On Feb. 2, the Associated Students of Whitworth University (ASWU) approved to change the financial director position from elected to paid to ensure the tasks of the position are met by the candidates. Michael Stavridis, the current ASWU Financial Director, put forth the proposal to make the change to ensure the qualifications for the position are met in the future.  

The role of the financial director is to oversee budgetary matters for ASWU and serve as the chairperson for the finance committee and budget committee.  

Bobbi Jo Crittenden, the ASWU Vice President, supported the decision, premising that the position required a unique set of skills that were specific to the responsibilities of the role.  

Changing the position to hired rather than elected makes the job more oriented towards the skills of a particular candidate rather than “getting your name out there,” as Crittenden describes. The skills desired for the position involve being able to manage funds and run the financial committee.  

The interview process for hiring in the position will also give more access to the Assistant Dean of Student Programs, Todd Sandberg, to help place a successful candidate in that role.  

When asked about how the change will affect student representation, Crittenden says that the change will place a candidate with the actual skills for the job rather than making a candidate known to people.  

Sandberg adds to this, saying that the responsibilities of the position are unchanged. The financial director is also trained, supported, and held accountable by Laurie Kelley, the program coordinator.