Reporting by Chris Padilla and Christian Trujano

Flor Sario

Business management information systems senior Flor Sario said that after finishing up her first term as the Associated Students director of business affairs, her passion for representing students at the school she loves was too much for her to walk away. 

This year, she’s entering the race for A.S. controller, who oversees the finance committee and the A.S. budget.

Born in Oaxaca, Mexico, her parents brought her to King City, California when she was 2 years old. Today, Sario sees room for improvement when it comes to diversity at SJSU.

“One of the ways is, for example, is a more diverse faculty and staff and that’s not just in the sense of hiring more faculty or staff of color, but more so bringing more awareness with the professionals we already have,” she said in a phone interview with the Spartan Daily.

Sario said she is best suited for being controller because she served as the right hand to the current A.S. controller, Jyotsna Kethepalli, gaining in-depth experience and knowledge about the position.

Despite the responsibilities a large budget entails, Sario said she is excited to handle funds that could be used to help students. 

“For me, this is not about a title, this is not about a stipend, this is not about putting it on my resume,” Sario said. “It is really about the difference that I can make in students’ lives and I don’t take that lightly.”

Nicholas Kern

Global operations management junior Nicholas Kern saw the position of Associated Students controller as a fun opportunity to get more involved at San Jose State.

“I was like, ‘Yeah what the heck? Let’s do it,’ ” Kern said in a phone interview with the Spartan Daily.

Prior to running for controller of finance, he served on the operations committee and finance committee for A.S. Kern said he wishes to introduce a safety net for student issues in meetings so no issue goes forgotten.

Kern said that because of COVID-19, it is a priority of A.S. to “find ways to digitalize the student experience.”

Although there is no set plan in the works, he said that finding a way to make social events digital, such as Fire on the Fountain, will help students feel less lonely during the shelter-in-place order.

Besides the excitement of serving for A.S., Kern also wants to personify his platform with his passion for baking cookies, something that he thinks will help him appeal to more students.

“The person who reads my bio doesn’t care much about who I am and why I’m running,” Kern said. “But if I can get them to chuckle a bit by emphasizing cookies and reach them as a person, then it’s more exciting.”