I am running for VSA President because my leadership experience has prepared me to be a strong advocate for student interests on campus. I am dedicated to reviving Vassar’s community and collaboration amongst Vassar students, faculty and staff. I want to bring back Vassar Pride and come together as a community. With the 150th Anniversary of Vassar, we will have a lot to celebrate and I want this to be a very memorable year for everyone on the Vassar campus!

This year I served on the VSA Executive Board as the Vice President for Student Life. As the VP for Student Life I sat on many committees and learned a tremendous amount about the inter-workings of the college. I was an advocate for the student voice and my hard work and dedication has shown my commitment to the Vassar community. I want to continue the work I began this year by focusing on services that affect your everyday life. I listen to student opinions, and I will push an agenda that serves YOU.

After a year of serious financial cutbacks the college has been forced to make it is necessary that we focus on maintaining and improving the quality of student life. The VSA leadership needs to continue to look carefully at proposals from students, faculty and staff to address the effects of the economic recession on campus and in our community. There will be significant policy decisions made next year and I believe we share similar concerns. I focus today on a few important issues:

PRESERVING THE VASSAR COMMUNITY

➢ PROTECT NEED BLIND ADMISSION: This year the VSA Executive Board showed their uncompromising support for Need Blind Admission. The VSA endorsed a document that communicated the necessity of preserving this important policy. Need Blind Admission helps maintain a diverse and talented student body and given that a majority of current students rely on financial aid in order to attend Vassar, I will communicate the necessity of for maintaining this policy so that future students can share in the same privileges as we do.

➢ THE POUGHKEEPSIE COMMUNITY: This year, the Executive Board has made great strides in further developing community relations. I would like to build from the success of Meet Me in Poughkeepsie and the implementation of the community shuttle in order to expand our involvement in the community. With a public bus in the works, I will facilitate further involvement in the community. This semester’s Administrative Review on Community-Based Learning will serve as a springboard for future student participation in the community. With a proposed centralized location for information, students will find it easier to reach out to the community. I will to continue these efforts and look for new ways to get involved.

➢ VASSAR PRIDE AND TRADITIONS: I want to expand initiatives like Meet Me In Poughkeepsie (MMIP), the Student- Faculty Basketball Game and Brewer Bash that enhance our Vassar experience and build traditions for the future. MMIP and Brewer Bash really need to be better publicized and organized. Brewer Bash also needs to appeal to a wider range of student activities and students. One of my ideas includes an all campus beautification day, which would be headed by the maintenance staff in conjunction with Vassar organizations. This would be a great way to give back to the school. Additionally, “Tasty Tuesday’s” has been a smashing success this year. It brings many students to the college center and it is a great way for local vendors to be more involved in Vassar life. Given this program’s success, I will expand it next year. I would advocate for a dinner option one night for students that have late activities. Students would really enjoy this during the cold winter months.

➢ STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS: I want to continue to focus on org collaboration for events and publicizing events effectively. I would also like to see the VP for Activities continue to encourage orgs to put on events that attract a lot of students and that are a good use of the Student Activities Fee. I want to be a helpful and supportive resource for orgs. I will advocate for student orgs and make sure all programming runs smoothly. I plan to promote late-night programming and more alternative programming to campus parties. This year I would also like Capital Items, which are commonly used items that orgs use, to be owned by the VSA and available to orgs for use. This would maximize the money we spend on the same types of items. I made a big push to continue using meals to cater org events. I want to continue our efforts to allow orgs to use these meals to help subsidize their events.

COMMITMENT TO STUDENT SERVICES

➢ SECURITY: I will prioritize the Safety of students around campus and in Residential Halls. This year I headed the committee that produced a document for the Residential Life Guide that addresses student’s Frequently Asked Questions about Security and ResLife protocol. This document increased overall transparency and facilitated a better relationship between students and Security. I will expand upon these actions next year.

➢ MEAL PLAN: The meal plan is always on everyone’s minds and requires further discussion. This year the administration pushed seniors to go on the meal plan. I worked very hard to communicate to the administration that this is not in Vassar students’ interests. I proposed lower price for walk-in meals as an incentive to bring seniors into ACDC. This year I participated in a review of the quality of food services on campus by reviewing Aramark’s contract and proposal. Vast improvement is needed. I know how to make these changes happen. Additionally, I want will rigorously advocate for more flexible meal plans to accommodate all Vassar students.

➢ STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES: With some services either combined or eliminated over the next few years it is important to continue to meet students' needs. Currently, the college maintains many student services that often duplicate their efforts because they do not collaborate. I want to work with Dean Roelke to reshape student services on campus so that they run more smoothly and effectively next year.. One other are of interest is Baldwin; students are still in need of better health services on campus. I plan to work with DB Brown and Chris Roelke to push for expanded hours, especially on the weekend.

➢ ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OF OFFICES: This year I headed the Student Life Committee that reviewed the Junior Year Abroad Office, an office very important to many students. We produced a very helpful document for the office and we have already seen changes in the application process and we look forward to future developments. Most importantly, this process of reviewing Administrative Offices is beneficial to students and will help change existing protocol. We need to continue reviewing offices to help remedy student concerns and have our suggestions be heard.

➢ ENHANCE STUDENT INPUT ON ACADEMICS: Next year will mark a major reevaluation of multidisciplinary programs and studies in Vassar’s curriculum. As President, I will make sure students are central in those conversations. Additionally, I will push for course evaluations (CEQs) to be filled out online. CEQs are currently the mainstay of student input on teaching and tenure. After this years’ changes in the curriculum, faculty positions and administration must take CEQs much more seriously.

I want to emphasize how important it is that we have a qualified, knowledgeable and approachable student body president next year. I have served the student body for my three years here at Vassar, first as Vice President of the Class of 2011 and now as Vice President of Student Life. I have written for the Miscellany News and play on the Varsity Tennis Team. I understand what you want to see in your student government. My experience has developed key skills that will be crucial in overcoming the many challenges that next year will bring.

Most importantly, I love Vassar. As a rising senior, I now realize that out of all the reasons why I love this school, it is the unbelievable student body that makes this place so special. Improving the lives of this incredible student body remains my ultimate goal and reason for my candidacy. I will work tirelessly to improve student’s lives in the school that I love. I want the VSA to work for YOU and to make a difference in your everyday life next year. I am very excited about this position and cannot wait to get started!

Please feel free to email me with any additional questions you might have: elianderson@vassar.edu.

Thanks for your vote!

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This is the 150th year of Vassar College. Never in the history of the college, has there been a more vital time to represent its constituents than now, in a landmark period of change, but also progress. As a student, seeking to represent you and your fellow peers, I wish to pose a question: What is the future of the Vassar Student Association? What if the VSA had a chance to start anew, no more business as usual? What if we had a VSA that actually spoke for Vassar Students? This is the VSA that I envision.

For the past three years, I have been an active member of the VSA. I have served the VSA Council for two years, one as Cushing President, the second as the VSA note-taker. As Cushing President, I served on Activities, Finance and Constitutional Review committees, learning the intricacies of the VSA Governance. This year, as note-taker, I have been present for VSA Council Meetings, keeping myself up to date on the issues at hand and, at times, taking the opportunity to weigh in on important topics. In addition to VSA Council, I have served on House Team for three years: as President, House Fellow Intern and Freshmen Rep. Through this experience I have gained valuable insight into the workings of both Res-life and the VSA and, most importantly, how to improve them. I know that we have a long path ahead of us, a path that requires firm footing and leadership with ideas.

As President, I will:

1. Clarify the role of Security and the punitive process on this campus, as well as pressure Res-life to decrease response time and improve B&G service.

2. Fight for organizations to continue to use meal-swipes for catering, while also preventing the administration from imposing meal plans on students living in senior housing.

3. Maintain and expand the commitment to need-blind admissions and financial aid.

4. Address campus controversies directly by utilizing the rarely-used mediation clause of the VSA Constitution, sending a clear message to the Administration that we are capable of self-governance.

5. Fight to maintain the broad and diverse curriculum on which this college prides itself, while examining the curriculum to remove the discrepancies in credits and cross-listed courses in the course catalogue.

6. Make the 150th anniversary of this school as memorable as possible, by working with the Class of 2011, Development, VPs of Operations and Activities to create programming opportunities and expand Founder’s Day.

7. Expand the scope, and magnitude of the highly popular Meet Me in Poughkeepsie and work with the VP of Finance to redefine the Mid-Hudson Valley Fund and promote VSA driven engagement in Poughkeepsie.

8. Give back to the college with the creation of a VSA Gift, which will find its basis in the current Great Works fund.

9. Establish a regular column in the Miscellany News entitled Direct from the VSA Office to keep students informed about the activities of the Executive Board.

I would like to pose a simple question that, unfortunately, doesn’t have an equally simple answer: What is the VSA? The VSA is meant to be the collective voice of the student body. It is the duty of the President of the VSA to express this voice and to fight to make sure that it is heard. Unfortunately for everyone, the VSA often slips into the background, appearing like yet another bureaucratic section of the Vassar College Administration. This is not how the VSA should work. The VSA is your voice to the administration, not just the other way around. When was the last time you directly talked to the VSA leadership about your concerns? Have you been to the VSA offices? Did you know that VSA council meetings were open to all? One of the largest problems between the VSA Council and the rest of the student-body is the lack of communication. This shroud of silence cannot continue. Without student voice, the VSA Leadership has no real power. It is vital that we hear and consider the perspectives of students, so that the council can become the institution on this campus that it should have been from its creation.

The first step in building this institution is an increase in self-governance. Unfortunately, as is bound to happen, some community issues will arise, and this year has been no exception. The Administration has a long history of coddling the VSA and dealing with its tough problems. It is time for the VSA to step up and gain an active role in the settling of disputes. There is a little known and never—to my knowledge—used, clause of the VSA Constitution: Article IX, Section 6, which provides for “Alternate Dispute Resolution.” This section of the VSA Constitution encourages “members of the VSA to seek resolutions to disputes through means other than traditional Judicial Board hearings,” and provides a framework for VSA based mediation. Only with greater mediation and a focus of solving problems on our own, will the Vassar community be able to overcome its difficulties. I am a firm believer that it requires strong leadership, from the top of the VSA, to enact this policy.

Self-governance does not stop with mediation. As President, I will work closely with the VP of Student Life as well as Res-Life and the Judicial Board to continue to examine Campus Security. The FAQ produced by the current Student Life Committee is a good start, but it only serves to expose the wide discrepancy in knowledge between the student body and the regulations that govern them. By continuing to examining the current system of regulations, the VSA can help students to better interact with each other and the college, while keeping them well versed of their rights.

