Age: 20
Year: Junior
Major: History and international affairs
Hometown: Wellesley Hills, Mass.
Embarrassing freshman year moment: Being told by a junior that it wasn’t cool to have your GWorld lanyard sticking out of your pocket. He literally pushed it back into my pocket. I have not used a lanyard since.
Next song University President Steven Knapp should dance to: “Hold It Against Me” by Britney Spears
Platform: re-evaluating SA and SAC financing protocol; exploring alternatives for GW’s performing arts groups; increased collaboration between student organizations and Greek life
Aria Varasteh may be a Student Association outsider, but he has spent his three years on campus active with several student organizations and serving on three executive boards.
“Most people here are involved in student organizations and all people are affected by student organizations,” he said.
Through his experience, Varasteh said he understands the University is not currently fulfilling student organizations’ needs.
“I started to realize that there are disparities between what the student organizations need out of the University and what the University is providing them,” he said.
As a result, Varasteh is focusing his platform on issues that will benefit student organizations.
“My advocacy is going to be student organization advocacy. I really want to address the issues for all of the student orgs on this campus. I know what it is they go through and I am here for them,” Varasteh said.
He said the biggest issue student organizations face is financing.
“I think it is necessary to re-categorize the SA’s funds by splitting the million dollars that they get at the beginning of the year, $500,000 first semester and $500,000 second semester.”
Varasteh also pointed out the flaw in the SA’s transparency. The lack of understanding that students have about the SA leads to discontent, he said.
“What the people see the SA for is funding. You don’t really see SA action on a day-to-day basis,” Varasteh said. “It is necessary for people to understand more what the SA is. if more people were aware of the SA, more people would like it.”
