ASMSU College of Agriculture Senators

The following responses were submitted by students running for election as College of Agriculture Senators.

Siera Harrison, Oliver Cole

In a tweet, why should MSU students vote for you?

Oliver Cole: I will always put student interest first and use the opinions of students to guide my representative opinions!

Siera Harrison: Vote Siera, rooted in tradition, cultivating growth.

Why are you running to be an ASMSU senator?

Oliver Cole: It’s going to sound pretty cliché, but my honest answer is that in my two years as an MSU student thus far I have come to love the university and the students who make it the driven, caring united community I know. I am alarmed and saddened by what I and others perceive to be a sudden rise in hateful and derogatory language and actions on campus, and I feel a responsibility to act in some way to help those most affected feel safe and free to express themselves as genuinely as possible. I hope that, as a senator, I am able to help remedy the effects of these recent events and maintain MSU’s status as a safe and welcoming institution.

Siera Harrison: My name is Siera Harrison and I am running for ASMSU College of Agriculture senator. I want to be the representative for the students in the College of Agriculture because I am passionate about bringing agriculture, community and health to our entire campus.

What relevant experience equips you to be a senator?

Oliver Cole: I was born and raised in Bozeman and thus have long been aware of the good done to the Bozeman community by MSU and its students. I am continually impressed by the work done by my fellow students to better the community, and I believe my intimate familiarity with both campus and the city will allow me to inform the legislature as a whole, as well as inform my policy agenda. As a high schooler, I participated in a student-led initiative to include solar panels on both the renovated Bozeman High School and newly built Gallatin High School, which was ultimately successful through legislation brought to the Montana State Legislature by the group of students I was a part of. Additionally, I have been involved with leadership as a soccer captain and coach for local and statewide clubs. I am hoping to broaden my experience through the senator position in the College of Ag!

Siera Harrison: I feel that I am equipped for the challenges that holding a senate seat brings as I am very involved and have held multiple officer positions here on campus.

If elected, what would be your top priorities and why?

Oliver Cole: My first priority is to help bridge the gap between campus and community organizations in need of volunteers. I have found that the need for volunteer labor and expertise in the community is large, but students may not be presented with information about volunteer opportunities or know how to become involved. There are a vast number of nonprofits in the valley, and I strongly believe any student can find a volunteer opportunity that interests them and fulfills a need in the community.

Siera Harrison: If elected, my top priorities would be to restructure funding for student clubs and organizations through the office of student engagement to provide more support for our campus community. I would work towards creating more student fee funded programs that help provide educational resources, such as improvement of study spaces and school supplies. Furthermore, I want to remind our students and faculty of the long history of agriculture that MSU has and that we still are one of the top agriculture research schools in the whole nation.

What ideas do you have to address those priorities?

Oliver Cole: To help connect students with volunteer opportunities, I would like to create a pamphlet for students which includes information about nonprofits, volunteer requirements, proximity to campus, etc. This pamphlet could be distributed during Catapalooza and also kept available for student use at locations across campus. My hope is that compiling information in an accessible and succinct way will help Bobcats become more involved in the community.

Siera Harrison: Specifically, I want to create events that help provide agriculture education and awareness to our campus as well as prioritize celebrating our history of agriculture.