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Ryan Readnower

by Dave Newton — last modified March-24-2008 08:54 AM

Personal Statement

My name is Ryan Readnower and I am running for college senator for the graduate school. I started attending classes at UK during the fall of 2002 and graduated with my bachelors in agricultural biotechnology with a double major in biology in the spring of 2006. In the fall of 2006 I joined the Integrated Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. program at UK and the following year I officially became a Ph.D. student in the Anatomy and Neurobiology Department. Over the years I have witnessed dramatic changes taking place at UK, some good and some bad. My goal is to give students a voice on campus and hopefully influence more positive change at the university. Yearly tuition increases, several fold increases since I started as an undergraduate, have forced many students into financial hardship. If elected I plan to lobby for cheaper tuition for all students while continuing to emphasize the need for quality faculty and education. Access to affordable and adequate student insurance is another concern for many students. I plan to work with school leaders to improve insurance options for all students. So I ask that you vote for me in the upcoming student government elections and lets make UK a better place together.

  1. As a student leader, you are aware that there is an emphasis on diversity issues at UK. What are some issues related to diversity that you believe are apparent on campus, and what do you plan to do to create change?

    2. No response

  2. What are your plans to help create an end to sexual violence and promote safety on campus?

    3.  No response

  3. In light of the recent budget issues in state government, what action should Student Government take to help maintain affordable higher education?

    4. Maintaining an affordable quality education should be a major focus for both the state and the university. Student government members need to lobby the state government and ask that if the top 20 business plan is to be achieved then the state is going to have to fund it or the mandate should be dropped. Having the expectation that students should be responsible for funding the top 20 business plan, is at best a travesty to all students.

  4. What action, if any, do you believe is appropriate for Student Government to take to increase voter education and participation both in on-campus elections, and general elections?

    5. No response

  5. What are your plans with working side by side with landlords and the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government on off campus student housing?

    6. I think having houses turned into multi-apartment housing, is unfair to home owners adjacent to these multi-apartment houses. Certainly having ordinances that respect non-student neighbors are needed so that non-students are able to enjoy their property.

  6. Leaders often face the struggle of understanding the people they represent. UK has a very diverse student body in terms or race, class, gender identity, culture, ethnicity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, and ability status. What measures will you take to educate yourself on these issues? In what ways will you commit yourself to better understand and represent this diverse student body?

    7. I am open to discussion with any student, I consider myself open-minded and certainly wish to represent all students so that the common good is achieved.

  7. What are your thoughts on improving sustainability on campus? Considering current green issues such as recycling, renewable energy, and biking. What plans do you have to make UK a more green-friendly university?

    8. No response

  8. What is your response to the recent research proposal to log sections of UK-owned Robinson Forest? Would you be willing to voice a student opinion different from your own to higher administrative positions at UK?

    9. My understanding of logging, is that not all the trees are cut down, only the trees that are commercially useful. As long as the logging is done responsibly I have no issues with it. Logging does have the potential to create revenue, I would be interested in seeing how much money could be raised by logging the forest. If I felt like most students were opposed to the logging, then I would voice their opinion and not my own.

  9. Use this space to address any additional ideas, plans, concerns, or platform ideas you have.

    10. No response