Beyond increasing self-governance, the VSA draws its strength from its remarkably large number of organizations. The VSA Executive Board can only operate successfully with more input from these very groups, and as the current treasurer for The Limit, I can say that organizations can be fortified through an active use of the VSA. As President, I would make sure that organizations have the opportunity to meet, at least once a year, with a member of the Executive Board. These meetings could include as much interaction as the organizations see fit. This would allow for student organizations to gain valuable face-to-face time with a member of the Executive Board. These conversations would focus on the organization in relation to the VSA and how the VSA Executive Board can help them to accomplish their organizational goals.

For too long, Vassar and the community outside of our walls have been separated by a mutual apathy towards one another. We have the obligation, as Vassar Students, to reengage with our community while at the same time learning their valuable perspective. While the administration already has some programs in place, the VSA should be at the forefront of this reengagement. Already there are many organizations that work in the larger Poughkeepsie area. While this is a good start, I firmly believe that we can do more. As President, I want to see VSA Organizations engaging and meeting the Poughkeepsie Community in ways we have never seen before. In order to accommodate this outward expansion, I plan on rethinking, clarifying and promoting the Mid-Hudson Valley Fund, to encourage engagement in the area around us. In releasing organizations from financial strain, I hope that this will serve as a positive incentive for outward action. In addition, as President, I would work closely with the VP of Activities to brainstorm with organization leaders and help open new, previously untapped, opportunities for wider programming.

This upcoming year is the 150th anniversary of Vassar College. As VSA President, I will make it my mission to continue the process of representing our school’s best qualities, while addressing the issues we have not been able to address in the last 150 years. This is a critical time in the college’s history. We have the opportunity before us to evolve our school and its institutions into paragons of tolerance, intellectualism and understanding. To do this requires leadership at the highest levels dedicated to this task. I, as a student of this school, submit to you, my desire to represent you, and your peers while we undertake this resolution. Together we can continue to forge a college that will inspire pride and dignity in its constituents for years to come. This is the legacy I wish to leave at this school and, if you vote for me, this is the legacy I plan to undertake.

If you have any questions, thoughts, or concerns about my statement and my plans for this school, please contact me at matleonard@vassar.edu. Please remember to vote and thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Mathew Leonard

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A year ago when I first became the Vice President for Academics, I was highly skeptical of the VSA. I was running, in fact, because of that skepticism – and in the hopes that I could turn around some of the problems I perceived in the institution. Throughout the year, I’ve worked to maintain some critical distance, struggled to reach out to students who feel alienated by the VSA, and actively supported student initiatives. If you vote for me for VSA President, I will expand my efforts to engage the student body and devote the VSA to meaningful, productive initiatives. I will continue to commit with passion and pragmatism toward preserving Vassar’s strengths, addressing students’ needs, and empowering the VSA council and all Vassar students to work toward the most productive, ethical, and enjoyable student experience possible.

I believe I can make real change happen because I’ve already started: I reinvigorated majors committees on campus and coordinated Vassar’s first-ever majors fairs, and I pushed for the pilot program that will put Course Evaluation Questionnaires online for almost one hundred courses this spring, among other things. But I haven’t been the only actor here: I know that the most powerful thing any leader can do is to empower others to think, act, and make change happen. That was my attitude with the Academics Committee this year, and that has been my attitude as a student fellow, a student advisor, a mentor at Poughkeepsie High, and in many other arenas.

I love Vassar; I also know that there are many ways that I can work with and empower my fellow students to make this institution a better place. I’m just one student, but I’m one student with good connections, a loud voice, and unyielding energy for effecting change. I’ve heard a lot of student concerns in my time at Vassar, and I’m confident that if you give me your support I will be able to pragmatically address some significant student needs by:

*Taking a strong and vocal stance in favor of need-blind financial aide as well as the continued use of QuestBridge and other resources to connect with marginalized students.

*Supplementing the current pre-major advising system with a peer advising database, connecting first-years with upper-classmen for additional academic guidance and social support.

*Strengthening Vassar’s relationship with the surrounding Poughkeepsie community by enhancing communication and networking among engaged groups as well as advocating for the development of a community-based learning office on campus.

*Providing improved support for pre-law, pre-med, and pre-business students by cultivating more meaningful and extensive alum/student relationships.

*Making Vassar more inclusive and making difficult dialogues less threatening by utilizing the House Fellow network to facilitate conversations on race, class, gender, sexuality, and other issues.

*Fostering more open and positive relationships with security, in part by reducing the amount of time security spends patrolling residence halls and making sure that all security officers receive First Responder training.

*Establishing more cooperative and open relationships between council and the general student body through the engagement of task forces that include non-elected students, regularly publicizing council agendas and forum topics, and easily accessible updates on a VSA blog.

*Remaking the VSA into a participant in and a location for conflict resolution and communication by reaching out to students who feel marginalized or attacked, by consistently discussing sensitive matters, and by advocating for student needs.

I am well aware of the challenge that these initiatives pose, but I also have the experience and dedication necessary to make these goals into realities. I have worked all year to ask difficult questions, to challenge my colleagues to think critically and creatively, and to make my own decisions with care and with the broadest student input available. If you give me your support, you can rest assured that I will be fully invested in student interests, and that I will deliver results.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my statement. If you have any questions or want to know more, feel free to email me at stdamonmoore@vassar.edu or come by the executive board debate on Tuesday at 8. Stephanie Damon-Moore

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My name is Ben Reichman and I would like to run for the position of V.S.A. President. I have no experience holding a position on the V.S.A., but I have loads of experience dealing with the V.S.A. in the way that you do--from the perspective of a concerned student trying to figure out what is going on. I'm not going to lie: I am probably not the most socially connected person on the Vassar campus. I don't have a Facebook, I don't go to a lot of parties, and I doubt I ever will. But I have a definite vision regarding things I would love to change about Vassar College, and I can guarantee--at the very least--that if you elect me to the V.S.A., I will try to make things different. I believe that Vassar talks a lot of slick rhetoric regarding change, community, and so on, and to some extent we're all razzle-dazzled by it, but to some extent we also all see through it. We know this is not a perfect place, that there are marginalized groups and privileged groups, there are the powerless and the powerful. I have spent most of my three years here thus far involved in campus activism and I feel that, above most people running for these positions, I recognize this fact. For this reason, I humbly ask for your vote for V.S.A. President.

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Hi, I'm Erin Clarke '11, and there's a lot that I would like to do for Vassar as the VP for Student Life.

Right now, the college is not universally accessible to students, faculty, and guests with mobility-limiting disabilities. While fixing this problem entirely is not a likely course of action in the present economic situation, I would like to expand our current set of accessible locations to include more locations which are in high demand (such as theater-suitable spaces), which will have the added benefit of increasing the variety of spaces in which events can be hosted due to the accessiblity requirements, meaning this would benefit all students, but especially those who have these disabilities.

I would also like to attempt to make life easier for students who need access to a mental health care professional, such as some gender-variant students and students with psychiatric disabilities, by creating a resource which allows these students to easily access near-campus, or possibly even on-campus, professionals, which can be a difficult process due to the fact that students are very rarely familiar with the area upon arrival or, frequently, on graduation.

As a natural progression of the current gender neutral housing policies, I would like to attempt to make it possible for incoming freshmen to be placed, under the appropriate circumstances and full informed consent, with roommates of a different legal sex, rather than having to wait until later years or requesting a room change.

I would like to create a resource for low-income students, particularly incoming freshmen, ranging in extent from an informational guide for new low-income students, to the creation of a center for low-income students similar to the Women's Center, ALANA Center, or LGBTQ Center.

This is just a handful of the things I would like to do as VP for Student Life, which I specifically mention because I feel these issues do not recieve enough exposure on campus.

As for my qualifications, I have been involved in quite a number of organizations in my 3 years at Vassar, and held several leadership positions. In my sophomore year, I served as the Treasurer of the Vassar Pagan Circle, which I retained into Junior year along with becoming the Secretary of Squirm and the Treasurer of Wholistic. Through this involvement with the Vassar community, I have developed what I feel is a deep understanding of the College and the imperfections in our beloved Vassar that we would like to see improved. I hope that you feel confident enough in my ability to fight for you, that you will choose to vote for me.

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My name is Daryl Duran (a sophomore Neuroscience and Behavior Major currently sitting on the VSA Council as Jewett House President) and I am running for a position for on the Executive Board because I believe I will able to bring a change to the relationship that the VSA has had with students by incorporating what the student voices really have to say. I am a very personable and approachable person, and am confident that I will be able to bring the changes needed dealing with student life here at Vassar. With the following specific goals as a foundation, I as Vice President for Student Life, will dedicate my year as the VP for Student Life as a candid representative for the entire student body and to reach out to students to expand upon this list with other things students really want to see.
1) Increasing the accessibility and transparency of the VSA

As Vice President for Student Life, my primary goal will be to improve student’s relationship with the VSA. In general, students have an apathetic attitude when it comes to VSA: this is not how the student body should feel about the government representing them. As Jewett House President and VSA Council Member, I am well aware of the negative perception that many students have of the VSA, and I’m committed to changing those perceptions and the negative realities that create them. In order to increase the accessibility and transparency, I am going to work with Residential Life to install a Freshmen Orientation Program intended to educate freshmen on the inner workings of the V.S.A. I will also have meetings twice a semester with each Residential House in order to gauge the different needs of students on campus. I will also use these meetings as an opportunity to disseminate information about ongoing VSA projects to keep the student body more informed about the VSA.

2) Aramark: Campus Dining and the Mug

Campus Dining will always be an ongoing project and I am dedicated to accepting the challenge in making campus dining a positive aspect of student life. As a JYStayer (eating DC food for three years straight), it will be of utmost importance to me to increase the food options in ACDC, including more options for students with food allergies and dietary restrictions. I also want to work with Campus Dining to have more stations operating between major meal times. Another personal goal is to ensure that the DC continues to provide quality food throughout study week and up to the very last day of finals. In my conversations with students, many have expressed concerns about Aramark employees in the mug. I hope to work with the Vice President for Activities to create a dialogue with Aramark in order to come an understanding between students and the mug employees.

3) Security
This past year, Student Life and the Board of House Presidents worked on a list of Frequently Asked Questions about Security. Although many strides have been made in clarifying Security Protocol, the process revealed inconsistencies in the ways policies are carried out, discrepancies between the office of Residential Life and Security, and policies that generally students disagree with. After the great start made by the Board of House Presidents and Student Life, I am ready to continue addressing these problems. I also want to improve the communication and relationship between Campus Security and students. Making a simple switch from “Security” to “Campus Safety”, will hopefully create more positive opinion of security patrollers on campus.

4) Social Consciousness
Recent events at Vassar have highlighted the need for a constructive way for dealing with conflicts that involve race, sex, gender, and other aspects of identity. I want to work with the Committee on Inclusion and Excellence and the Office of Residential Life to develop a program in which students will be able to voice their opinions, learn from the situation, and resolve these conflicts in a positive manner.

