The walls of Chardon adorned with posters holding familiar faces anticipates the student elections, which will be held online throughout this week. In order for us, the student body to make an informed decision, it is necessary to get to know the candidates that aspire to this position. In an exclusive feature for Her Campus, two of the candidates for the Administrative Board – Marcus J. Ramos Cintron and Pablo J. Quiles – opened their hearts to the UPRM community in order to relay their goals for this position, and how they intend to help the Colegial community by achieving them.
Marcus J. Ramos Cintron is a native of Ponce, and fourth year Sociology major. He intends to be reelected as the Administrative Board Representative for the 2015- 2016 academic year; a position he held from 2014 to 2015. Some of Marcus’s hobbies include: reading, writing essays, watching T.V. shows such as House of Cards, which he is a fan of, and resting when he can since he does not have a lot of free time.
Marcus J. Ramos Cintron 2016-2017 Administrative Board Representative Candidate.
Pablo J. Quiles is a 23 year old History and Education major who aspires to become a teacher and a diplomat. He is currently in his fifth year of study, and has held several positions within the student body of governance since 2012. This Las Marias native enjoys playing chess, internal tourism, as well as volunteering at his local animal shelter.
Pablo J. Quiles 2016-2017 Administrative Board Representative Candidate
This is how the candidates answered the questions we presented them with:
1. What is your platform as a candidate?
Marcus: I have always emphasized student participation, and something that really frustrated me in this round of nominations is that the nominations had to be extended over the two assemblies due to lack of candidates. Candidates had to be looked for and taken to the Dean of Students to be nominated. Same thing happens with the macro level participation, people go to the student assemblies and don’t take the proceedings seriously. I think it is a colossal opportunity for students to influence institutional policies, because they are the only independent voice here. We are not talking about professors who are employees and already possess a network of relationships and affinity with the administration, and staff employees that depend on this administration to successfully negotiate collective marginal benefits. So we are the only ones that can state proposals and problems without having to rely on anybody or be worried about facing consequences. For more details access Marcus’ official Facebook page where you can find his whole platform. https://www.facebook.com/Marcus-J-Ramos-Cintrón-Junta-Administrativa-2016-2017-637375373061384/?fref=ts
Pablo: My platform as a candidate for the Administrative Board is straightforward, genuine and imperative. It is based on three important principles: effective communication with students, teamwork, and real results. This platform is created based on real problems that directly affect the entire community. For more details access Pablo’s official Facebook page where you can find his whole platform. https://www.facebook.com/Pablo-Quiles-Junta-Administrativa-2016-17-583411285148641/?fref=ts
2. What kind of experience do you posses that will help you exceed in this position, if you are elected?
Marcus: From 2014 to 2015 I served as Administrative Board Representative, General Student Council Vice President, Representative of the Appeals Ratings Committee, General Students Council Association’s Committee President, Law and Regulations Committee President, and member of the Search and Query Committee for the UPRM Chancellor in 2014.
Pablo: I was interim president in the General Student Council in 2012, then two years as president of the council, two years as a student senator, alternate representative at the University Board, representative of the Social Science faculty, and president of the Committee of Student Affairs.
3. What is the biggest obstacle the university is currently facing, and what do you intend to do about it?
Marcus: Right now the University of Puerto Rico is facing a fiscal crisis, and the administrators have done a poor job for the university leaving us with nothing but resignation. What I want to do as Administrative Board Representative is to start talks within the university and extend them outside of its confines. We have to exert pressure. The University of Puerto Rico is the most important project the country has and it cannot be let dismantled. We cannot sit here thinking the University of Puerto Rico is gonna last forever because as we have seen what the government policies have been which project a $500,000,000 decrease in funding over the next 5 years. So, if we are in trouble now covering the basic institutional necessities, what’s gonna happen next? The time to act is now. That is the message I want to convey to the student body and other sectors as Administrative Board Representative.
Pablo: The lack of transparency in our bureaucratic, academic and administrative processes, the interference of political parties in our university, and the limited autonomy. The university must be cleaned of all that and be big and strong. These problems reflect on every elected position within the student bodies and hinder the work that can be done. Hopefully, I can set an example by working with the integrity and the commitment the students deserve.
4. What sets you apart from other candidates?
Marcus: I think what sets me apart and what has gained me a lot of friends and enemies is my honesty. I am the kind of person that is going to tell you things how they really are. Another thing that sets me apart is that I am a rational and objective person, I can separate my personal beliefs from what I am supposed to represent as the Administrative Board Representative; a collective board with differing beliefs. My job is to represent those voices; not just my own.
