ASMSU elects next president, vice president of finance and operations

The Associated Students of Michigan State University elected their next president and vice president for finance and operations Wednesday night.

Both elected officials will serve their respective positions during the 62nd session of ASMSU, which begins in the fall.

President

Kathryn Harding, current vice president of internal administration and political science senior, was the sole candidate running for president. At a Q&A session Tuesday, she promised to strengthen student engagement on campus, strengthen representation within the student government and make resources more available to students.

In a speech to the General Assembly, Harding laid out her previous experience at ASMSU. Before serving as VPIA, she served as the vice president of the Freshmen Class Council and vice president of the Sophomore Class Council the following year.

“This past year, I served as the vice president for internal administration, a leadership position that has allowed me to connect with every branch of ASMSU and gain a deeper understanding of the inner workings of our undergraduate student government,” Harding said.

Harding said the three largest challenges facing ASMSU this upcoming academic year are successfully implementing an ethics oversight committee, discussing and researching the recently passed Proposal 2, and passing a tax increase and renewal next spring.

“As president, I pledge to assist with the smooth implementation of the ethics oversight committee and ensure accountability and ethical practices within ASMSU,” she said.

The latter two challenges can be addressed by increasing ASMSU’s visibility to the student body and providing open forums for them to address the student government, she added

Harding said she also hopes to fill GA seats left unattended in the fall.

Additionally, Harding stressed that she would stand up for DEI and the international community on campus amid the federal government’s reshaping of higher education.

“Right now is a defining moment, not just for students on our campus, but for students across the country,” she said. “That is why MSU is in need of student leaders who are fearless, compassionate, open minded and ready to listen. I can promise you today that these are all traits I will embody as your president if elected. It’s no secret that students are facing hardships due to federal changes to DEI and the revocation of visas, and it would be remiss not to address this today.”

After deliberation in a closed session, Harding was elected president of ASMSU via unanimous consent.

“This is a very big responsibility, and I thank you for trusting me to take that on,” she said. “This job is never one that I will take lightly more for granted. It is a great honor to be able to serve and not only represent ASMSU, but all of the students on our campus, and as president, I will work hard each and every day to advocate for all Spartans and to bridge the gap between our organization and the rest of the student body.”

Vice president for finance and operations

Human resources and political science pre-law sophomore Anna Burk was the sole candidate running for vice president for finance and operations. She said she has been involved with ASMSU for the past two years and served as the GA liaison for the Sophomore Class Council.

Burk said she has also served as staff on ASMSU, where she worked as an intern for the internal administration department freshman year and executive assistant for the Office of the President sophomore year. 

“This role has truly allowed me to expand my knowledge of the inner workings of ASMSU and has solidified my interest in running for VPFO,” Burk said.

The greatest impact ASMSU has on the student body is the resources and services it provides, she said.

“I care deeply about ensuring that all students can benefit from the full range of resources ASMSU has to offer, and I want to ensure that every dollar in ASMSU’s budget is spent efficiently, transparently and with the purpose of enriching student life and promoting well being,” Burk said.

As VPFO, Burk said she would work to ensure that the finance and operations department is more responsive to student feedback and accessible with stronger marketing.

After deliberation, Burk was elected by the GA as VPFO via unanimous consent.