The Associated Students of the University of Washington (ASUW) is the student association at the University of Washington. It is funded and supported by the University's Services and Activities Fee with which it provides services that directly and indirectly benefit student life. The ASUW consists of over 80 student employees and 500 volunteers, and the organization spends approximately $1.5 million annually to run events, lobby the legislature, and fund various Registered Student Organizations as they put on their own programs.
The ASUW Student Senate was established in 1994 as the legislative division of the Associated Students of the University of Washington. The Student Senate provides a broad-access forum for discussion of issues both on campus and abroad, serving as the voice of student opinion for those at UW. Currently, the ASUW Student Senate has a membership of over 150 senators representing students from on-campus, off-campus, and commuter residential communities, as well as several protected classes and organizations.
History The Student Assembly was founded in 1888 as the student government of the University of Washington. In 1900, the Student Assembly founded the University Bookstore, which became independent in 1932 due to ASUW’s insufficient budget.
The Student Assembly would only last until 1901, when the Associated Students of the University of Washington was created by the Athletic Association, the Oratorical Society, and other student groups.
The ASUW began on campus as the Board of Control which was later directly succeeded by the Board of Directors. The ASUW was formally incorporated in the State of Washington on April 18, 1906 by Chas. W. Hall, James W. Dootson, Mildred Boy, Helen M. Vaupell, Fred Hastings, J. Webster Hoover, and E. Rex Smith.
In 1942, ASUW created a Student Union Building Trust Fund for what would become the Husky Union Building. In 1962, ASUW lost control of Intercollegiate Athletics, when it became an independent department of UW.
The Graduate and Professional Student Senate broke off from the ASUW in 1967, evolving from the Joint Committee on Graduate Programming created in 1965, in order to directly represent graduate student interests. In 1968, ASUW would launch the experimental college and the course evaluation catalog, two major initiatives which were later discontinued.
The Minority Affairs Commission was established in 1971 to represent ethnic minorities on campus, bringing together the Black Student Union, the Women's Action Commission, and more. This was renamed into the Intercultural Commission in 1980, though funding was withdrawn the same year, and it was soon reformed into six commissions, representing African-Americans, Asians, Latinos, women, the LGBT community, and Native Americans, respectively. Today, there are nine diversity commissions.
As demand for a larger platform for advocacy developed alongside a growing student population, the ASUW Student Senate was established in 1994 as a division of the Associated Students of the University of Washington. Later, in 2000, the Board of Control was renamed the Board of Directors, reflecting the final change into the current form of the Associated Students of the University of Washington.
Board of Directors The ASUW Board of Directors is elected every school year on the fourth week of spring quarter and consists of 8 elected officials and 3 hired, ex-officio members.
Current Members of the Board of Directors (2026-2027)
Source:
President - Shantanu Adekar Vice President - Dylan Bianchi Finance & Budget Director - Josue Villalobos Personnel Director - Jenny Suwanchote Communications Director - Riya Dhariwal Director of University Affairs - Kitana Ludwig Director of Internal Policy - Raagini Ganesh Director of Diversity Efforts - Carlos Hugo Ladron de Guevara Director of Campus Partnerships - Caroline Huguely Director of Programming - Aisha Rana Director of Community Relations - Simon Thompson ASUW Student Senate Representative - Avery Kirscht GPSS Representative - Zoe Love Duties of the Board of Directors
President The President is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Association and serves as the chair of the Board of Directors. They are responsible for overseeing various aspects of the ASUW's operations, including coordinating internal operations with the Vice President, participating in essential University committees, and ensuring effective student participation in governance. Additionally, the President serves as the official spokesperson of the ASUW, representing the organization in campus, community, and inter-school relationships. They are also involved in political lobbying efforts, ensuring open communication with relevant stakeholders, and overseeing various committees and liaisons. The President represents the ASUW to University of Washington administration through sitting as an ex-officio member on the UW Board of Regents and UW Faculty Senate. The President also ensures inter-campus collaboration amongst UW’s three campuses and sits on the Tri-Campus Student Advisory Board. The position is elected by instant runoff voting (IRV) in the fourth week of spring quarter.
