Student leaders are still students and still deal with difficult issues. During the weekly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 13, a somber tone filled the air. However, despite dealing with personal and organizational struggles, the ASUW senators still completed the meeting, addressing the needs of students and student government.
ASUW has spent the 2023-2024 year functioning without an advisor. Recently, Cameron Craft and Shelly Schaef, the only pro-staff members in ASUW, both ran for the position. However, ASUW continues to be met with hardship, as both of these candidates have announced that they will not be accepting the Advisor role and instead will also be leaving ASUW as a whole.
Schaef, with tears in her eyes, told the senators, “You need to know that I am not leaving this organization because of any of you.”
According to First Year Senator Hayden Mackenzie both senators have received other job opportunities. “Shelly [Schaef]* got a job offer and so she is unfortunately leaving us […] They wanted her to immediately, but she told them that she wouldn’t leave us until budget season is done.”
Craft, the project coordinator for ASUW is also moving on to a new job, leaving ASUW without pro staff entirely.
ASUW is now entering budget, legislative session and election season accompanied with the loss of these two instrumental individuals effective March 1, 2024.
In addition to the atmosphere set by this announcement, several senators had heavy heartsatthesenatemeetingduetorecentevents in Wyoming, such as the death of Sabrina Geller as well as the death of a local police officer in Sheridan, Wyoming.
ASUW will continue to work for the students of UW despite experiencing hardships and changes. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 7:00 p.m.
*Editor’s note: Corrected from Dodd, as a Senator misspoke and a reporter misunderstanding due to a lack of a current roster of ASUW staff/students.
