Drew Amstutz Aims To Change The University With SA President Bid

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By Lauren Ofman, EIC

Disclaimer: The GW Local does not endorse candidates, but rather gives them a platform to share their beliefs.

Drew Amstutz, Student Association VP of Public Affairs, Resident Advisor, Student Admissions Representative, and VP of communications for College Democrats, declares his bid for SA President, with an emphasis on altering the financial aid system, connecting student leaders across campus, and increasing representation for Trans and Non-Binary Students.

“My decision to run for president ultimately stemmed from a situation this past August where I was almost priced out of GW,” Amstutz said.

“When I received my financial aid package it was very late and $20,000 more than what it should have been, and I spent the next three to four months meeting with administrators, trying to find some way that I could stay. The experience showed me the disconnect in that office and the great possibility that many students at GW can, in the blink of an eye, be priced out of a place where they called home.”

Amstutz said that students are often scared or anxious to stand up for themselves and receive the financial aid they were originally assigned, but he wants to use his platform to “embolden others’ voices.”

As Vice President of Public Affairs of the Student Association, Amstutz has witnessed large changes in GW’s infrastructure, such as the plans to renovate Thurston Hall and purchase updated furniture across campus. Now, Amstutz wants to shift his focus from beautifying the campus to enhancing individual student experiences.

“I think it’s time that we now invest in our students, that we invest in students who struggle the most to stay a student here at GW,” he said. “Not all of us have wealth in our families, and I think that when we talk about the GW student, we often neglect that, and I think it’s time that we celebrate those of us who come from lower economic statuses and that we work to make those students’ lives easier.”

Amstutz said that restructuring the financial aid office is a key way to ease the financial stress of attending GW.

“I want to implement a system where you can have a case manager so that each time you go in, you can talk to the same person and you can pick up where you left off instead of having to re-explain your whole situation over and over,” Amstutz said.

Amstutz’s experience working in admissions has given him more insight into what prospective students are looking for in regards to student leadership and representation. If he becomes president, he will assemble a cabinet of 20 to 25 student leaders who will assist him throughout his term.

“I am committing to assemble the most diverse and representative cabinet that GW has ever seen,” he said. “I want to bring in student leaders who do not look like me, who do not come from the same backgrounds as me and I want to ensure that we are not recruiting the same type of student leader for different positions, I want to make sure that students affected by each of the topics that are being tackled are the ones that are advocating for those.”

Another key issue that Amstutz is trying to address is one that he believes is accompanied by explicit barriers that inhibit inclusivity.

“One of the key areas of advocacy for my campaign is advocating for the Trans and Non-Binary student population here at GW,” he said. “I feel like that is something that is not talked about at all and it’s something that we really need to start advocating for.”

He said that GW’s current policy for gender-neutral housing requires students to come in with a roommate and do not offer a chance to be placed with randomly-assigned roommates. This is especially a barrier to incoming freshmen who don’t know many people coming into school.

In addition to eliminating this housing policy, Amstutz also want to rid Trans and Non-Binary students of the $25 fee to replace your GWorld card, so the card can reflect proper pronouns.

“I also want to work with all the university offices to create what I call a ‘One Form’ that you can fill out if you want to change your pronouns and names in the GW system, because right now, you have to go to all of the different offices and you have to communicate with all of them individually.”

This form, as well as the GWorld change policy, would give GW administrators a short time frame to change students’ names and pronouns, all to ensure that “[students’] experience at Foggy Bottom is one that is affirming and representative of who they are.”

Amstutz is officially on the ballot as he received the necessary 500 signatures by the February 22 deadline. If you would like to keep up with the campaign or support his candidacy you can follow his campaign Instagram here or visit his website.

If you are running for an SA role this year and want to share your story, feel free to email our Editor in Chief.