Vice President The Vice President serves as a voting member of the Board of Directors. The Vice President is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Association and chairs the Executive Advisory Committee. They oversee ASUW strategic planning and goal setting. In their capacity of COO, the Vice President serves as the internal supervisor of all ASUW employees through oversight of the Personnel Director’s administration of the Personnel Policy; quarterly reviews of all employees; assistance of the Finance and Budget Director in entity budget request and revision forms; and assistance of the Office of Communications Director in the creation and publication of the annual ASUW report. Additionally, the Vice President serves as the liaison between ASUW and the Student Activities Office and appoints student representatives to various committees. They also facilitate all staff meetings and ensure smooth organization-wide transitions at the end of their term. In the President's absence, resignation, or forfeiture of office, the Vice President administers the duties of the President. The position is elected by IRV voting in the fourth week of spring quarter.
Personnel Director The Personnel Director serves as a non-voting ex-officio member of the Board of Directors and reports directly to the Vice President. They function as the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) of the organization. The Personnel Director chairs the Personnel Committee which oversees all employee hiring. Responsibilities include overseeing all paid employee hiring and disciplinary procedures, preparing office space for incoming employees, and organizing association-wide events such as Fall Orientation and the Spring Social. The Personnel Director works with the Director of Diversity Efforts to recruit diverse applicants. They maintain files of job applicants, draft employment contracts, and advise the Board of Directors on personnel-related policies and procedures. The Personnel Director ensures employee accountability, initiates projects as necessary, and attends mandatory training sessions and staff meetings. They also verify the eligibility of individuals holding ASUW paid positions and ensure employee accountability. It is one of three hired Board of Director positions.
Communications Director The Office of Communications (OCOMM) Director serves as a non-voting ex-officio member of the Board of Directors and reports directly to the President. They function as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of the organization. Responsibilities include developing marketing and communication plans, managing external communications, and overseeing the Office of Communications employees. The OCOMM Director leads marketing campaigns, creates annual reports, and collaborates with various entities within ASUW. They serve as a resource for publicity strategies, ensure consistency in branding and marketing across all media, and work to maintain the ASUW website. Additionally, the Director collaborates with other departments to ensure accessibility and inclusivity of official materials, resolves conflicts among Office of Communications employees, and updates communications policies as needed. They maintain accountability through office hours, attend mandatory training sessions and staff meetings, and complete quarterly reports and evaluations. Furthermore, the Director serves as the Board liaison to the Office of Outreach and Involvement and the UW Sponsorship Advisory Committee. It is one of three hired Board of Director positions.
Finance & Budget Director The Finance and Budget (F&B) Director serves as a non-voting ex-officio member of the Board of Directors and reports directly to the Vice President. They are the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the organization. Responsibilities include advising the Board of Directors on financial matters, chairing the Finance and Budget Committee, and overseeing the ASUW budget process. The F&B Director maintains financial policies, supervises internal fiscal operations, and ensures transparency by publishing financial records. They also manage payroll, oversee committee appointments, and serve on various committees including the Services and Activities Fee Committee. Additionally, the Finance and Budget Director serves as the Board liaison to the ASUW Enterprises of the ASUW Bike Shop and the ASUW Bean Basket, collaborating with these entities to set goals and monitor performance. It is one of three hired Board of Director positions.
Director of Internal Policy The Director of Internal Policy is a voting member of the Board of Directors. They serve as the Chair of the Judicial Committee and Parliamentarian to the Board of Directors. In addition to enforcing ASUW Elections violations and ensuring compliance with record-keeping guidelines, the Director plays a crucial role in upholding transparency and accountability within the organization. They oversee compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) by registering all qualifying internal ASUW meetings with the UW Office of Public Records including those of the Judicial Committee, Finance and Budget Committee, Joint Commissions Committee, Personnel Committee, Transfer Student Advocacy Committee, ASUW Senate, and Legislative Steering Committee.
The Director manages ASUW's records, working with the Administrative Assistants to ensure proper records management and is the historian of the ASUW. The Director serves as a member of both the Graduate and Professional Student Senate and the Graduate and Professional Student Senate Executive Committee, with vote. They work with liaison entities to develop goals and strategies, establish specific benchmarks and metrics to measure their successes, and report progress to the Board of Directors. In case of conflicts or job description issues with liaison employees, the Director collaborates with the Personnel Director to recommend necessary corrective actions according to the ASUW Personnel Policy. The position is elected by instant run-off voting in the fourth week of spring quarter.
Director of Diversity Efforts