Year: Junior
Major: Political science
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
Clubs/Activities: Tau Kappa Epsilon, College Democrats, GW Debate Team and the Philippine Cultural Society
Dream job: U.S. senator
How far have you gotten in the second season of “House of Cards”? Watched all the episodes.
What you would name the new residence hall: “Frank Underwood Hall.”
Junior Ian Crueldad has only been on campus for six months, but he thinks just about everything at GW is too expensive.
If elected second-in-command of the Student Association, he promises to take action. Crueldad, who transferred to GW in the fall, pledged to find ways to lower fees for courses, laundry machines, printing and Metro fares – all in the next year.
He also wants to add a student representative to the D.C. Council, create designated smoking areas on campus and increase funding to Greek organizations on campus. He said he would lobby the University to give two free meals a day to students who live in residence halls, raise the academic credit cap to 20 from 17 to help students graduate more quickly, add sports equipment to gyms, designate days to celebrate different cultures and create a memorial for students who have died on campus.
The San Jose, Calif. native hasn’t yet said specifically how he would realize these goals, but he is confident that he will reach them.
“My goals are ambitious in terms of it takes a regular EVP to step out of their comfort zone to achieve these goals. I would say that my goals are do-able,” Crueldad said.
A brother in Tau Kappa Epsilon, he would allow Greek chapters to receive money from the SA’s $1 million budget – in addition to the umbrella organizations Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council.
He said all organizations should receive adequate funds to encourage more students to get involved on campus.
“I know I’ve been here not even a year, but it’s very clear that there’s not that much student life, and I know Greek life is a very big part in any college campus that has it. So I would give more money to them, and in turn, it would get more students active in Greek life,” he said.
Crueldad came from California State University – East Bay, where he lead political organizations and participated in student government. He lobbied public universities to lower tuition and the state to set aside more money for primary and secondary schools.
“I know people think its impossible or it’s never going to happen, but a lot of people in California didn’t think it would be cut down and it did because of the power of students,” he said.
Raised by a single mother in a low-income household, he said the scholarship he received from GW has made him want to “contribute back” to the University.
Crueldad said he would work to “cut the total cost” for international students to attend GW, which would encourage more to apply.
“I think that overall it’s about working with the administration, and they’re trying to make the campus better and have us [receive] a higher ranking and whoever has a degree here will have more value,” he said.
