Who will control your student fees next year?

The Student Fee Committee member candidates will debate Tuesday to earn your vote. Seven candidates are vying for a spot on the six-member board, creating quite the competition to prove themselves to the students of Portland State.

James Gent
“I am a member of some very underrepresented student groups here at Portland State, and I feel that adequate representation is needed of all student groups.”

Gent is involved in multiple student groups including the fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon.

He was inspired to run when after attending an SFC meeting addressing the SALP taskforce, he was disappointed with the attitude displayed by members of ASPSU, including President Hannah Fisher, who he claims attacked non-SFC students in attendance for expressing their views.

He wants to correct the lack of communication between the SFC and the student body, and opposes raises in incidental fees.

Gent is against the restructuring of SALP, as he believes it will perpetuate the “cycle of instability” that has caused problems in the past.

Danny Sobolov
“The SFC should be objective, and to stay that way, it needs to be less complicated.”

Sobolov feels he has the appropriate experience worthy of the position, with a background in accounting and finance working for private companies and at a bank.

With an interest in student government, he feels that this is an opportunity to help the students at Portland State “make things work.”

Sobolov would like to make the SFC less complicated and more straightforward, as he believes it will encourage student participation and maximize efficiency.

Elizabeth Anderson
“I am running because, as an accounting major, I think I can be useful on the Student Fee Committee. I just want to make sure things are distributed fairly.”

Anderson is a senior at Portland State and will be returning next year to complete her master’s in finance and accounting. She has noticed that money for student groups is tight, and desires to practically allocate funds and try to have every group fairly addressed. She is honest in how she views the position and states that there is not much money going to be available for student groups next year, a challenge facing the SFC.

Aly Rey
“I am applying to be an SFC member because I know this position will greatly impact our students. I love our university and have a strong eagerness to help out.”

Rey helped found and lead the Italian Club last year. She also has experience as an orientation leader and student ambassador, and has started multiple clubs on campus.

She feels that as a student studying marketing and finance she is well prepared to take on the challenges facing the SFC.

Rey said that the SFC had some problems, in her opinion, and she wants to improve the distribution of funds next year.

Waddah Sofan
“To be in the SFC is a very hard job, it’s hard to please everyone … I have experience and I think I can do a lot and make a difference.”

Sofan served as an SFC member this year. He feels that every SFC member should serve two years, since it takes time to gain the understanding and experience the job requires.

Sofan believes that his readily available knowledge of the position will help him serve even better next year. He clearly states that he does not wish to increase the student fee, a hurdle the SFC is expected to face next year.
The challenge, in Sofan’s perspective, is to try pleasing everyone with the slim availability of funds.

Ron Lee
“At Portland State we need to take a step back and take a look at real-life priorities, and I am committed to being a voice on the Student Fee Committee of fiscal responsibility.”

Ron Lee was previously running for ASPSU president, but bowed out pledging his support to Jonathan Sanford and Rebekah Chitsaz.

Lee firmly stands by his commitment to help the students of Portland State. He says he’s aware of the anticipated 24 percent increase in tuition over the next two years, and the 4 percent decrease in staff salaries, along with the loss of over 700 classes next year.

He does not want to see an increase in student fees.