As a council member this past year, I was involved in compiling a list of FAQ’s with the Board of House Presidents, and I also worked on a proposal for granting credit for lab courses, and the Administration Review on Community Based Learning. I am completely willing to listen to students about their concerns and do my best to carry out my goals. As an Exec Board member and VP for Student Life, I will not be afraid to challenge the administration during my time on the VSA, especially for the issues that will directly affect student’s lives. I encourage everyone to post on my wall for suggestions or to contact me via email at daduran@vassar.edu

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Dear Brewers,

My name is Syed Samin Shehab and I am running for the position of Vice President of Student Life for 2011-2012.

In the past three years I have been exposed to a lot of student issues and concerns through my involvement with multiple student organizations, house team and committees. I have had a chance to work on a few of these issues, but there is a lot more that can and needs to be done.

We need to start being a proactive governing body and not a reactive one. In the coming year the VSA, and more importantly the VP of Student Life, needs to be able to generate more dialogue within the student body. The first step to doing that is to open up lines of communication regarding campus issues and also ensuring that we have representation from all the campus voices. I propose that the Student Life committee take this charge on. I will be inviting student organizations to round table discussions throughout the year. I will also make it a point to reach out to the community and not simply ask them to come to us.

If we are able to generate such conversations we also have to work on distributing the information. In the past the onus has fallen on the VSA, and we haven’t been able to communicate effectively with our constituents. Thus I would like to start using the House Fellow Program to take these conversations to the houses. Using this preexisting structure we will not only be able to engage the wider student body but also disseminate information about what is being done on these issues and gather information on what more can be done.

Even though we have had multiple constructive conversations we have been unable to translate them into formal proposals or resolutions for the council to debate. This is because it has always fallen on the Exec board to draft these documents. Thus I think the VSA needs to move to start empowering the council and the student body to come forth with their concerns but also propose them as resolutions. I hope to use the VP of Student Life position to spearhead a campaign to engage the students’ voices in the legislative action. I hope to give students the tools to work with and challenge the VSA.

Over the past two years I have had the opportunity to work the Committee on Inclusion and Excellence (CIE). In these two years I have been intimately involved with the development, administration and the compiling of the results of the Cultural Audit. The Audit gave students a unique opportunity to have their concerns and recommendations be turned into policy recommendations. I plan on working closely with the CIE to help realize some of these proposals.

The VSA Exec Board has been accused in the past of not conveying students concerns clearly to the Administration and the Faculty. I promise to be a vociferous advocate for student concerns. Also, I wish to create more opportunities for students and administrators to gather and have round table discussions on campus issues. In this regard I will be working with the Campus Life Resource Group to create more conversation dinner type events, but on a smaller scale and more frequently.

Vassar-Poughkeepsie relations also need to be specifically addressed by the VSA. We cannot limit ourselves to “Meet me in Poughkeepsie”. As representatives of the student body we need to start engaging the community more. We need to invest in the idea of shared space and increase community involvement at Vassar. I will work more closely with the Community Field Work Advisory Committee, VCUEI and the Arlington Special Events committee and address the community needs as a student body and not as separate voices.

This past year I have had the privilege of being the President of Raymond and the Chair of the Board of House Presidents (BHP). This year the BHP has worked on the Security FAQs, the House Officer Expectation Document, the Room Entry Policy, the B&G testimonial and is currently working on ResLife Training for the Fall. It has become evident that the House Presidents are an underutilized resource on this campus. I hope to tie the BHP more closely with the Student Life Committee so that we can continue doing such good work and tackle more issues together.

In terms of specific legislations I think it is very important that the student body push for and put into place a “Sexual Assault and Violence Charge” for the student conduct process. I wish to work closely with the Sexual Assault and Violence Prevention program to get the charge instituted. I want to work with VISA and the Office of International Services on “Need blind Admission for Internationals” and also bring internationals under the “No loan policy”.

Depending on the agenda of the VSA executive board the council sets priorities to issues that need to be addressed that year. There is a need for a more voices to be a part of this prioritization process, thus I am proposing the VSA survey be moved to the start of the year. This will give us a better gauge on how the Executive board’s priorities align with the student body’s and help us focus on the more pressing issues.

I have a lot of hopes, aspirations ands goals for next year. I also have ideas to fill a few more pages. I am passionate about these issues and would love the opportunity to tackle them head on next year as your VP of Student Life. If elected I promise to make headway in all these issues and also include all voices. Please vote for me, for I would like nothing better than to be VP of Student Life and work towards an inclusive, informed and involved community.

Take care
Samin…
syshehab@vassar.edu

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Hi everyone,

My name is Ruby Cramer. I’m an English major with a correlate sequence in Economics, and I served this year as the Editor in Chief of Vassar’s weekly newspaper, The Miscellany News. It is my great hope that next year I’ll have the opportunity to be your Vice President for Operations — I know that I have the knowledge, experience, commitment and vision to step into this role and help lead our community though what is still a great time of transition.

No experience has prepared me for Vice President for Operations more than my work as Editor of The Miscellany News. With a lot of coffee and Red Bull — and at perhaps the sacrifice of normal sleeping patterns — I have worked countless hours this year to make our newspaper the best it can possibly be. Over the course of the last 10 months, I led a complete redesign of our website and print edition; expanded our multimedia content with blogs, videos and slideshows; attempted to include broader, more diverse voices to stimulate productive dialogue; and worked overall to make the Miscellany a professional and reputable source of information during what has doubtless been a difficult and often confusing time.

My experience with the paper has also given me the opportunity to interact with countless student leaders and to deal with virtually every administrator on this campus. My friends tease me for knowing every office number in Main, and for how often I read the College Governance, VSA Constitution and Bylaws, but I believe that it is this deep familiarity with the way Vassar works that would most assist me as Vice President for Operations next year. Additionally, I have sat (and blogged) through every VSA Council Meeting, so I already have a great understanding of the day-to-day operations of Council and the role that student representatives play in the shared governance of the College.

I know that with these experiences, I would enter the role of Vice President for Operations with a firm grasp of the issues facing Vassar, the key administrators involved and the most effective and pragmatic ways to move forward. Whoever is elected into this position next year will not just oversee tasks such as maintaining Tasty Tuesdays and VSA governing documents, but he or she will also deal with the College’s committee structure and serve as the liaison between the student body and alumnae/i community. With the campus still feeling the effects of the financial crisis, it is essential that the Vice President for Operations is a strong student leader who can work closely with graduates, aid ongoing fundraising campaigns and keep the connection between Vassar and its alumnae/i body strong and thriving. I know that I can approach these responsibilities head-on and serve as Vice President for Operations with the same commitment, passion and diligence that I’ve given to The Miscellany News.

As Vice President for Operations, I would:

1. Strengthen connections with alumnae/i and incorporate graduates into current campus events: As Vice President for Operations, I would serve as the intermediary between the student and alumnae/i bodies. Maintaining a strong connection between these two groups is extremely important to the health of our College community, especially now when Vassar is still nursing significant losses to its endowment. I will be a diligent liaison, and commit my time to assisting in fundraising campaigns that work to support the mission of the College. In addition, I will look for and create events throughout the year that graduates can also participate in; it is my hope that alumnae/i can be as immersed in and connected to the current Vassar community as possible. Our graduates are our greatest and most under-utilized resource, so I will also work with the Career Development Office and sit on the Council for Alumnae/i Student Advancement (CASA) to make sure that current students can take advantage of our alumnae/i, especially in this increasingly competitive job market.
2. Continue to centralize the VSA website: My experience on The Miscellany News has versed me in the ins and outs of Web design and development. While the 2009-2010 VSA Executive Board greatly enhanced the VSA website, I believe that more could be done to improve the site and the frequency with which it is updated. Vsa.vassar.edu can be used to disseminate daily information about the happenings of the VSA, and also to present multimedia, such as regular video interviews with members of the Executive Board, student organization leaders and administrators. The site also has yet to take advantage of Twitter and Facebook and other social media networks, which are terrific tools that could really plug the VSA in to the already very active network of Vassar students online. I would also use the site to illuminate the College’s often-times confusing committee structure by including a schedule of committee meetings, a list of primary contacts and a step-by-step guide to finding the appropriate committee for a student’s particular concerns or requests.
3. Improve relationship between VSA and student body: In my time with The Miscellany News, I’ve had the unique opportunity to follow the VSA closely, but to see it from the outside in. What I’ve noticed more than anything is that there is a great disconnect between the VSA and the general student body. From reading countless comments on the Miscellany News website — and just from talking to students — I see that some people don’t feel that the governing body reflects their own concerns and priorities. One of my goals as Vice President for Operations and as a member of the Executive Board would be to narrow the gap between the VSA and the student body; open office hours are not enough for a student to feel connected to its governing body—VSA Council needs to table in the College Center; collaborate on projects, proposals and memorandums with student organizations and groups on campus; hold open meetings and forums; and ultimately make certain that we have a strong pulse on the true concerns of the student body.
4. Make VSA Council forums more effective to foster meaningful and proactive dialogue: Though the VSA already hosts open forums as part of its Council meetings each Sunday, the topics of these open discussions often surround issues such as technology or sustainability, and do not always touch on what at the time is of the most concern to a typical Vassar student. It is my hope that when something large upsets the campus, it will be the VSA Council to take the lead on the issue in a proactive way, hosting a campus-wide meeting and aggressively reaching out to students, professors, staff and administrators to join in meaningful and well-publicized discussion. There is nothing worse than a student government that is not in tune with the spirit of the student body, and I believe that such an attitude about dialogue would help to prevent that.
5. Strengthen and streamline the College’s committee structure: As Vice President for Operations, one of my responsibilities would be to chair the Appointments Committee (now actually a part of the larger Operations Committee), which appoints students to fill roles on various joint committees at the College, and in addition I would oversee the larger committee structure at Vassar. I will do my best to help supervise this structure, to identify committees and committee members that are no longer active or productive, and to make certain that all committees’ fundamental missions are clear and being fulfilled. It is also my goal to make sure that the hierarchy of committees becomes more clear for students, and that — with the help of the VSA website — this often complicated and tangled structure becomes easy to navigate for anyone.
6. Encourage Vassar pride: The community took a hit to its morale this year with the coming of the financial crisis. Watching the College make difficult changes and adjustments earlier this fall was understandably an emotional experience for students, staff, faculty and administrators — virtually everyone was feeling the weight of these changes on our community. I want the Executive Board next year to view the 2010-2011 academic year as one of rebuilding the spirit and the morale of the community. It’s important that the VSA really reinvigorate new traditions such as Meet Me in Poughkeepsie, Brewer Bash (which in particular is an event that the VSA could do so much more with), and more recently the Faculty-Student Basketball Game. It’s important that we all rally around the school that we love, and that we constantly look for opportunities to come together as a wider community.

