New ASG President and Vice President Plan to Promote Internal Accountability and Transparency

Claire Krebs, left, and Sophia Standard, right, have been elected as Santa Clara University’s Associated Student Government President and Vice President. Photo by Nina Glick

Claire Krebs ’26 and Sophia Standard ’26, the newly elected Santa Clara University Associated Student Government president and vice president, ran their campaign based on the slogan: “The Culture Must Change.”

The change is in reference to both the overall culture at the University and that of ASG, according to Standard. However, the pair believes the internal culture of ASG must be the first fix.

The retention rate for returning ASG members for the 2025-26 academic year is the lowest Krebs has seen in her three years on staff. 

“I think it is a testament to the fact that some people have just felt like they don’t belong in this space,” said Standard. “It’s our responsibility to continue working on and improving the culture.”

Krebs clarified it’s not unusual for some elected positions to remain unfilled after the initial application process, as many students find it less intimidating to apply once the election has concluded. Since no one ran for senate chair in the most recent election, Krebs and Standard will appoint someone to the role.

When appointing new senators, according to the ASG Election Code: “Candidate(s) for the vacant position shall be determined after the applicant(s) is(are) interviewed by the Chair of the Student Senate in consultation with any member of the Student Senate, the Student Body President and/or the Student Body Vice President, as determined by the Chair of the Student Senate.”

Krebs added that the lack of returning applicants reinforces their belief that ASG’s internal culture needs change—something she and Standard made central to their campaign platform.

“If we’re not functioning at an A-plus level internally, then there’s no way we can serve students at an A-plus level externally either,” according to Krebs. Standard agreed, stating that “when we’re not showing up for others in that way, there’s no way other people are going to want to show up for us.” 

Krebs noted there are several strong candidates for senate chair, an executive position on ASG that was unfilled during elections. “I think no matter who it is, we’ll have a strong cabinet,” she said. 

The first task Krebs and Standard have planned for promoting internal accountability and transparency starts with meeting with each member of ASG one-on-one once per quarter. 

Standard hopes the meetings will not only ensure student government members feel comfortable enough to discuss issues, but also that they each hold a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities as advocates for the student body. 

“What that looks like is we, ourselves along with the judicial branch, are really educating everyone on the bylaws, the rules of their position and making sure that they are able to execute their rules responsibly,” said Standard. 

They additionally hope to ensure ASG leaders are held internally responsible for collaborative efforts with other on-campus organizations in order to promote transparency. 

Krebs and Standard also have plans to individually host office hours each week for five hours, dedicating time specifically for community input and building direct lines of communication and trust with the student body.

In addition to hosting office hours, the pair intends to reach out to student organizations and groups proactively rather than wait for student participation in senate meetings. 

“It’s our responsibility to host those office hours, but also know that we’re going to come to you,” said Krebs. “We care. and we want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to help serve what other people feel they need.”

Standard noticed conversations regarding both national and on-campus issues are often met with apathy from students, a trend they hope to change. “There are so many empathetic and incredibly passionate students on this campus,” she said. 

Their next steps after filling the empty cabinet and senate chairs are to establish task forces for key issues such as mental health, student safety, Greek Life and dining services. “There are a lot of small costs that are really difficult to mitigate for many students on our campus,” asserted Standard. One potential area of discussion for Krebs and Standard’s term includes tuition costs and paying for students’ laundry and scantrons.

Student-centered events, organizations and programs are one of the central pillars of this administration.

“It’s really important to remove that degree of separation and establish a relationship with everyone,” said Krebs. “We’re going to do our best to make sure that even if you’re not in the student government or have no interest in the student government, we still represent you and we care.”