Tresorial candidate: Max Morand

Name: Max Morand
Party: The Representation Party
Hometown: Clifton Park, N.Y.
High School: Shenendehowa High School
Major: Business Administration Honors
Age: 18
Clubs/Organizations: Student Senate, Investment Club, Entrepreneurship Club

Why did you decide to run for this position? 

“I want to become an accountant and deal with finances. Finance and accounting are in my family. I’ve always had an interest in numbers and finding ways to make things work with a limited budget.”

What are your qualifications to run?

“Recently, four of us from senate went to Florida for [a] National Student Leadership Conference where we became certified student leaders. We discussed student involvement with other schools. We brainstormed with other schools, and we had some keynote speakers give us ideas to get students involved. At my job, at Marshall’s, I am a leader. I’m usually directing people and giving them ideas to push them to succeed in their careers.”

Overall, what is your greatest asset?

“My caring nature. It’s hard because I have a lot of things that make me who I am. Caring is probably one of the biggest things. I care about everyone and all of their opinions. If you come to me, I’m always willing to sit down and discuss the issue that we’re trying to solve. We can try to work something out that benefits all of the parties involved. I’m not going to blow you off and say that it has to be my way. I try to go with the way that benefits all of the people involved.”

Please provide three adjectives which describe your ability to lead.

“Willing. Willing in the sense that I am willing to go above and beyond what other leaders might want to do.”

“Driven. In the sense that I am driven to make this campus community a better one. That sounds like a broad spectrum, but it can be narrowed down a certain issues on campus that would help improve the campus.”

“Focused. I’m ready to be there to figure out all of the issues that need to be solved on campus.”

Name five initiatives you’d like to focus on in your position.

“More interactive maps on campus. Raise money through fundraisers to get them on campus.”

“Help to improve student orientation.”

“Raise the Student Activities fee by five or $10 to increase the Student Activities budget.”

“Introduce more weekly and daily activities similar to pizza Wednesday.”

“Split up the budget to benefit students throughout the year instead of during large events throughout the semester.”

What is the biggest problem with student life at Hudson Valley?

“Student involvement on campus. Everyone usually comes here and then goes home. Come here, go to class and go home. There should be more students involved. Maybe you don’t want to stay here if there’s nothing to do, but there’s usually something going on. Students are unwilling to take the initiative to go out of their way to attend club meetings. We could get more people involved with the maps and make everyone more aware of the clubs on campus.”

“Stick to the students. The Representation Party is here to represent the students and listen to everyone’s ideas. We want them to come to us so we can come up with a solution to all of the problems brought up. We want everyone more involved on campus.”