ASW.Club President candidates Warren Cook (left) and Alex Frol (right) speak at the ASW.Elections debate on March 15 in Gore Auditorium. Both Cook and Frol have been involved in ASW.Clubs in the past and have a wide array of leadership across campus. Photo by Rachel Robertson
There are two candidates running for ASW.Clubs President this year: Warren Cook—junior honors history major—and Alex Frol—sophomore biology major, tentative Chinese minor.
Both candidates said they have massive amounts of experience and passion for clubs and have sat in positions with ASW.Clubs previously.
Meet Warren Cook
Cook is an active member of the Westminster community, who spends his time running from the pitch of Dumke Field from soccer practice to club obligations to the Writing Center.
Campaign slogan: “Vote Warren Cook for ASW.Clubs President—for an efficient, active, and collaborative ASW Clubs.”
Main platforms addressed: Inter-club dialogue and activism; fostering an inclusive environment; open, respectful and efficient communication; transparent governing and student involvement.
Q: What do you see the ASW Clubs as currently?
A: What I see [ASW.Clubs as] right now is this loose confederation of clubs on campus, and we come together maybe like a couple times a semester—like once a month. And some people might be there representing like five different clubs, or they will just send a random representative. It is very procedural. It is like you have to be here to receive funding and to be recognized as a club. This is very boring and doesn’t seem valuable, especially because I think clubs are so important and club leaders are so important on campus and many times there are many passionate people in the room and we are just told how to remain a club. We don’t have any other sort of engagement.
Q: What platforms are you running on to change that?
A: I really want to foster increased club dialogue and inter-club dialogue. I would like to make a space for them to be able to collaborate. To address ‘What are the problems we’re seeing on campus?’ ‘What are our difficulties with as clubs?’ I just don’t feel like right now there is a space for questions or any sort of conversation, so I want to create that space. And I understand I don’t want to always have ASW.Clubs work collectively. I understand that it is important to keep clubs on campus diverse. I also do realize that clubs might not always agree with each other, and I actually think that’s good for campus and it is important to have those conversations.
Q: What’s your experience and how would you apply that to ASW. Clubs president?
A: So I’m a junior this year, so two years ago I stepped into my first leadership position for something outside of soccer. So I’m team captain of the men’s soccer team, but academically I am also the co-president of the history honors society, and I’m also on the ASW.Clubs board right now. Then also I am a presidential ambassador for the college. So I feel like I’ve been representing the college on many different fronts and in different environments. That’s the experience I bring. I feel like the question at the [ASW.Elections debate], ‘How are you going to manage your time?’ that’s a really good question, but I think these multiple positions benefit me because I don’t hold my feet in one part of the campus. I hold my feet in many different clubs. At the same time, I’m an athlete, as well. I also work with the administration. So rather than that being difficult like a weakness, I think it is actually an indication of my spread-out involvement.
Q: What would be your best asset you would bring to the job?
A: It’s hard to say what I’m good at, but I can tell you what I value. I prioritize efficiency, I prioritize transparency and then I also prioritize listening. What I really want to focus on is that I really want make sure meetings are quick and efficient. I don’t ever want to silence anyone. I really want to make sure that for the unimportant, boring stuff, I want to make that quick and easy at meetings, but I really do want to set aside time to listen.
Q: What’s your passion outside of campaigning and school?
A: I strive to be a global citizen. So every break and every summer I travel as much I can. I’m at 15 countries and 4 different continents currently. Every time I go somewhere, I bring something back to my own life because that’s something really important to me. I crave new experiences.”
Find out more at Cook’s campaign page here.
Meet Alex Frol
Frol described herself as a student activist with a plethora of experience in clubs on campus. Frol said she is passionate about club communication and making the processes more efficient and accessible.
Campaign slogan: “Roll with Frol”
Main platforms addressed: Club accessibility, communication and streamlining processes.
Q: What are your main platforms and initiatives your campaign is running on?
A: I’m running on making being a club and accessing the resources we have easier. The system that is in place for clubs is not streamlined and is incredibly inefficient. For the past year or so, there has been miscommunication between how to become a tier within a club, what the different tiers mean as a club, how to get funding, reimbursement process, where to deliver forms, how to get rooms on campus, why we can’t get posters in less than four weeks, etc. These questions and confusions has added to clubs not being able to create and make the best events possible.”
Q: Restructuring the club system?
A: I want to have a system in place that doesn’t unnecessarily take up people’s time in figuring out the system instead of working on the club. I want to streamline the process, making meetings more helpful and at definite times and dates so more people can plan accordingly. I want to make the ASW board meetings open to the public in the beginning so we can hear people’s concerns and ideas. My platform is based on helping the clubs as well as promises that are attainable.”
Q: What experience do you bring and what would you be able to apply to the position?
A: I was just named president for Hillel. As such, I help organize all our events on and off campus and delegate tasks among our student board and to our other members. I was just named on the Hillel International student board member to help support and promote diversity and inclusion on and off campuses and create an open and accepting environment. As treasurer of Students for Choice, I work with fundraising and advocacy events such as Take Back the Night. I am chancellor of funds for Democracy Matters, driving people to and from meetings and debates and registering them to vote. I am the organizing secretary for Love Your Melon—a national organization that provides hats for kids with cancer and helps fund research. I serve on the ASW.Clubs board. All of these positions have made me a better person in helping others, being better at communication and listening to other people’s concerns and acting on them.
Q: What’s your best asset or skill you would bring to this leadership position?
A: I have several different skills that are helpful for this position, but the one that I feel is the most helpful for this position is my ability to listen. The reason I’m running is because I was constantly tired of hearing about all these problems and not having the means to change these issues. I believe that being able to listen to people’s issues and act accordingly is important.
Q: Beyond the candidate, what are your passions or hobbies?
A: I am passionate about skiing and skiing competitively. Being part of a team all going for the same goal makes me and those around me strive for excellence. Eventually I want to go to the Paralympics. When I’m not skiing I like to hang out with friends and sometimes see a film. I am easy going and always up to talk to.
Find out more about Alex Frol at her campaign page here.
ASW. Elections take place on Mar. 22–23 on Canvas. Students can log on at anytime and vote for the candidates who most suit their fancy. Anyone with questions regarding ASW.Elections can swing by the ASW Office in Shaw across from the Concierge Desk. Happy election season to all!
