Katie Ritchie and Rei Tedoco, both juniors and current USGD leaders, are running for student body president on separate tickets.

Ritchie, a public service and public policy major and the current vice president of policy, said she is focused on affordability, accessibility, connection and representation.

“We don’t believe students should have to pick between paying for health care, food access, housing and paying for their education,” Ritchie said. “An investment in their education is an investment in their future success.”

She said she plans to expand funding for the childcare subsidy and the crisis fund.

“This year, we saw those two resources run out within the first semester,” Ritchie said. “We want to make sure parents with children, as well as students undergoing a crisis, are able to receive financial resources.”

The childcare subsidy helps students with children afford child care and is funded by the student government across ASU’s campuses. The crisis fund, administered by the Dean of Students, provides financial assistance to students struggling to afford necessities.

Tedoco, a journalism and mass communication major and the current vice president of services, said she is focused on spreading awareness about opportunities for all students.

“A lot of people don’t know we have centers and institutes that have a lot of scholarships, resource opportunities and student job opportunities,” Tedoco said. “We want our students on campus to make sure they are valued and seen in those spaces.”

She said she will directly advocate for students, such as helping international and undocumented students vote, providing resources during ICE raids and increasing transparency by making USGD meetings accessible across multiple platforms.

“If I can meet with your dean and tell them what the issues are, I’m going to do it,” Tedoco said. “If I can meet with their professor and say, ‘Hey, I’m worried about this student,’ let me do that.”

She said her experience as a first-generation Asian American student has helped her better understand herself and other students.

“If you’re not in these spaces, you're not able to meet the students where they’re at,” Tedoco said. “You could be whatever fellow, you could be whatever scholar, but it's about you making an impact on those communities.”

Students continue to raise concerns about various issues. Safety remains a top concern for Jackson Hamblin, a senior studying nonprofit leadership and management.

“Safety has always been an issue on our campus, just being in a large city, so we need someone willing to take charge and secure our students and make them feel like this is a safe place to live,” Hamblin said.

He said USGD should also focus on accessibility for commuter and online students.

“Just making sure commuter students feel like they have a place down here, even if they’re not living in the city,” Hamblin said. “Same with our online students, letting them know they have spaces down here or there are events for them to attend through a virtual setting.”

He said students should stay informed and vote using the Sun Devil Central app, which all students can access with their ASU account.

“Different candidates have different policies and different goals,” Hamblin said. “It’s just a matter of staying up to date and who best aligns with me and who can support my clubs and organizations next year.”