Malachi Phillips, a third-year political science major, will be the 2024-2025 president of the Associated Students of Western Washington University. Phillips was president of the International Affairs Association and Political Science Association. The AS president acts as a liaison between students and university administration.
With a West Wing poster on his office wall and Model United Nations memorabilia, he discussed his goals for the coming year and what it means to be elected.
Q: Why did you want to run for president?
A: This past year I found a lot of value in volunteering with the two clubs I was president of. I dedicated much of my time and energy to supporting people and students. Much of that was because of my experience last year as a member of clubs and being engaged on campus. I felt so welcomed, heard and recognized for the work I did. I wanted to pay that back. This role is the next step to giving back to the community that has given me so much.
Q: What issues will you be focusing on during your presidency?
A: Some of my main focuses will be food insecurity and disability accessibility. We have a new fee in place that should fund some more living necessities and essentials to the WHOLE food hub. Also, there are a lot of doors that just aren't accessible, [like] some of the pathways that students have to take to get to campus. I've seen other universities do shuttle transportation for students with disabilities. I think that's something that we could potentially look into.
Q: Where were you when you found out you won?
A: In my office on a Monday, so I had no classes or club meetings and I didn’t expect to hear back so soon.
Q: Who are your personal role models?
A: Here at Western, my professors and peers. Every professor I've had in the political science department has influenced me in one way or another. I'm more of a listener in class, so I love hearing everybody's stances, opinions and how they construct their arguments. It's an amazing experience, and I pull a lot from every moment that I'm surrounded by the wonderful students of this university.
Q: Was there a reason you felt it was important to address the encampment on campus during your campaign?
A: That was the major issue that has been on everyone’s minds since Oct. 7. To not just come out outright and say, this is where I stand on it, [but] why wouldn't I? Every single thing we do matters, especially when it comes to larger issues like this that everybody cares about. I wanted to support students protesting what they believe in, as it is what everyone has the right to do. The way some universities across the United States have handled that has been frustrating and hard to believe honestly. I see universities as upholding democracy, freedom of speech and civil discussion. Protest is one of the ways we do that and it's one of the best ways we do that to make change happen.
“We all care about the same issues. We might have some minor disagreements on how to address them, but we can come together and find other collaborative ways to make it work,” Phillips said.
Mars Wetzbarger (they/them) is a campus life reporter for The Front. They are in their third year at Western, majoring in Environmental Journalism. In their free time you can find them climbing rocks and playing with their cat. You can contact them at mars.thefront@gmail.com.