I have worked for the last two years to help make Vassar the best place it can possibly be, and I would love the opportunity to continue doing so as Vice President for Operations. I’m ambitious, I’m a diligent worker, and I can promise that I would devote myself full-on to this position. Your vote would be greatly appreciated. If you have any questions at all or want to talk, just e-mail me anytime at rucramer@vassar.edu.

Thanks so much!
Ruby

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The other day, I asked a close friend what he thought the VSA could best do for him. He responded hesitantly, saying, “Well… I’d like it if they were something other than this elusive ‘thing’ that shows up in the Misc every once in a while…” As he faded off, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and agree--had I not sat on Council for the past year as Strong House President, I probably wouldn’t know much about the VSA either. How else to put it? It’s time for change. Why is it that Vassar students are intelligent, active, and involved, yet a significant portion of the student body is unaware of how (and why) the VSA functions? This is no fault of theirs, but rather a reflection of the VSA itself. We need more transparency, and we need to put ourselves out there. We need to be approachable and open, a space where every single student can feel comfortable expressing their opinions and concerns without fear of being judged or shot down. We need to remember why the VSA Exec Board exists—to listen to and represent all students at this college, regardless of whether or not they personally agree with them.

I am running for this position because academics influences all other aspects of our Vassar experience. There’s no avoiding it—we’re all here to learn (and I love learning!). As a Women’s Studies and French double major, I am particularly motivated to create change in academic life, which in turn improves student experience overall at Vassar. To me, this means incorporating student voices in meetings with faculty and administration by publicizing what issues are up for debate and integrating student input into the stances I take and the issues I pursue -- and refusing to back down if those views are shoved aside by faculty or administrators. I currently sit on the joint faculty-student Committee for Curricular Policies as the Languages Majors Rep, where I have learned how academic policies and procedures are debated and passed at Vassar. Additionally, having served on Academics Committee this entire year and learning the value of committee work, I plan on:

• Urging transparency. Whether this means moving the location of Council meetings, holding office hours in the Retreat (something specific), or even just tabling in the College Center, I think it’s absolutely crucial to closing the gap between the VSA council and the student body
• Reaching out to community education programs such as VAST, Project Eye-to- Eye, Sistah Power and others to help get more students out into Poughkeepsie.
• Continuing the formation of a peer-advising database, which would allow for underclassmen to be matched up with upperclassmen who share similar majors, activities, and interests.
• Continuing the push for a half-credit for labs (it’s not over yet!).
• Working more intensely with the Majors Committees to see an established network of Committee Chairs, one that holds meetings and provides for communication between departments through students.
• Working to create department-specific questions for CEQs, and continuing the switch to an online system for both CEQs and the registrar.
• Most importantly, I am extremely committed to the creation of an academic “safe space” on campus where ideas of social consciousness and awareness can be taught, discussed, and shared. I have been and will continue working with a group of deeply invested students who began a long-term push for a social consciousness course, and I will urge a more immediate solution as well. This project (which I believe can be run under the supervision of the VP for Academics in conjunction with other organizations and administrative departments) would include the facilitation of regular academic conversations with professors within the freshman year. The VSA Exec Board, specifically Academics, can play a significant role in making this very necessary space happen.

What I’ve just said probably (definitely) seems idealistic. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in the past year, it’s to shoot high and work from there. It’s important to recognize the tremendous potential that the VSA Executive Board has as the most direct liaison between students and administration. I have the experience, the knowledge, and the drive to adequately convey student concerns to faculty without bias or judgment. I am running for this position partly because I have been frustrated several times this year with my VSA experiences, and while we have made strides as a Council, it’s time for us to reach out and engage the ENTIRE student body. It’s time to recognize the power we have to create a much-needed space for dialogue and discussion amongst students, and I promise I’ll do everything in my power to make this happen.

For more information, or if you just want to talk, e-mal me at lariker@vassar.edu or add me on Facebook!!

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I WILL VOMIT ON EVERYTHING THE VSA HOLDS DEAR. NO PILLOWS, CHAIRS, TABLES OR STAIRS WILL ESCAPE THE FURY OF MY INDUSTRIOUSNESS. ONLY MY VOMIT CAN REPRESENT STUDENTS AS THEY DESERVE TO BE REPRESENTED. I'd also organize several Cookouts on the Quad in which Vassar students would barbecue for staff workers and their families. It'd be a great chance for students to take a break from being served and to interact with the staff on campus in a new way. Activities could include volleyball, a pudding Slip N' Slide, and a parade of dancing chickens. But mostly, I'M JUS' GONNA VOMIT ON EVERYTHING. GET READY.

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Hello Vassar,
My name is Tanay Tatum and I want to be your Vice-President for Activities.
The year 2011 will mark Vassar’s 150th Anniversary! It is very important that next year’s VP for Activities has the experience and vision that is necessary to make our Sesquicentennial one of the biggest celebrations our school has ever experienced. I want all Vassar organizations to play a role in celebrating this event. My plans for next year include:

• Bringing more alums back to campus through programming (formals, dinners, speakers, etc.)
• Promoting more creative programming on campus (don’t settle for only Mug Nights and all-Campus dorm parties)
• Re-vitalizing Brewer Bash (What is Brewer Bash anyways?)

Next year, I plan on working closely with organization leaders to see how we can add more creativity and diversity to the programs that take place on campus. I also want to use Vassar’s Sesquicentennial as a marketing tool to bring Vassar grads back to campus. If our VSA organizations could plan events that commemorated the history of the college, we could invite alums to attend. This will give alums an opportunity to connect back with campus and offer students a chance to network. Hopefully students will be able to make connections with those who came before us, thus creating a more cohesive Vassar community and bridging the gap between alums and students.

Also, the next big project I want to work on is Brewer Bash. What is Brewer Bash? No one really knows. I currently sit on the VSA council and I barely. Next year I plan on making it a huge all-day celebration where Vassar students can rally together around athletics, food, games and parties in order to build school-spirit and unity amongst students.

I’ve served on the Class of 2012 Council for two years, first as Vice-President, then as President. My experience on class council has taught me the ins-and-outs of programming, from small scale Easter Egg Hunts to all-campus Slumber Parties. As the Class of 2012 President, I have sat on many committees including Activities and Finance for the VSA. I’m also on the steering committee for Vassar’s Sesquicentennial celebrations. Therefore I have the necessary experience and knowledgebase to succeed in this position.

If you have any questions or suggestions for what you think I should do next year, please send me an email at tatatum@vassar.edu.

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Hey Vassar!

I am one of your candidates for V.P. for Finance. There is nothing that I love more than the thought that I could be the one to preserve our budget and use it where it is needed. In such difficult economic times as we’re in, I commend Scott Pascal for his work throughout the year and hope to be an even stronger treasurer. Your money is my concern and sustaining each organization is my priority.

There are some changes I hope to implement. First, training for treasurers will be more in depth than what I experienced. Instead of the thirty-minute power point slide show of what is in the treasurer's manual, I'll take the time to elaborate on important processes and contacts. I will make it a point to know the treasurers of all VSA organizations by holding more meetings. I also seek to change the way treasurers get budget summaries. If it is possible to get them directly than through the president of the club, I’ll make it happen. In addition, I advocate collaboration. Encouraging different organizations to work together saved the budget and provided the opportunity for networking among groups. I found it a successful strategy and will continue to lead us in that direction.

One of my big goals is to allow groups on campus that sought VSA funds but were denied it this year, to have better luck next year. There are numerous orgs that are doing fantastic work and need to be supported. TLC is one such group and I’ll see to it that you are properly acknowledged. If there are other groups out there with similar struggles, feel free to let me know. I want to hear the ideas that you have about the finance system and the way it operates.

My experiences as treasurer of the Ballroom Dance Club this year has led me to believe that I can take on the role of VP and make the best of it. I am a member of the Campus Life Resource Group (CLRG) and a Supplemental Instruction leader. In case you haven’t heard, being an SI leader entails much more work than most campus jobs do. I have held numerous leadership roles, in many different areas in the last couple of years. I am no stranger to hard work and you can say that I have a way with numbers. My SI students can attest to that. I will work hard for you Vassar. So, cast your vote for a budget that will last and I assure you, you will not be disappointed. Thanks for your support!

Contact: elboateng@vassar.edu with any questions.

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To the Vass:
My name is Louise and I would be ecstatic to be elected VP for Finance for the 2010/2011 academic year! I currently sit on the VSA council as President of Davison House and it has been one of the most exciting, crazy, challenging, fulfilling opportunities I’ve had in my life. Next year will be my last one at Vassar and I want to leave knowing that my last year was significant and meaningful not just to myself, but to the vast group of students involved in VSA organizations that seek funding to sponsor concerts, lectures, conferences, games, parties, and more that make their Vassar experience rewarding. Here are a few of the goals that I have for next year,

• Continue working on re-writing the section in the VSA bylaws that details the Special purpose funds. I spearheaded this initiative as a member of the finance committee this year, and am looking forward to further improving the fund system.
• Have more accessible and convenient office hours
• Work with CIS and the college financial offices to improve the budget email system so that organization treasurers receive the weekly budget updates. I would also work on eliminating the glitches so that the email more closely reflects the org’s true balance.
• Continue working with the VP for Activities to compile some general capital items, like microphones, camera equipment, etc. that can be used by any VSA organizations so as to reduce the amount of money spent on overlapping items.

The reason I know I would be well suited for this position and able to accomplish many of my goals is due to the fact that I am an organized person who constantly updates about four calendars and makes agendas and lists for everything. I have experience sitting on the VSA and on the finance committee and can utilize that prior knowledge to better the way the VP for Finance communicates with treasurers and handles the VSA budget. I’m an economics major and I feel that this will only help me coordinate the more technical aspects of the VSA budget. I would be honored and thrilled to serve as the VSA VP for Finance next year and I hope that you will consider voting for me. Feel free to contact me with questions at loconner@vassar.edu or stop by Davison 425 to say hi!

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The cornerstones of my campaign are Transparency and Efficiency.

As a double major in Urban Studies and Economics, I consider a practical and multi-disciplinary approach to be the most effective and pragmatic way to deal with any issue. I currently serve as the Sophomore Representative for Josselyn House and as the assistant to the current VP of Finance, Scott Pascal.

Through these positions, I have worked closely with the VSA in diverse roles, providing me with a unique insider/outsider perspective that enables me to be fully critical, with an understanding of the position but without the shortsightedness that so often comes with following a traditional trajectory to the exec board.

