Felicia Cruz is willing to take the train, to go Greyhound, even to forfeit a stay in one of Sacramento’s finer hotels just to make UCSB students’ voice heard in statewide affairs. The job of the A.S. External Vice-President, Statewide Affairs, involves extensive travel throughout the state, but Cruz has said she’d gladly forgo travelling on the university’s budget. With Gov. Schwarzenegger cutting much of A.S. state funding, such cost-cutting will be integral to a solid A.S. administration.

Furthermore, Cruz understands the ramifications of the end of state-funded student outreach. She’s prepared to find alternate ways to encourage minorities to attend the university. Finally, Cruz advocated making A.S. more acceptable through social events, a plan that can only result in better communication with students and more on-campus barbecues.

Anyone who’s willing to take the smelly old Greyhound to save the university a buck clearly places other students’ needs above her own. It’s a rare combination of forethought, selflessness and sensibility, and it’s why the Nexus strongly endorses her for External Vice-President, Statewide Affairs.