Tanner Schinderle, a political science junior, and Caleb Shick, a business administration junior, are the two candidates running for ASI President this year. Both candidates based their campaigns on four main ideas.
Active campaigning for ASI Presidential candidates begins Saturday at 5 p.m. The Presidential Debate will take place next Thursday, April 16 at 11 a.m. in the University Union Plaza. This article provides more information about each candidate and what they stand for.
Caleb Shick
Caleb Shick is a transfer student studying real estate finance. Shick’s campaign aims to increase student autonomy and reduce financial burdens.
1. Club freedom
Shick aims to cut “administrative red tape” for student organizations. He wants to make it easier for clubs to host events without getting their Event Plans rejected. He also wants to simplify fundraising by allowing payments like Venmo or cash, which are currently restricted by the school.
2. Cutting unnecessary student costs
Shick proposes eliminating what he considers redundant expenses, such as quarterly charges for PolyCards, which he estimates could save $1.1 million over four years. He also advocates for full meal plan balance rollovers (removing the current $500 cap) and for making certain fees, such as the Campus Health and Wellbeing fund, optional for students with private insurance.
3. Responsive student platform
Shick wants to create a centralized digital platform on the Cal Poly website where students can submit complaints or issues. These would be reviewed weekly or bi-weekly by the ASI Executive Cabinet to ensure student needs are being heard.
4. Campus unity
Shick plans to increase the frequency of traditional events and introduce more “spirit nights” and free food at athletic games to bring people from different academic colleges together.
“When I know that there’s a student concern and I’m in a meeting with a leader or other administration, instead of maybe hiding what the students want because I want to please somebody or not hurt somebody’s feelings, [I] just make sure that I’m honest in letting them know that this is what the students want,” Shick said. “This is what my elected position is dedicated for. It’s for speaking for the students.”
Tanner Schinderle
Tanner Schinderle is the current Chief of Staff of the ASI Executive Cabinet, and served as their Secretary the year before. Tanner draws his experience from his role as Chief of Staff and his involvement in implementing the ASI Grocery Shuttle program.
1. Affordability
Schinderle seeks to make on-campus dining and commuter parking more accessible and affordable. He highlights the success of the grocery shuttle, noting that it provided over 4,400 rides in Winter Quarter and that 99% of survey respondents said it increased their access to affordable food.
2. Resources
Schinderle proposes increasing the number of 24/7 study spaces on campus, arguing that two floors of the library are insufficient for roughly 23,000 students. Additionally, he wants to expand the shuttle program to include weekend trips to the beach and to the airport before and after academic breaks.
3. Community
Schinderle aims to support clubs and organizations by providing resources to help them transition from the quarter to the semester system. He also aims to create more engaging campus events, such as concerts and food-focused activities.
4. Action and Advocacy
Schinderle intends to bring student leaders from clubs and athletics directly into conversations with university administrators. He views the “corporate” side of ASI (managing fees) and the “advocacy” side as interlocked, ensuring the $400 quarterly fee is returned to students through effective programming.
“For far too long, students have not been the center of decision-making. It’s time that students are at the center of every decision that this university makes,” Schinderle said.
Voting for ASI President and Board of Directors begins April 21 at 8 a.m. and closes April 23 at 8 a.m. Winners will be announced on April 23 at noon.