The VP for Finance has three main roles: determining how much money each organization gets on campus, actively managing the budget, and ensuring accountability and accessibility throughout the entire process. While these three tasks may seem simple, anyone who has interacted with the VSA knows that the sheer volume of paperwork, meetings, credit card orders, etc. means that just getting through the day can be a struggle. Applying substantial time and thought to each responsibility may seem impossible, but by making one or more aspects of the finance position more efficient, I would free up my time to be more responsive, effective and accessible. To that end, I have five central goals for my tenure:

• Establish a transparent and explicit rubric for fund allocation. Investigate and reassess how the merit of each request is determined.
• Provide a more inclusionary framework for students who struggle with liquidity issues by expanding the use of cash advances and reducing the reliance on reimbursement.
• Evaluate the possibility of transferring request forms online to cut down on the paperwork involved in the VSA reimbursement and money request process.
• Streamline the VCash Machine network by working closely with CIS to implement a system that uses a specific organization ID numbers to track purchases and get money organizations raise in their accounts as quickly as possible
• Accessible and appropriate office hours. I am planning my class schedule in order to maximize my office hours and availability

Managing a budget of approximately $700,000 is no easy task, but I am committed and determined to running it as efficiently and as transparently as possible.

Vote for Transparency and Efficiency
Vote for Travis Edwards

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Dear Members of the Senior Class,

While I have served in several leadership positions on campus over the last three years, I am particularly proud of having been a part of the Editorial Board of The Miscellany News for the 08-09 year. As the Opinions Editor, my responsibilities included not only soliciting and fairly representing the many diverse opinions of Vassar's community on issues affecting our College and the world, but also thoughtfully overseeing their interconnection in the layout for a more holistic representation. My experiences in this position, which I truly enjoyed doing, have certainly helped prepare me to represent the opinions of the Class of 2011 and the interests of our College to the Vassar Student Association, and by extension the administration, throughout the challenges that lie ahead next fall and spring. I look forward to the task, as well as dedicating hours to planning campus parties, events and the alumnae service that the position of Senior Class President also entails, and am confident that 2011--the 150th anniversary of Vassar College--will be our best year yet.

Cheers to it,

Jeremy Bright

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My fellow soon-to-be SENIORS,

Hi everyone! My name is Maureen Byrne but most of you probably know me as Moe. We’re all super pumped for next year and I would love to represent our class to help ensure that we all have and amazing senior experience!

As a sophomore I was the Secretary of Main and this past year I served as the President of Main. Both of these positions were thoroughly enjoyable and the experiences I’ve gained from them make me an ideal candidate for this position. Throughout my two years on house team I’ve learned the intricacies of campus event planning and have taken part in throwing successful affairs such as Moulin Rouge, Crossover, and Pool Party. As President of Main I felt it was my duty to listen and respond to my fellow house-members opinions, wants, and needs with regards to programming and other aspects of campus life. If elected to be our class president I would take this duty to heart because it’s not just my senior year, but all of yours as well and I want you to look back on your memories as fondly as I hope to someday.

As crazy as it seems, we are embarking on the “beginning of the end” of our time here at Vassar. If you chose me I hope to help us all to make the most of our final year and put a resounding exclamation point on the conclusion of our journey. Should you have any questions, concerns, or just want to chat it up, feel free to contact me at mabyrne@vassar.edu or stop by my suite 311 Main. Next year is full of endless possibilities and regardless of whom you decide to vote for I hope your senior year turns out to be everything you’re hoping for!

<3 Moe

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My fellow members of the Vassar College Class of Two Thousand and Eleven: though it once seemed impossible, our senior year is almost upon us. We'll be working through theses, senior labs, job applications, post-grad prospects, professional school stresses... seems like a lot for a bunch of 21 year olds to handle, huh? There is, however, another important part of senior year: the fun. We'll be in charge of Halloween, 100 Nights, 50 Nights, and most importantly, Senior Week. As president, my priority will be to make our senior year as awesome, ridiculous, crazy and amazing as it can be. While I support the VSA and all of its efforts to improve our school, efforts which I will certainly lend a hand to as 2011 President, it's our senior year, and I've got your back when it comes to fun: the Noyes House Team I helped lead created DayGloToga with Cushing last year, I've been honing my party planning skills for the duration of this year, and I promise to continue that dedication into the future - both next year and for our five-year reunion in 2016.

We'll all be stressing out about something next year. Let me handle the
relaxation; I promise I won't let you down.

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Hey there Class of 2011! How does it feel to be moving up the ladder for a change? It feels like only yesterday, where as fresh-faced freshman we walked through those pearly gates and saw that grandiose structure that would haunt our minds for the next four years: the library. And now, 3 years later, as we approach the library as jaded-juniors, we smile for all the times we laughed and cried in and around that beautiful place. We've seen it all, 2011. Orientation awkwardness. Sweaty nights in the mug. Student fellow love (or non-love). Swine flu. Sarah Palin winking at the VP debates. Obama getting elected. All-nighters cramming before exams.  Kanye West interruptions. Primal Scream.What was in that jungle juice at the THs? The Haiti Earthquake. That D-bag from the mug never texting you back. And of course, midnight munchies at Baccios. Ah. The good times are sweet. And you know what? They're only going to get sweeter. Next year we rule the school. We get to pour water on the freshmen and listen to them sing sweet tunes of pleading or derision. We get to stay for senior week without begging anyone to sign us in. We get to worry about cleaning...or not cleaning our houses. We get to be asked that loaded question that all seniors dread: "What are you doing next year?"  Oh... That's (pause)..nice... And the best part about it, is that we get to do it all together! Elect me as your Class President of 2011, and I promise to make our senior year the most fun and memorable year we've had yet! [BIG TOOTHY GRIN] Qualifications Academic: Media Studies major, Chinese minor. Extracurricular: 1.) Measure 4 Measure (all female a cappella) 2007-2009 Some of the best times at Vassar were with this group of wonderful, mutually supportive girls. We sang everything from the Beach Boys, Rilo Kiley, to Stevie Nicks 2.) President of VCEC (Entrepreneurs Club) 2009 VCEC Publicity Chair 2010 *We started a student business called VASSART which connected art and business by selling student works online and to other students and alumnie. We donated 20 percent of our profits to a student artist fund that would provide our artist with money for supplies. * We won 3rd place in the Dutchess County Business Plan Competition (2008 &2009) * We brought Yasmina Zaid from the Acumend Fund and then Stephen Blum who talked about "The Art of M&A." 3.) Film Club (2009) *Starred in two films by John Mattia '10 4.) Ski Team We raced at Middlebury, Pico, and Smugglers Notch. My legs were sore after, but it was well worth it! Also, amazing people with indestructible flip-cup skills. Teamwork. Career goals: I think I might move to either Shanghai or Germany and work as an Economic Journalist for a few years before going to Law School for Copyright Law. Realistic, right? Qualifications: *Enthusiasm for my class and school. *Work Ethic.  I have the ability to stay up long hours on caffeine binges. I will work all night for you! *People skills.  I like people and I smile alot *Genuine love and care for the community. Cm'here gimme a hug =) Ideas: 1. Greater connection with local Poughkeepsie community - Internal: Vassar student voter registration committee, senior involvement (freshmen orientation, beginning of fall semester…etc). It's time that we get involved in Poughkeepsie in areas that matter: politics. For years the Republicans in Poughkeepsie have tried to circumvent liberal Vassar students from taking part in any local elections, largely by drawing the voter line straight through the campus so that the TH areas and the rest of the campus belong to different voting districts. My idea is to get Seniors to inform the rest of the campus about Poughkeepsie politics and even help them register to vote by offering a table with available voter registration forms and information pamphlets. If we get students involved in Poughkeepsie politics, where they can make a difference, theoretically students would feel more invested in the Poughkeepsie community and be inclined to explore more outside the Vassar bubble. - Classes for local community (e.g. driver’s pre-licensing course) We could bring local instructors to Vassar to offer community classes that would be open to everyone for a small fee. Courses such as: -driving registration -scuba diving certifications classes -cooking courses - Practical skills classes (priority for seniors), e.g .practical business… Also, one of the biggest complaints I hear about Vassar is that it does not offer any "practical" more business-oriented classes that could help train people for future jobs. I'd like to work with the Faculty Administration and Career Development Office to try to get instructors from Marist or Dutchess Community College to teach courses in things such as: Accounting Finance Computer Programming Website Design Business Plan Courses Marketing Public Relations etc Even if you don't plan to go into these fields, it never hurts to have business-valuable skills. You become much more valuable to a company if you can, for example, program a website for them, increasing your opportunities for future jobs and internships. - “Student Integration to Poughkeepsie Committee” (SIPC) Set up a committee that bridges the Poughkeepsie--Vassar divide by regularly informing the Vassar community about local events happening and by planning events that bring people from Vassar and Poughkeepsie together. Ex. community art showings. - External: extending tasty Tuesdays beyond food… i.e. more interaction with Dutchess Community College (speakers, lectures) 2. Class Gift - Earlier survey for class gift ideas. -One idea is to provide an on-campus storage space for rising seniors. Rising Seniors can then have somewhere to put their new couches and TVs for the summer until they can move into senior housing. - Senior fundraiser – Communal dinner provided by seniors in senior housings. We can raise funds by having the Seniors cook and host dinners (such as outdoor BBQs) and have other students pay by swiping their V-cash or meal points. 3. Events - conversation dinner with faculty Invite faculty and seniors to have discussion dinners to talk about community issues and advice for plans after Vassar. - movie screening outside Popcorn, out door projectors, blankets, and snuggling - Senior Communal Art: Body Paint War One idea i have is to have an outdoor Senior Class Body Paint War where we paint each other, imprint our hands, feet, faces, and bodies on a large poster board, and have a community spray down. All with an outdoor BBQ and music. - graduation souvenir for Class of 2011 Little souvenirs so that you and your family can forever remember that special day. Anything from key chains, discounted rings, T-shirts, and picture frames. Let's make this the most cohesive, inclusive class ever! VOTE CRISTINA MCCOMIC FOR CLASS PRESIDENT OF 2011!

 

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Hey everyone my name is Becca Rose and I am running for Class President. So we’re entering our last year at Vassar, which seems a little bit crazy to me. Sometimes I feel like I just got here and other days I forget that in reality I’ve only been here for three years. In thinking about what I want to do senior year I’m torn between spending as much time reflecting as possible and trying all of those things I’ve never done. As President I would work to make sure there are events in which we can do both of those things.

During senior year there are a lot of events that we have heard about and been waiting to experience…we have 50 and 100 Nights, Serenading, the Halloween Dance and of course all of the events of Senior Week. Right now there are many more events towards the end of the year, understandably because we should have less work and more time to enjoy them. But I feel like they allow us to meet new people just in time to say goodbye. It’s kind of odd to say “Oh hey it was great to meet you, we should hang out sometime, but wait we graduate in three days and are going to be on opposite sides of the continent…ok bye.” This past year the toast at the Alumni House marking the first 100 nights of senior year was added and I would like to create another event to give us a chance to spend more time together as a class.

