Jason Lifton - A Presidential Candidate Profile

Jason Lifton

Major

Political Science and Business Administration

Clubs, Activities, Internships, Jobs, Experience

I am currently the house manager for Sigma Chi, an active member of GW Hillel and a somewhat active member of the GW Sailing team. Additionally, last semester I worked for Senator Chuck Schumer as a legislative intern.

Why are you running for President?

After 2 and a half years at GW and a successful year as EVP I feel that I have a great knowledge of how GW runs and what sort of issues students face. I believe that I can effectively advocate for students on the issues that are most important. I have seen the ways that the Student Association is effective and the things that can be improved and I will work to make sure that this organization runs as smoothly as possible, working as hard as possible for all GW students.

What is the number one most pressing issue that the President should deal with?

The number one issue that the SA president should be addressing is the Gelman Library. At an academic institution the library should the be focal point of an education and Gelman is totally inadequate to fit that need. The university should be dedicating more resources to Gelman so that the library can implement the improvements that they have  been discussing for years.

In the past year, who do you think has been the most effective member of the SA (besides yourself) Why?

This past year, no one in the Student Association has worked harder that Erik Ashida (myself included). Erik is the student body’s strongest advocate when it comes to issues with the Gelman Library. He is constantly meeting with the librarians, the library advisory boards and high level administrators all in an effort to improve the quality of the library. Erik is quite and soft spoken, but does not stand down when he faces adverse opinions in an administrator’s office, but most notable about Erik is that most of his work is totally unnoticed by everyone, yet he does not need recognition. If the SA had more people like Erik, the organization would be a lot more effective when it comes to advocating and fighting for students.

What would you do differently compared to your predecessor, Julie Bindelglass?

Julie’s biggest flaw was her lack of communication with the student body. The SA president should be a visible figure who’s around campus and I think that Julie often lacked that presence. It is essential that people know who the president is and recognize that he or she is a person to approach if they need help with something. As president I will ensure that I am visible on campus and that I keep an open line of communication between me and the student body.

What will you be doing next year if you don’t win your election?

Sleeping later! Also, if I’m not elected I would love to get more involved with GW Trails. Also, I will take a more active role in the GW sailing team.

Any additional things you would like to say to say about yourself?

As someone who has the experience working with administrators and navigating the GW bureaucracy I will be able to hit the ground running as president.