Donovan took charge as vice chair right as he joined ASMSU last year. 

“I was vice chair right away, and then when Ashley Carr had to step down for personal reasons, I kind of took over, and once they reelected they decided it was best to just sustain chair,” Donovan said. 

Donovan says his only goal last year was to learn the ropes of the committee. He believes that this year it will be easier for him to accomplish greater goals.

“So, my goal last year was honestly just to try to get a handle really on what this committee was all about, and I certainly think I achieved that,” Donovan said. “But, of course anyone who accepts a leadership role wants to make sure that the people working with them knows what they’re doing -- wants to make sure that their colleagues have their ideas fully flushed out, well heard, give them the best chance of seeing their ideas become a reality. I’d like to think I was successful with that. We’ve still got a ways to go.”

Donovan wants the Finance Committee to generate more ideas than it did last year. He hopes the committee does not end the year with a surplus of funds. 

“We put $75,000 towards a concert and we still had $12,000 leftover in the general fund,” Donovan said. “So I think more ideas is going to be the goal for this one. We’re not paid, so we don’t cost the student taxpayer anything by sitting around and talking. So, I would love to see more ideas introduced. I really hoping to foster a sense of creativity here in the finance committee.”

Roggenbuck is in a similar position to where Donovan started. Elected to ASMSU in the spring semester of last year, he hopes serving as vice chair will help him find his way in the organization. 

“I definitely didn’t want to be chair,” Roggenbuck said. "But, in terms of vice chair, I have been quite active in ASMSU for this being my first time here. I think I can handle the responsibility of being vice chair especially since no one else wanted to volunteer, I think I can manage and still have the passion for being the vice chair.”

Donovan says he has faith about working with Roggenbuck. 

“I was a newbie when I was elected vice chair myself,” Donovan said. “There’s a lot of rope learning to do, but as long as he can type quickly, he’s going to do the job just fine. I’ve talked with Ben quite a bit over the summer semester, toward the end of the spring one, I’ve gotten to know him better. He’s dedicated to what he does. He wouldn’t have put his name up if he didn’t think he could do it, and I trust his judgement.”

Roggenbuck is optimistic about the vice chair position, and about ASMSU. Even though he’s a chemistry major, he has an interest in pursuing law school one day. 

“I want to go to law school, I’m juggling about it," Roggenbuck said. "And policy is related to law. I like waking up in the morning to read the news. I like to be active in my government, advocate for issues I care about, and ASMSU, while it’s not 'big government' or 'important government,' it’s a lot closer to home, I can be a lot more involved. It’s issues that immediately affect me. It’s the best way to make a positive impact.”