In addition I’d like to see more events that take us off campus. We’ve all joked about the Vassar bubble, and sometimes honestly I wish I spent more time going into the community. But, I’m often not sure of where to begin my adventure and I would love for someone to give me some suggestions. I’d like to add more events that take our class out into the community. These could be during senior week, but also on other weekends in the semester when we’re all craving something different to do.

Senior Week is something that most people are probably wondering about. During Sophomore year I had the opportunity to be on the Daisy Chain and to see how Senior Week is run behind the scenes. This added knowledge gives me the ability to not only have some prior sense of how the week will run, but also what events were popular and what events were not. With these experiences in mind I can work to make our Senior Week even more successful and filled with events that suit everyone’s tastes. Specifically, I would like to see the Class Council and the Council of Black Seniors work more closely to create more successful events for both groups.

But what do we want to leave behind? Our class gift is another facet of senior year that I’d like to discuss. While I vote that we leave a bouncy castle permanently installed on the quad I realize that we probably want to leave a more beneficial gift. I will work to make sure that our gift is something everyone in our class can be proud of.

Aside from all of the events pertaining specifically to our class, the president needs to act as an accurate representative on the VSA council. Granted I won’t be the only senior on council acting for our class, but I still feel that it’s important for me to say that I know many of the members of our class and so feel I can fairly and accurately communicate our views to the VSA.

So those are just some of the thoughts I’ve had about being Class Prez, but if you elect me what I really want is to hear your ideas. What kinds of events do you want to see our class put on? What kinds of memories do we want to create? With all of your different views in mind I can work with both our class exec board and the VSA to create events that everyone enjoys and leave a lasting impression of our class. I promise I’m not scary, so please feel free to come ask me questions if you have them.

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After three years at Vassar, and with the outlook of senior year and “real life” ahead, thinking about one more year here seems very daunting. We are at a point where we are beginning our transition from Vassar to the outside world, where each of us will pursue our own interests and face our own problems well beyond the “Vassar bubble”. Yet, senior year will prove crucial in our Vassar experience, and all I can think about when I look onto next year is that I have to make it the best and most exciting year possible, so that I leave Vassar in high spirits and absolutely inspired by my experiences and memories here.

This is why I want to run for Senior Class President. I want to make sure that the entire senior class enjoys everything that Vassar has to offer before they leave. I want to make sure that by the time we all leave campus, we will all have wonderful memories that will remind us of what’s possible in the world. And that’s the thing I love about Vassar: this is the only place I have found where, no matter how crazy your ideas are, you will always find someone who thinks that those ideas are great and what’s more: achievable.

I want to devote my senior year to creating spaces and opportunities for the senior class to interact with one another and with the rest of the Vassar community. My aim is to guarantee that everyone has a chance to exercise their own capacities and Vassar’s potential. I want to create opportunities for students to explore all the things that they haven’t yet discovered on and off-campus, and to leave believing that, if it was possible to have such fantastic experiences at Vassar, there is no reason why we can’t have amazing experiences elsewhere. I want our senior year at Vassar to serve as a model for what’s possible beyond college life.

For this, I have experience from being Vice President of Raymond House my sophomore year, and running the first-ever Haunted House in the third floor of Rocky. As VP of Raymond, I loved working with the House Team to make sure that we created a community environment within the dorm, and gained very good skills in event planning and coordinating. I am also a member of the Oversight Committee in the Vassar Haiti Project, where we have the responsibility to oversee all of the organization’s activities and coordinate our big events of the year. Furthermore, I was lucky enough to be one of the 14 students who went to Haiti over spring break with VHP, and I believe that experience has truly given me a good perspective on what working with and for others means.

I have taken the Model UN class twice now, where I have gained great diplomatic and public speaking skills. Taking this class has also taught me professionalism. Namely, that when something needs to get done, there are no excuses. The class has taught me an impeccable work ethic that I would bring into my presidency. As an international student, I can also contribute a new perspective (though some would call it Latin flavor), and most of all a very open mind as someone who has experienced a change of environment and has adapted to it.

Finally, all I can say is that I love this college very much, and that I love it because of what its people have taught me. I believe in Vassar’s student body and have been inspired by the number of fantastic, driven, and simply amazing people that I have met here, and as such I want to ensure that the image of Vassar as a place where anyone can make ANYTHING happen prevails when we graduate. My best asset is my love for this college and my great desire to work for it and for the senior class. I will ensure that by the time we leave Vassar, we are satisfied with our experience and we are ready to take on the world!

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Hi everybody! My name is Francesca and I'm running for 2011 president! Why do I want to be elected:
For years (literally) I've watched as class councils, dorms and clubs have in collaboration or singlehandedly put together amazing events for the campus. I've seen the excitement of classmates gliding through busy, overcast, winter weeks for the sheer craziness of a much anticipated weekend all campus event.

As fantastic as that is, I've also seen students terribly unexcited and put out by bad events. In being senior class president, I would like to curb any possibility of tedium at senior events. After all, this is our year, and if Main wasn't shaking up from the events thrown by other senior events, this time let's really get down to it!

I want to be your voice at the VSA board; I want to listen to any concerns or problems or ideas any of you have and actually have the ability to implement them. Furthermore, I want to keep everybody in the know not only of events on campus, but off campus as well.

How am I qualified you may ask! Well, let me tell you: sophomore year I was treasurer for Main and, together with the rest of the house team, was responsible for events such as moulin rouge, crossover, and the main beach party. That year I was also debate team secretary for a semester, and facilitated the annual debate tournament with the exec board. This year I was NSO treasurer for a semester, and was responsible for funds for the club. I am an organized person, and I think I would be well suited to moderating discussions on the class council itself, and also apt to represent it on the VSA. The way I see it, class president is like DJing. while I love music, and like to party, I don't have to DJ to feel that. However, it's when people have a good time, and the understanding that I have helped facilitate those good feelings, that make it truly magical. I hope I can share my love of people, music and fun with you, and become a voice for you.

This semester I am JYA. Though that means I will not be there for you to stop on the way to class, the DC or wherever and ask questions about my candidacy, I implore you to email me with ANY questions you have about me or my ideas or whatever! I want your concerns to be my concerns; I want your problems to be my problems; I would like your ideas to remain yours, but I would love to hear them! So please, elect me 2011 President and let's make next year better than ever! See you next year!

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Hello Class of 2011,

My name is Laura Betheil, and I am running for 2011 vice president, because I want to make our senior year epic. As vice president, I will be responsible for planning all of the senior class events, including serenading, 100 nights, senior week, graduation and many more. As the Joss Sophomore Rep, I have experience in organizing all campus events and representing the views of 2011 on class council. I am also largely involved in the Vassar and Poughkeepsie communities, through the Ultimate Frisbee team, the VAST tutoring program and my work at Abilities First, a publicly funded school for disabled children. I am organized, enthusiastic, and easily approachable, and I sincerely believe that I will make an effective VP for our senior class.

If elected vice president, I will not only be open to your suggestions about senior class issues and programming, but I will also throw a Villard room party that you actually want to attend--100 nights. The seniors will kill in serenading, champagne toasts will be both classy and outrageous, and graduation will leave all of us crying as one large mass of 2011 love on May 22, 2011 (tears of joy, tears of sadness, you decide). But most importantly, no matter what challenges we face as a class, I promise to work my hardest to do everything and more to make our senior year unforgettable.

Sincerely Yours,

Laura

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Hello All! As many of you know, or may not, I'm Kendra Christina Carlton and I am running for Vice President of the Class of 2011. Personal likes and dislikes of me aside, I have created this group to introduce myself formally as a candidate. In my past 2 and a half years at Vassar, I have held many different positions with organizations, voluntarily and through electorial processes. These roles include the following: Programming Assistant at the ALANA Center, entailing organizing student programs for the Vassar community and keeping sharp deadlines for general programming; Publicity Chair (2009)/Historian(2008-2009) of Black Students Union (BSU), keeping students up to date with weekly BSU events, and campus-wide informational events; Committee Chair of Women of Color Alliance (WOCA), organized programming and fueling ideas for WOCA events along with other committee members; Volunteer Organizer of the Farewell Students of Color Dinner, making sure dates and venues were kept, and helping to set up the venue; Planning Committee Member of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (M.E.Ch.A) Conference 2009, helping provide housing and space for events; Volunteer Set-Up of the annual African Students Union dinner (2009); setting up event at the venue; and many other roles and positions. Each of these positions have required much focus on detail and planning. This, too, is the role of the Vice President of a class council. I believe that I have much experience in the background of "grunt" work. It is with this experience that I hope to achieve the planning of our most important activities on campus, ranging from the annual Halloween Party, to getting smaller ideas and events off the ground by voicing your opinions to the powers-that-be. This is just a brief statement of what I hope to bring you as a Vice President. Feel free to share this information with anyone else. Also feel free to email me with any suggestions or comments, as they are all welcomed by everyone. Hope you all make solid choices in your elections decisions. Thanks for reading! Kendra Christina Carlton.

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Dear Class,

I’ve been involved in various facets of student life at Vassar over the course of the past three years. I served as a Blegen/LGBTQ Center intern in freshman and sophomore year. While in that position I was the publicity director for the center, and in addition to that was expected to plan at least one major event a semester. This nicely transitioned into my current job, as a Student Activities Resource Center intern. I oversee nearly 20 VSA organizations and guide them through the event planning process. I plan on moving forward as Head SARC Intern next year, pending an interview. In addition to this, I was elected class treasurer and served in that position in sophomore year.  While dealing with all things budget-related, the treasurer position is also a seat on class council, so I had considerable input into what events council put on. I also have experience managing large groups of people to put on large-scale community events. This summer I will be a sales manager intern at JCPenney in my hometown.

Moving into our final year at Vassar, then (tear!), it only makes sense for me to run for class vice president. As evidenced above, I have extensive event planning and management experience. I’ve always loved such Vassar mainstays as the Halloween party and would be humbled to be picked to oversee them. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to serve the class in this capacity, and look forward to putting on awesome, memorable events to celebrate our final days as Vassar students.

Yours Truly,

Nick

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Dear friends and classmates,

Our time has come. Senior year has finally arrived, and with it the awesome possibilities of senior housing, legality, and the last days (and nights) of our time at Vassar. More than ever, it’s our time to enjoy ourselves, come together as a class, and make some amazing lasting memories. The senior class council has one of the most active and important roles in programming on campus, and with a strong exec team we could make the class of 2011 events successful and memorable to both the seniors and the classes to follow. I want to help make this happen by serving as your Vice President.

One of the best things I’ve done at Vassar was take part in the Joss house team my sophomore year. As Joss’s treasurer, I helped plan, coordinate, and run dorm and school-wide events, and being a leader within the Vassar community is something I’ve missed this semester coming back from studying abroad. I would be happy and honored to apply my understanding of the programming process at Vassar to the events planned and supported by the senior class, along with any new initiatives I, the council, or you come up with. I’d like to serve as a voice to the class of 2011 and incorporate your input to shape the incredible year ahead.