Pablo: Since I began at the Student Governance, what has set me apart from the rest is my integrity and transparency. I hold on to my ideas, but mostly, to the student’s requests, even if they are not my own, because defending their interests is my priority as a candidate. I do my best to act with patience, diplomacy and effective strategies in order to get the best results possible for students. Also, I can set personal matters aside of every kind when it comes to doing my job. Political interest or preferences will not be an issue for me, as I am very well focused on serving everyone, not just a few.
5. What motivated you to pursue this position?
Marcus: In times when the University faces administrative and financial crises it needs representatives that understand the complexities of the institution, and whose only loyalty lies to students. The student representation should be foremost an independent voice from the administrative powers, and not a conduit to acquire privileges; my commitment is to be that independent voice. For these reasons I decided to submit my candidacy, and place my efforts in serving students and the University once more in definitive conjunctures for our future.
Pablo: Peers who were already working at the Student Governance approached me and gave me the push I needed to begin. Once I was in there, and saw how much work needed to be done was what motivated me to stay and to pursue different positions, in which I could serve the student body in different ways. Through my work with the professor at the Administrative Board I learned how its processes work.
6. If you were to be elected, what would be your first call of action?
Marcus: In my last term in the Academic Senate I presented a resolution to conduct a collective study on community work done on campus with the purpose of quantifying what is our contribution to the community we serve. This is extremely useful when people question why we need the university and if the investment is worthwhile. That resolution has stayed in a committee of the Academic Senate and I would like to revive it so the study can be conducted now more than ever that our funding is under threat.
Pablo: I would do my best to maintain direct communication with the student body: student associations, athletes, artists, as well as fraternities and sororities. It would be my priority to hear their needs and do everything in my power to handle them, without them having the need for intermediaries. Also, I would make sure that the board (Junta Universitaria) actually reviews the proposals submitted and takes action regarding those that might have a positive impact in our community.
7. Name at least three of your proposals:
Marcus: A. After a year serving in the Appeals Ratings Committee I have found the need to amend the SA 01-41 Certification in order to draft a more precise process less open to interpretations. It is also necessary to abolish the SA 06-54 Certification in order to restore the original committee’s composition ( The Dean of Academic Affairs, the Dean of Students, and the Student Advocate, a Faculty Representative, elected by the Academic Senate, and a Student Representative) in order to rely on a wider criteria when evaluating our students ratings.
B. Propel the Administrative Board and the Senate to demand the Central Administration to repay the Laboratory Quota to the academic units such as with the Technology Quota.
C. Contact external funding sources in order for the General Student Council and the Faculty Council to raise funds to target projects around campus such as: painting buildings, repairing structural building deficiencies, pave sidewalks, parking lots, transit lanes, other special equipment and any other needs. This sort of initiative empowers students to come up with solutions to campus problems and draw lines to resolve these issues.
Pablo: Improve security on campus, broaden academic offerings, and develop more opportunities for art and sports programs within the university.
8. What is the importance of this position?
Marcus: The Administrative Board is where all the campus deans meet, two faculty representatives from the Academic Senate, one student representative, and the chancellor to discuss both campus and university policies in our academic unit. It is the highest ranking deliberative body on campus and it needs a student representative that is knowledgeable of the MO of its members.
Pablo: This position works with all administrative affairs regarding budget, the academic calendar, security, etc. It is the most powerful position a student can hold within our representative body and where all the important decisions regarding the university are made.
9. Describe yourself in three words:
Marcus: Honest, empathetic, resolute.
Pablo: Transparent, experienced, and diplomatic.
10. What are your plans after graduation?
Marcus: I am thinking of going to Law School. I am going to be applying here in Puerto Rico and abroad, and depending on which opportunities arise, I would opt to go abroad. I would like to go into Labor Law, as it interests me greatly especially now that the working class has been set aside because of neoliberal policies. I think these people deserve someone to represent them.
Pablo: For me, to be a teacher has always been my dream job. There is something very noble and powerful about having the privilege of educating future generations, presenting them with all of life’s possibilities, helping them develop their potential, and to achieve their goals. Another passion of mine is International Relations, I think this world needs mediators who can change the way in which decisions are made, especially those that affect everyone’s well-being, in issues such as education, health, poverty, and security.
Both candidates presented their goals and objectives eloquently, and have well-meaning intentions towards the university and the student body. Their professional demeanor is essential to the role they will be playing if elected as Administrative Board Representative, the most important position a student can possess in the university. It is of utmost importance for students to vote to select the best candidate for the university in order for it to prosper and have a voice that will represent their best interests. So Colegial, go ahead and vote!