The campaign photo: Matt Bellassai and Jazzy Johnson.
Photo: Courtesy of Facebook
Matt Bellassai has been involved with ASG since freshman year, with projects such as LaundaryView, revamping the shuttle times and routes, and an ASG outreach effort on dining halls and meals plans (His favorite Sodexo provided meal: A wrap with “Ham, turkey mayo, lettuce, American cheese and tomato.” As the current ASG Public Relations Vice President, his campaign emphasizes a message on communicating and connecting with students often through direct man-on-the-ground methods. We sat down with Matt and his vice presidential candidate Jazzy Johnson to talk Northwestern and their personal lives. Check out the Q&A in advance of tonight’s presidential debate, after the jump.
How does it feel running for ASG Prez/vice prez?
JAZZY: It’s so weird seeing your name being brought up.
MATT: It’s crazy to run in to people and hearing people say “Oh yeah, I know who you are!” It’s really overwhelming.
What’s your vice of choice?
J: Sex and the City.
M: I was thinking of shows too, maybe just TV in general.
What’s Northwestern’s best kept secret?
J: Our gardens, like the garden next to Deering on both sides, and the Weinberg gardens too.
M: The CSO’s [Community Service Officers]. I feel like not enough people develop relationships with the CSO’s.
What are your thoughts about the ASG Restructuring proposal, since next year’s administration is probably going to inherit implementing of whatever is passed during this quarter?
J: We’re definitely not married to the proposal that came out, but we want to make sure the process is up to the students, make sure that everybody’s represented. In terms of the culture of the senate, we want to make sure each senator is not just sitting in a room, whatever the structure turns out to be we want to make sure the senators are representing the students they are there to represent.
M: The most important thing is the attitude and culture in that body. Those people are not just in a room every week, they have to be acting on behalf of their constituency. A strong leadership must empower the members of ASG.
What’s your greatest irrational fear?
M: I am deathly afraid of spiders.
J: Being forgotten. Is that too sad?
Who’s NU’s biggest celebrity?
M: I’d say Morty, who doesn’t know him?
J: I was thinking Bailey.
New Student Center, what are you gonna do?
M: We definitely wont stop it, it’s come too far. Over the past three years, particularly, but over the past 40 years really. This past year has been out-reaching to students. Next year it’ll be about getting administration to support it, starting to draw up plans. It’ll be about how to start pressuring the administration to commit to more specific next steps.
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
J: Wet paper.
M: I hate it when people don’t know how to walk the right way down the sidewalk.
Who headlines your dream Dillo Day?
M: I’d probably say Lady Gaga, Northwestern students would love that.
J: Probably Young Money, all of them. Drake and Nicki, and go ahead and bring Wayne.
Living wage—your position?
M: We definitely agree with the whole stance and the campaign, it’s about supporting community. ASG’s role will be help facilitating the conversation between the administration and the students, giving them some extra access, helping them achieve some of the community benefits. We’ve already talked about cosponsoring a workers picnic in May with the Living Wage Campaign. We want to help them in any way they need help.
J: Our biggest emphasis is on student voices, and that’s a lot of student voices out there.
When you were 5, what did you want me be when you were 20?
J: I wanted to be a singer.
M: A zoo-keeper. Everyone said they wanted to be a veterinarian, but I didn’t want to inject them with shots.
What national politician would you characterize yourself as?
J: Is MLK considered a politician? I feel that’s pretty conceited.
M: I’d probably say Bill [Clinton], I love Bill, I read his 1000 page autobiography. He was experienced but he was all about bringing change through experience.
Town-gown relations, obviously there’s no set solution, but what are your plans on alleviating that situation?
M: I went to a student government summit at Purdue last quarter, and the president of Purdue student government would go to city council meetings and take the issues that they discussed and present it to [Purdue's] student government. We do have an external relations vice president, but I don’t think he goes to those meetings. We’ve also talked about highlighting the good things that happen at Northwestern rather than the bad things, cause there’s ten-fold good things that happen than bad things.
We’re also still working on drafting an amendment to the three-unrelated ordinance rule. We know students want to see a resolution to that. Even though Morty burst in to the mayor’s office and laid down the law, nothing really changed. That law’s still on the books.
Who’s your role model?
M: My gut reactions is my parents, cause neither of them went to college and they made it pretty well. They made me and I’m alive, so that’s pretty good.
J: My gut reaction is definitely Jesus.
What’s your favorite Sodexo provided meal?
J: Hands down anything Tiffany cooks for late night at Plex.
M: I’m a regular at the wrap line in Allison, I can walk up and the guy will start making it right away. Ham, turkey mayo, lettuce, American cheese and tomato.
How do you reach out to apathetic voters who may not care about ASG or elections?
M: Northwestern students generally vote more than any other campus. We had some of the highest turnouts when we compare to other campus’ student government elections. That being said it’s still pretty low. It’s just a matter of us getting up there and talking to as many people as possible.
J: For one, they [the students] don’t know whats going on, and they have no idea what [ASG is] capable of. We want to make sure discussions in ASG are reflective of discussions happening with students. I don’t think students are aware of the connections ASG has, they’ll have more confidence when they realize their voices are being heard. Also, a lot of stuff that happened this year are long term projects and students didn’t see the results.
How do you differentiate yourself from the Austin and Ash? A lot of the issues you emphasize seem to be the same as theirs, so how do you make the distinction?
M: We all agree it’s about listening to student concerns, not setting an agenda ourselves. The main difference is who’s going to be best capable of addressing those plans, turning those into action. Jazzy and I have the experience, me personally on [ASG Executive Board]. I secured laundryview.com, and last year I worked on redrawing the shuttle plans and times. We can all say we’re going to listen, but it’s about who can best show that they’ve been doing that, who had the best experience in laying out those plans and executing them
J: I think the important thing about experience is that it’s about relevant experience.