Following the great traditions of classes before us, and adding new programming ideas to make our experience as seniors even more special, I would be a passionate and supportive asset to the 2011 council, the VSA, and the senior class. From senior barbeques through 100 Nights and graduation, I’m excited and ready to bring my experience, organization, and enthusiasm to the Class of 2011 Vice President position, and make our senior year and legacy at Vassar unforgettable.

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This year is our last year before we enter “the real world.” That means we need to make it a good one! I am extremely excited to get involved and help our class make this the best year we’ve had at Vassar yet. How will I do that? Enthusiasm. Great ideas. Managing our money wisely. Implementing input from YOU.

I am an extraordinarily responsible person, which I believe would translate well into a job as class treasurer. As treasurer, I will ensure that we will have money left over in the senior spring budget. While abroad, I was the treasurer for my entire program. We all lived in one building together, and I was in charge of all the money for food, toilet paper, and other such necessities. Any money left over, we got back! …we all got money back every week. While our money here may not be returned to us directly, it will be in the form of irresistible events.

My organization skills, attention to detail, and past experience will make me a great treasurer. And my spirit and dedication will make me a wonderful addition to our Senior Class Council.

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Hello Classmates of 2011,

My name is Richard Toft and I am running to be the 2011 Treasurer next year. We are going into the last stretch of our time at Vassar and I want to make sure it is the best that it can be. I have not been involved in any type of role at Vassar before but I have had several leadership and financial positions in past experiences. I was able to develop my leadership skills through the process of becoming an Eagle Scout. This past summer I had a Finance Internship with a small sports company in which I gained experience in organizing and recording their financial records.

As 2011 Treasurer, I will make sure that we get the most out of our budget to provide as many possible events in our final year at Vassar. Additionally, I know how to work with the VP of Finance, and how to get forms back in a timely manner.

I am also an Econ major with a Math minor.

Please feel free to e-mail me (ritoft@vassar.edu) if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks,
Richard

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Dear Class of 2011,

My name is Alina and I'm running for 2011 class secretary.

In addition to being your current class secretary, some of you may know me as a member of the rowing team, a Wellness Peer Educator, a phone-a-thon caller, a caterer (back when the dc still had sushi), a member of DJ Last Resort (aka DJing in the mug when nobody else has signed up), or as a member of the Vassar Wind Ensemble. I've been involved in a wide range of activities on this campus, and have had the opportunity to get to know a diverse group of Vassar students. I feel that this range of experience qualifies me to represent our class as a whole. Having participated in athletics, the arts, class council, and health services, I am familiar with numerous different perspectives on event planning. If elected, I would work to plan a variety of both class-specific and all-campus events that would have something for every member of our class.

As a current member of class council, I spearheaded the organization of the black light mug nights and our upcoming post-convocation toast. Furthermore, as a Wellness Peer Educator in the Office of Health Education, I planned events such as De-stress Daze (ft. that amazing bouncy castle in the college center!). Through these experiences, I've become extremely knowledgeable about the ins and outs of planning events at Vassar. I believe that such knowledge is crucial in a senior class council, considering that we have a years worth of programming and senior week to plan. Additionally, I think it is important that we continue to plan senior class events that utilize what Poughkeepsie has to offer. The current senior class council has made Mahoney's a staple, but I would like to see us expand our boundaries and include other Poughkeepsie venues as locations for senior class events.

Finally (as anyone who has seen my class notes or is on council can tell you), I've got note-taking down to an art. I'd love to continue putting these skills to good use by being your secretary next year.

Alina von Korff
alvonkorff@vassar.edu

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Dearest Classmates,

Despite the fact that we all go to Vassar and “love reading,” and despite the fact that I’m running for a position that involves a great amount of typing, I’m going to keep this brief. I think I would make a great secretary for our class for the following reasons:

I’m organized, efficient and punctual.
I listen.
I’m a social and reasonable person.
I’m not afraid to voice my opinion, or the opinion of others.
I am a critical and creative thinker.
I just took a typing test and can type 112 words/min, which is pretty damn fast. (The average is 36 words/min btw).
What better qualities does a secretary need? So vote for me, Sarah Warner, because I, too want these coming semesters to be an unforgettable, jaw-dropping awe-inspiring culmination of our three years here at Vassar. In short, I think we can blow every other senior class out of the water, and I’m your girl to help our fellow officers do it.

Yours truly,

Swarner

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Psst. I’ll share a secret with you guys.

My vice comes from my name. I know, we met before; I am the dude with the accent. But I am not sure by which name I was introduced to you. I go by many of them.

Many of my friends encouraged me to run for this position. So, here I am. What we are looking for – what we deserve – is a fun year that will be remembered by its efficient and just council that’ll be ready to listen and party with you.

Just talk to me…

Caner “Jan-Air, Janer, Jan, John, Air, Kaner” Malkarali

simply Caner.

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I’m Pam Vogel and I really, really want to be your class president this year. I guess you could say I’m a little bit in love with Vassar, and I like to show that love through commitment. I have been your class secretary for the last two years, I'm a student fellow in Jewett this year, I am an active member of the ViCE Music Committee, and I work five days a week at an after school program in Poughkeepsie. All of these neat little bullet points on my resume have meant the world to me, and I have accumulated all sorts of knowledge from meetings and e-mails and tabling and tutoring. Through the course of my almost two years at Vassar, I have learned to plan my way around a mean t-shirt or coffee mug. I know what all sorts of acronyms stand for and how to contact people whose names we only recognize from those e-mails we all ignore. I’d like to think I’ve got the goods, so let me use ‘em the best way I know how. If you vote for me, I see great things in our future – things like 2012 boxer briefs and events we won’t want to reply “Maybe” to on Facebook. Even though most of us are gone for a semester, we can all agree that juniors deserve some love too. I’m here to make sure you get all the lovin’ you need.

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The primary goal of the Junior Vice President is to coordinate and facilitate interesting and engaging event programming for the class of 2012. Junior year is a unique time in the life of a Vassar student. We’ll have reached what is likely the halfway point of our time here in Poughkeepsie, and most of us will be decisively set on our respective academic paths. In general, we’ll be forced to confront the unfortunate brevity of the college experience, encountering feelings of finality along the way. Juniors can also anticipate a shock to their social lives as a major portion of the class will be abroad, and with that shock comes an inevitable adjustment. However, whether we are studying abroad in the spring, fall, or never, we as juniors want to feel as though we still have a vested interest in this college. I believe that, in addition to its function within the VSA, the class council is responsible for helping to ease all of the transitions that next year has in store for us. With all of this in the back of my mind, I would like to be the 2012 Vice President.

As a student fellow in Josselyn House, I’ve helped plan several pretty incredible events such as Harvest Ball, the Joss Super Bowl party, and the upcoming Joss Beach party. If it makes any difference, I also served in student government throughout high school. One of the things I’d like to accomplish as Vice President is to provide greater social networking opportunities for those of us doing the J.Y. Stay. While everybody appreciates mug nights, this campus is overflowing with incredible events that bring students together, and it’s time for class council take step up its game. I also would like to start a tradition of going-away/welcome-back events for those of us going abroad. These would happen at the end of fall semester and at the beginning of spring semester, respectively. I am eager to contribute to class council, and, really, I hope you will give me the opportunity to serve as 2012 Vice President.

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Our beloved Joe is going abroad, so we need a suitable replacement; and I'm sure I could handle it. For those of you unaware of who I am, I am currently the treasurer for the Jewett Houseteam, and most distinguishable by the curly brown hair atop my head. But maybe you know me more for my reliability, ability to work well with others, and capability. Remember Dormal Formal in the Lehman? Well that was rather expensive, so I got good at applying for VSA funds. No one on the Jewett Houseteam hasn't been reimbursed, and we haven't gone into debt. That should convince you, so I'll say no more and just look forward to your vote.

-Gabe

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As your secretary for the 2010-11 academic year I will keep the 2012 Class Council organized and on track. While serving on the Josselyn House Team, I have learned the importance of clear communication and efficient, organized planning. Though I have no formal secretarial experience, I have planned many Joss events; I have also worked as a receptionist for the Pennsylvania government, where I perfected my note-taking skills. I plan on instating an efficient system for taking minutes and then sharing them online with other council members. This will help the council remember the topics previously discussed and gauge our progress on event planning; this will encourage efficient communication and task designation. I want our time on campus for the next academic year to be most spectacular. Join me and we will have an awesome junior year!

Qualifications:
-Current Student Fellow and Head of Merchandise for Josselyn House
-2 years on Founder's Day Merchandise Committee
-Leadership for Change workshop

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As President of the class of 2013, I promise I will represent our class like never before! In high school, I served as my class president freshman and sophomore years and as my school president senior year. I will apply all the lessons I learned through this expereince here at Vassar. I encourage you to all come with your thoughts and suggestions so I can bring them to the student council meetings. I promise to express all the issues discussed in the meetings to our class body so the true voice of our class can be heard. As a member of the Vassar tennis team, I have learned what it means to be a dedicated team player. I can apply this same mentality to the position of class president. I promise to give this position my all! Go big or go home.

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Dear 2013,

We’ve almost done it, our freshmen year at college is slowly but surely winding to a close. This is a time to reflect on how far we’ve come and to realize the marked growth that we have experienced over the past year. We’ve made new friends, adjusted to the rigors of academic life and living away from home, and bonded both as a group and with the community at large. We have taken the initial steps towards founding what will be the lasting legacy of the class of 2013.

As we consider how far we’ve come, we also should think about the next stages of our growth and development as part of the Vassar community. Next year will be marked by certain major events—such as the sophomore class gift—that will serve to cement our place in this school’s history. Leadership will be key to forging a consensus and moving forward together.

To handle the challenges that the future may hold, the class needs a leader that is a good listener and will respect the many voices and diverse opinions of the class. A leader is nothing without his or her constituents. Over the past year, I have committed myself to being accessible to all members of the class of 2013. I have had email conversations with many of you and had meetings with others of you. My actions, as well as my judgment have been guided by your words and ideas. Your leader should also possess unwavering devotion to the cause of the class, an appreciation for the deliberative process and perseverance for whatever the task. This past year, I have demonstrated that commitment. I have represented you at meetings on five days each week and have yet to miss a single one. I devoted nights out of my first semester study week to planning a 2013 class study break and several other Friday nights overseeing the smooth operation of very successful Mug Nights. You also deserve a leader that has both the experience and confidence to get the job done. I have spent the past year working for our class – planning activities, advocating for our needs, and representing our interests at meetings. I have learned the inner workings of the VSA and have met all the responsibility that comes with being class president.

