Alex Soliz is a sophomore majoring in biology and a senator for the Barefield College of Arts and Sciences running uncontested for vice president of financial affairs.
Q: Why is it that you’re running for vice president for financial affairs?
A: Given my attention to detail and experience in the Senate as the committee head for the Senate Committee on Finance, as well as my experience working with the current vice president for financial affairs and the SGA treasurer, I feel as though my experience has given me the opportunity to be the best suited candidate for this position, and I think it is the next step in my journey serving students here at UA.
Q: What are your campaign’s key platforms?
A: So my platform is called ACT with Alex. So the A stands for advantage through student discounts. The C is confidence specifically when applying for funding. So well, not specifically. So the confidence is kind of twofold. It’s confidence when spending money yourself through the financial literacy week, as well as confidence when applying for funding for registered student organizations. And then the transparency is going to be the quarterly budget breakdown so that students, you know, know what’s going on on campus.
Q: What two specific initiatives do you want to accomplish, and what time frames do you hope to accomplish them in?
A: I plan on implementing a quarterly budget breakdown, so that’s going to be every quarter to half a semester, detailing SGA expenses, where we’re allocating money and that sort of thing. And then the second one would be, I want to do a week dedicated to financial literacy. So that’s going to be a four day event, starting with budgeting. I’m planning on doing a debit and credit day as well as a day focused on scholarships, specifically at UA. And then taking a more broader, a more broad approach healthy spending habits that students can use in the real world. I’m going to start working on them as soon as I get in office, specifically the quarterly budget breakdown would be, hopefully, posted the first quarter.
Q: How do you plan to adapt if your initial plan for achieving those goals doesn’t go how you hope?
A: I think I’m a pretty adaptable person. I’m always looking at next steps, and I think that mindset that I have of you know, “How can we pivot this idea? Oh, this one doesn’t work. How could, like, what’s our next steps?” I think the mindset of just being flexible is how I’m gonna face adversity. And I think that’s how I’ve faced adversity through my time here at the University of Alabama.
Q: How do you plan to help low-income students be able to participate in University activities that may come with costs not affiliated with standard tuition?
A: So a big platform point of mine is confidence. And so through the SGA and the FAC, the Financial Affairs Committee, students will have the opportunity to apply for funding through their student organizations. And one of the things I’m very passionate about in my campaign is making that information on how to apply and the process for applying clear, understandable, and I want students to feel like it’s not something that they should worry about. I want students to ultimately feel like they’re confident when they apply for funding for their student organizations, so that the SGA can properly allocate that money and students can benefit.
Q: What financial initiatives have you seen be successful, and how do you plan to expand on those initiatives?
A: Okay, there’s a FAC panel that I sat on with the current vice president for financial affairs. It had a great turnout. There were a bunch of students that showed up. And basically what that is, is it’s a time where students can come and ask questions directly to our FAC advisor, the Senate committee head on finance and the vice president for financial affairs, and it’s a great opportunity for not only students to ask questions, but observe the process as well. And what I’m going to do to further that is by my Initiative Funding 101, which is going to be not just a night centered on funding and, you know, expanding the financial reach of the SGA. And it’s going to be tabling events with handouts listing the, you know, requirements and process, so that, in case students aren’t able to go to the FAC panel, they can still get that information.
Q: Your position this year is uncontested. Knowing this, how will student voters be able to hold you to your campaign promises?
A: I think that’s something that’s out of my control, obviously, and it doesn’t affect the way I’m campaigning. I think, given my time in the SGA, I think I’ve shown a commitment to the Student Government Association, and I hope that students can trust my integrity to continue to benefit the student body.
Q: What experiences have you had on campus that you believe will help you in the role if elected?
A: I think it’s not just one experience that’s helped me. I think it’s many experiences. I think my experience in the SGA, and kind of seeing how it works from the inside, will help me in my role.
Q: What’s one last thing you want voters to know about you?
A: I want voters to know that as soon as I stepped on campus, I felt a genuine love for the University, and that’s something that I want to give back to students, not only for incoming freshmen, but students that are already on campus. I want every student to feel like I did when I stepped on campus. I want them to feel at home and through the SGA, you know, students serving students I have, I already have the opportunity to do that, but I will continue to have the opportunity to benefit students, and I’m excited to have the opportunity.