration.”
Zach Freeman and Maya Khaskhely
Zach Freeman is a junior management and marketing major. He is also a member of the Honors College. Maya Khaskhely is a junior environmental and natural resources major with a Japanese minor.
The two’s slogan is “Echoing Your Roar,” and their main objective is to amplify students’ voices in CUSG and across campus.
Goals
If elected, Freeman and Khaskhely intend to increase student representation in the University decision-making process, specifically by incorporating student representation into the board of trustees. The two also want to work more closely with the Clemson University Police Department, the city of Clemson Police Department, Clemson Counseling and Psychological Services and overall the city of Clemson.
The two aim to “plant the seed” for a new student union, aid student organizations and communicate with the administration.
Prior involvement
Freeman is the current treasurer of Pi Kappa Alpha and Order of Omega. He is an ambassador for the college of business and gives tours to prospective students.
Khaskhely previously served as the chair for inclusion and equity in CUSG and is currently a floor senator. She is also involved in Delta Phi Lambda, works with SAGE and is a residential community mentor in McCabe Hall.
Changes
Freeman and Khaskhely aim to improve the connection between CUSG and the student body and to increase transparency with CUSG. The pair aims to do this by making meeting materials more accessible by uploading Zoom recordings of CUSG meetings and meeting minutes to the CUSG website.
Working with University leaders
Freeman has several connections with University administrators, including Dean Wendy York in the college of business. He wants to strengthen the relationship with the board of trustees, increase communication between students and ensure students know what events are taking place.
Why they are the best team for the job
Freeman has no CUSG experience, but he considers himself a strong advocate for students, a position he has always held. Khaskhely believes her past experiences serving in CUSG will allow her to support the Student Senate and other groups.
Difference from previous president and VP
Freeman and Khaskhely intend to deliver results past campaign season, which they find has been lacking by previous administrations.
CUSG Student body president and vice president election timeline
Wednesday, Feb 5: Banner drop
Wednesday, Feb. 12: Primary debate
Wednesday, Feb. 19: Primary election
Tuesday, Feb. 25: General debate
Wednesday, March 5: Election
