On May 3, 2023, the Associated Students of Colorado State University held the first session of the 53rd Senate. In attendance was the newly ratified ASCSU Supreme Court Chief Justice, Alayna Truxal, a now-senior political science major and former Associate Justice. 

“I’ve been in this space for three years,” she said at her confirmation hearing. “In any hearing I’ve ever been in, [my] opinions are set aside, and I look at the facts and the evidence.”

Hailing from Colorado Springs, Colorado, Truxal is an avid snowboarder who enjoys making music with her roommates and spending time with her girlfriend. Her colleagues characterize her as a compassionate advocate and natural mediator. In three short years, she has found herself as the face of the ASCSU Judicial Branch. 

The ASCSU has been widely criticized as “lack[ing] transparency and perceived availability.” Nearly 60% of students admit that they don’t know what the ASCSU does, let alone who’s in ASCSU. For an organization that self-identifies as the “student voice on campus,” its effectiveness as that voice is compromised when its constituents can’t explain its existence and functions. Can an organization be a voice for students if most students don’t know what that organization is?

The Judicial Branch of ASCSU looking to expand its student outreach to allow them to serve as that student voice. It’s responsible for upholding the ASCSU Constitution, code of ethics, legislation and other governing documents. Beyond this, it plays a broader role in ensuring fair and equitable conduct proceedings for all students, whether through the Office of Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct Services or the Associated Students of Colorado State University. The Court advocates for student interests in pursuit of fairness, impartiality and objectivity.

As the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Truxal manages this whole operation. Her position is crucial, both within ASCSU and for the broader student community. She wants the Court to truly represent student interests. As part of her tenure, she wants to communicate the Judicial Branch’s responsibilities to the larger student body.

“I’m very passionate about justice, in and out of ASCSU,” Truxal said, referencing her desire to later pursue law school and public defense. “I’m passionate about being that voice for students who find themselves in a hard place.”

Truxal’s path to the ASCSU Supreme Court, let alone to the role of chief justice, wasn’t always straight. 

“My mom had me and my twin brother when she was 16 and my dad was 20,” Truxal said. “Money was always a struggle, but my mom is the hardest-working person I’ve ever known.”

During her sophomore year of high school, her family moved from Colorado to a town just outside Cleveland, Ohio. However, Truxal had different plans. When she decided that she didn’t like Ohio, she applied to CSU and the University of Colorado, Boulder. After touring both schools, she committed to CSU, as she loved the faculty, classes and Fort Collins.

Truxal’s first introduction to ASCSU was shortly before starting her freshman year. “I got an email…about an opportunity to join the ASCSU Supreme Court,” she remembered. “I applied, interviewed, and didn’t get the job.”

This was just a minor setback for Truxal. Driven by her ambition to be a part of ASCSU, she applied for the Elections Committee shortly before the spring semester. In this role, she liaised for multiple senators, ensuring they adhered to their budgets and didn’t violate election codes. Whenever someone allegedly breached a code, ASCSU would hold a hearing involving the entire coalition to decide on the next steps. It was an exercise in integrity and accountability. This experience marked Truxal’s first stint into ASCSU, and she was hooked.

“The following summer, I applied for Associate Justice again, and thankfully, [I] got the job!” She said. “I’ve been on the Court ever since.”

Truxal knows that joining an organization like ASCSU can be daunting, especially for those without substantial experience in student government, public service or community engagement. She felt the same way, admitting she “never had an interest in student government until [she] got to college.” Despite having no experience in those spaces before college, she took the leap, driven by her curiosity to explore where this new venture would lead her.

“It was hard to put myself out there, but once you do it, it’s hard to drop it,” she said. “If anyone wants to do something…even if they think they’re going to fail, they should give it a shot.”

Beyond ASCSU’s weekly meetings and CSU leadership committees, Truxal believes in her responsibility to demonstrate to the CSU and Fort Collins communities that the ASCSU Supreme Court cares about the people it represents and the broader community to which it belongs. She actively encourages her associate justices to begin passion projects to promote justice within the larger community and engage in on-campus and off-campus activities.

Truxal encourages anyone who shares her passion for justice to consider joining ASCSU and become a catalyst for positive change within the campus community and throughout the City.

“There’s something special about people that want to become public servants for the sake of public service,” she said. “It can be really inspiring being around this great bunch of people.”

For those returning to CSU this fall, Truxal encourages you to get involved with the CSU or Fort Collins community.

“Take the opportunities that come to you,” she said. “Just get out and try something new.”