Molly Mueller is a third-year studying political science and international studies. Mueller has served as a student senator for three sessions of Student Government, and is currently chair of the appropriations committee. Technician sat down with Mueller to discuss her vision, goals and campaign for office.

Why are you the most qualified person for this position?

I’m currently serving in my third year as a senator and right now I’m the chair of the Appropriations Committee. Of course there’s lots of different things that the student body treasurer has to do, but one of the main priorities is dealing with appropriations. I have been on sort of the policy side of appropriations and we recently, in September, the committee allocated $100,000 to about 200 different student organizations. I’ve had the experience of working directly with the student organizations, I’m the one that’s answered the appropriations email. I understand a lot of what students’ frustrations are and what they need from that. A lot of it is greater transparency with receipts and making that process easier and the receipts are the part that the student body treasurer deals with specifically. A lot of my priority will be greater communication with organizations, helping them understand what’s acceptable, what’s not, what needs to be improved. What I would like to do, ideally, is digitize all the receipts to make the process as online as possible working with whoever the next appropriations chair would be to make that happen.

What do you hope to accomplish in this role?

So one of those things like I just said, digitizing the process. I think that’s really important because right now a lot of student organizations have issues with they’ll turn in receipts and then between treasurers, things will get lost. If you look in the treasurer’s office right now there’s just stacks and stacks and stacks of paper. Of course, that’s not very stable and it would also make it a lot easier for student organizations because then they could keep their receipts, scan them in and send them in digitally. It makes it a lot better for them organizationally, makes it a lot better for the treasurer organizationally and it means that there would be fewer things lost in the transition process.

Another thing I want to do, generally, is I think a lot of students don’t necessarily understand how their student fees are spent within Student Government. Really just increasing transparency with that, having different visuals on the treasury website to help students understand this is where their student fees are being spent because of course they deserve to know that information because it’s their money.

In your opinion, did former Student Body Treasurer John Taylor Willis do an adequate job in the role?

I obviously had to work with him as appropriations chair and I don’t think that his role necessarily will impact whoever the next treasurer is. Each treasurer is different, each treasurer has different goals. Again, like I said, my focus would be increasing communication, increasing transparency, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that John Taylor did a bad job of that.

What do you see as your greatest Student Government success in your three years here so far?

Probably the most recent allocation process in September. That was my first appropriations cycle as chair. So being able to lead the team, lead the committee to appropriate those $100,000 I’d say is probably my biggest success so far.

What inspired you to run for student body treasurer?

The role of the student body treasurer is different than a lot of other student body officer roles just because it’s very specific in nature. I think it’s important that someone who has experience dealing with student fees, dealing with the money, understanding a lot of what goes into the treasurer I think it’s important that someone like that run. That was a lot of the reason why I ran because I feel like I do have that experience and would be able to provide that transparency for students. I think too it is a unique opportunity to work with students in a different way than a lot of us do because a lot of SBO’s do because a lot of SBO’s work on policy whereas the student body treasurer works directly with students to make sure that organizations are funding well and making sure that all the money is in check and that sort of thing. So, helping student organizations create that infrastructure.

In one sentence, why should someone vote for you?

I have the experience of working directly with student organizations so I know what student organizations need, I know students needs more generally, so I’ll be able to provide that transparency and communication.