Year and Major: History junior
Running Mates: Jason Donofrio (Policy) and Athena Salman (Services)
Why are you running for office?
Christina Rocks, Jason Donofrio and Athena Salman believe the students of ASU deserve student-government leaders who passionately strive for the empowerment of students and who care deeply about providing the best possible university experience for the student body of ASU.
In the face of devastating budget cuts to the university system in Arizona, Rocks, Donofrio and Salman are dedicated to ensuring that the priorities of their fellow students are preserved, programs and necessary services are provided and that the student body voice is heard!
Rocks, Donofrio and Salman are committed to serving their fellow students and listening to the concerns and ideas of the student population by instituting a transparent student government.
What experience qualifies you for the position?
In her past three years at ASU, Christina Rocks has fought for students on the campus level, as well as the state and national levels, through her involvement with multiple student organizations on campus, as well as the Arizona Students’ Association and the United States Student Association. As an ASA apprentice, she works on both legislative and grassroots campaigns in Arizona. During her tenure with ASA, she has engaged in voter work and two campaigns against statewide tuition hikes and served as the Steering Committee Chair of the fourth annual Southwest Student Leadership Conference held on the Tempe campus.
In 2007, Christina was elected to the USG Senate. During her term she chaired the University Affairs Committee, and she also established and chaired the Student Engagement Committee to ensure that student government was accessible to the entire student body.
For fall 2009, Christina was hired as a GrassRoots Organizing Weekend (GROW) trainer with the United States Students Association. As a GROW trainer, Christina will train students from campuses across the nation how to advocate for themselves.
She also serves as the vice president of the humanities for ASU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences College Council and is a former Hall Peer Mentor for her college. Christina believes that
higher-education access is one of the most pressing issues facing her generation, as it is interrelated to many other aspects of a socially just society. She works hard toward the goal of ensuring that each person has the means to be successful in her or his higher educational pursuits.
What do you think isthe most important issue of the election?
The most important issue of this election is preserving quality education and an excellent university experience for ASU students, even in light of a troublesome economic state. This is the time for the student voice to be heard and for students to stand up for their education.
Why should ASU students elect you?
Christina Rocks has the passion, drive and skills to make ASU a better place to be a student. No matter what, Christina will always put her fellow students first and stand up for the needs of the student body. She is completely dedicated to creating the best experience possible for all ASU students.
What is the No. 1 change you want to see on campus?
The No. 1 change Christina Rocks and her running mates want to see on campus is affordability. From tuition to parking to textbooks to cost of living to meal plans, ASU needs to be an affordable and accessible place for all students. It is imperative to the culture of our campus that ASU is an accessible environment. Christina Rocks does not want her fellow students to feel as if they are being trampled by burdensome costs of attendance.
Christina is completely dedicated to taking a firm stance against oppressive fees. She will also continue her work on campaigns to make textbooks more affordable and seek solutions to the parking problems of ASU. Christina will always reject and fight against tuition hikes.
How does the University’s current economic state affect your plans if elected?
If elected, Christina Rocks will continue to be an advocate for students on all levels of government. Now is the time to stand up for ourselves and demand the educations we all deserve.
In this spirit, Christina wants to bring a better sense of fiscal responsibility to the state, the university and especially the student government. We as students need to spend responsibly and appropriately in this economically harsh time. USG needs to be more transparent and accessible to all students. Christina will not let students be pushed into paying higher tuition, extra fees and other costs, no matter the economic state of the University.
Regardless of the economic state of the University, students cannot bear the burden alone. A dire economic state is all the more reason for students to get fired up about protecting their education.