This year I accomplished what I had set out to achieve. In addition to actively participating, as I have described, I also drafted a letter to vendors to encourage more of them to accept VCARD. For next year, I have several goals that I would like to see accomplished. My primary endeavor will be to organize a very successful sophomore class gift. As many of you know, 2012’s class gift is a 24 hour study space and while it will be quite a feat to follow this, I already have many ideas that I am interested in pursuing. Another goal would be to represent multiple student interests in the debate with administrators over on-campus smoking. This is a highly contentious topic that students should have a voice in. Another goal would be to work with Res Life on the student conduct process. Currently, the process is very convoluted and I would like to make this process much more transparent.

In summary, I have spent a significant amount of time working for and getting to better know our class, the class of 2013. I would be both privileged and honored if you would give me the opportunity of taking all I have learned this year to put to use next year as sophomore class president. If you have any questions at all or would simply like to talk feel free to email me at elbernszieve@vassar.edu or stop by Davison 400E. Vote Eli Berns-Zieve 2013 Sophomore Class President.

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Hi! I’m Shanaye. I’m originally from Elizabeth, New Jersey, but I currently live in Davison House. Davison is often called the family dorm and within Davison and the Vassar College community in general I have been amazed at the powerful sense of community. Through this year I have witnessed so many events that have demonstrated the strength of the Vassar student community; for example, the campus wide reaction in aiding the recovery after the devastating earthquake in Haiti. However, as of right now I see the sense of community at Vassar depleting. I have never been one to sit back and watch things happen. After experiencing what the Vassar community can accomplish when it comes together, I want nothing more than to take an active role in recreating and reestablishing that sense of community that is so uniquely Vassar. That’s why I want to run for Class of 2013 Vice President. As one of the most diverse classes in Vassar’s history, I know that the Class of 2013 has the power to not only to bring the Vassar community together but to also contribute to it every ounce of talent, intelligence and sheer awesomeness that I know we all possess. As sophomore VP I also want to create more events that promote unity within our class. This year’s class officers have done a great job at making the presence of the class of 2013 known, but I think more needs to be done to encourage solidarity between the students of the class of 2013. Class building events like Mug nights and perhaps even a class sleepover, where everyone spends the night at UpC or the Villard Room, would be great at accomplishing this. Additionally, as sophomore VP, I want to strengthen the sense of togetherness between the Class of 2013 and other classes at Vassar. A fantastic way to accomplish this would be sponsoring a talent showcase that would demonstrate to the entire Vassar College community just what the Class of 2013 is capable of. I believe in the Class of 2013 and I know that we can take our place among the best students to ever come together at Vassar.

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Managing money is something that I have been doing since I was in middle school.  I am very familiar with budgeting money so that I can achieve any goals that I have in mind.  For the class of 2013, I will manage the money effectively so that students will be able to have events and support that they want and need.  I am easily accessible to students of my class as I have various circles of friends.  In addition, my network of friends includes upperclassmen who are exec board members of other groups, such as the ASA and VXF.  I can ask for advice and input to make wise decisions for my class and its treasury.  Vote for me, Theo Kim, for Class of 2013 Treasurer.

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Dear Class of 2013,

What will be my role as the Class of 2013 Treasurer? Will I be going from rainbow to rainbow, tropical beach to tropical beach searching for those pots of gold and treasure chests to raise our class budget? No, seriously, I’m asking. Is that what a class treasurer does?

After an extensive investigation, apparently I oversee all the financial dealings of the class. I will be directly involved with the budgeting and allocation of funds for the class, and will essentially act as the intermediary between the Class Budget and the Class Council.

Well, as anyone who has tried to borrow a few bucks from me can tell you, I’m extremely good with money. I’ll remember that five dollars you borrowed for breakfast on New Year’s morning for months until I get it back.

As a financial aid student who has to manage my own funds and finances, I have years of experience handling my own personal budget. I manage my own bank and credit accounts, and have to make sure I have not overdrawn from my credit account to avoid unnecessary banking fees. Basically, I’m stingy as hell. Which, as a friend can really be annoying. But as a treasurer, I’m just what you’ll need.

So, you can trust me, Class of 2013, to make sure all of your budget is in order and spent and managed appropriately. I will not overlook one missing dollar. I will not forget to carry a single one or zero. I look forward to gaining the experience as treasurer, and hope to have your vote. Thanks for your time, and good luck with finals.

Sincerely,

Graham Mayshark 2013

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I would like to run for class secretary because I feel that class council is an important aspect of passing ideas to the VSA on what its constituents, the student body is voicing. Our sophomore year, the year in which we choose a sophomore class gift to give to Vassar as part of our class’ legacy, is swiftly approaching. I would like to be a part of that process. As our freshman year draws to close, we, as a student body have experienced the ups and downs of Vassar, and have seen those areas we would like to see fixed or changed. I want to be a part of helping our voices be heard by the VSA. We all have a tendency to forget that we are a part of the VSA, by virtue of being a constituent, and we all can help make the changes that we and want to see at Vassar. In order to do help affect the changes we want, I would like to increase publicity regarding class council’s discussions, particularly through the use of newer mediums, following the example of The Miscellany News, CIS and many other departments here at Vassar. An open group on the internet, such as on Facebook or Twitter, would help students both know what is going, and be able to say what they would like to discuss. E-mails can only do so much, especially when we all receive about 25 emails a day; an email from Class Council can easily go unnoticed or forgotten. Lastly, I would like to be part of Class Council because I want to be part of the greater VSA Council, which makes the ultimate decisions for Vassar and for future generations.

Within the past year, I have been very actively involved on campus and it has further developed with many characteristics I feel qualify me for this position. First, I have served as stage manager for Merely Player’s Measure for Measure. This position entails scheduling, taking down notes, being in charge of reservations, posters, tickets and so much more. Essentially, serving as stage manager is a role requiring great organization, time commitment and dedication. I will apply these skills to the position of Class Secretary. This semester, I have also been assistant stage manager to Philaletheis’ production Bulrusher, which has entailed the same duties and commitments as my previous role as stage manager, except on a grander scale.

In terms of my means of campus involvement, I have been a Phonathon Caller for the Development Office, which helps raise money for the Annual Fund. This past fiscal year, I have individually helped raise over $15,000 for the Annual Fund, which helps support virtually every aspect of campus life, including scholarships, residential life, athletics and much more. I have also served as a Multicultural Recruitment Intern for the Admissions Office. This position helps organize and coordinate, among many other events, FOCUS Weekend in the spring, the Vassar Bus Trip in the fall, and hosts Phonathons to perspective students of color. This intern position has increased my skills in organization and in interpersonal relations.

Unfortunately, I do not know all of you. I am a well-natured, easy-going student, with a huge voice who wold love to represent you. Please feel free to shoot me an email or just stop me whenever you see me. I’d love to have conversations with you all!

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Hi, my name is Melanie Horn and I am running for secretary of the class of 2013. With this position, I hope to establish a good relationship between the student body and VSA. I will make sure that the sophomore class’s ideas are voiced at every VSA meeting, and in this way, our class can be actively involved in important decision-making and discussion. I will also work to keep you all informed of issues brought up at these meetings. I believe that with this kind of communication, we will have an awesome sophomore year.

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Hey Jewett! My name is TJ Lepoutre and I’m running for Sophomore Rep. I’m running because I think Jewett is the best and I want to keep it that way. I never thought I would see the day when I was proud to say that I live in a “phallus palace”, but the day has come and I cannot hold my pride in any longer. I’m just trying to say the way school need teachers, the way Kathie Lee needed Regis, that’s the way I need Jewett. If you vote for me I’ll keep Jewett as classy as it always has been, which is pretty freaking classy. If you want to talk about anything, come find me in 3 West or the Mug or send me an email at tilepoutre@vassar.edu.

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I’m Jessie and I want to be your sophomore rep! I am right for this position because I am responsible, hardworking, and committed to making living in Jewett a memorable experience. I would love to represent the sophomores of Jewett and voice your concerns to help improve residential life. I will bring an enthusiastic attitude to the Jewett house team. I am also very excited about being able to help plan Jewett’s and the class of 2013’s parties, study breaks, and other events (maybe a cupcake-decorating study break?). Reach for new heights – vote Jessie for sophomore rep!

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Hi everyone, my name is Jason and I’m running for Lathrop Treasurer. I feel that I am particularly qualified for this position and I would like to tell you why. In high school I was Treasurer and later President of my school’s Thespian society as well as Vice President of my school’s Model Congress. Throughout my time in these leadership positions I learned valuable lessons regarding balancing budgets, setting agendas, and planning events. My background laid the foundation to allow me to fill the role, that I currently hold, as Treasurer of the Class of 2013. It is this role that I believe most qualifies me for the position of Lathrop Treasurer. Treasurers must be confident in working with a number of different forms and bureaucratic procedures, and I assure you that I am. As class treasurer, it took time for me to get comfortable in the position and learn these different processes and procedures. Now that I have had this experience I will not require the on-the-job training that all new treasurers must go through. I will be able to get right to work for Lathrop. This is especially important as Lathrop traditionally hosts the first all campus event and the new house team will need to get started early in the semester. In addition to this experience, I am an organized and responsible individual. I promise to ensure our budget is well maintained and used in the most effective manner possible. I know Ruth, the current Treasurer, has been very successful in doing this and I look forward to learning from her. Finally, I love collaborating and working with others. I can’t wait to share my ideas with the new house team and consider their ideas as well. I love everything about Lathrop and if elected I promise that I will not let you down. If you have any questions feel free to stop by room 216 or send me an email at jarubin@vassar.edu. Thanks for your support.

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This past year I have served on Lathrop House team as the freshman representative, I absolutely loved working for the house and I would like to continue speaking for you next year as our house secretary. The house team has been working towards making some minor improvements to our home such as, fixing up the basement, changing the light covers (so they aren’t filled with bugs anymore!), and improvements to the bathrooms (shower doors anyone?). The house secretary is in charge of dorm damage and has been leading the fight against buildings and grounds for these improvements. After watching Eric Weiner work through the bureaucracy for the past year, I can bring continuity to this fight and I believe that I can finally get the improvements made that we all know our dorm needs. Additionally, I would be a valuable asset to the new house team. Lathrop traditionally runs the first all campus dance of the year, which can be very difficult for a new house team. I am currently organizing the dorm’s next event (a scavenger hunt on the 29th) and believe my year of experience on the house team will help this first dance go over smoothly.

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If I were to be elected as Lathrop House Secretary I would strive to improve our dorm atmosphere and work to foster closer relationships between all dormmates. I love to plan events and I have tons of experience doing so as I was my Student Council’s president senior year and involved in student government all throughout high school. Lathrop is a sweet dorm that has a good time and a great family vibe and if I was secretary I would want to continue to create interesting, exciting events for our house so that we can keep the great vibes going. As I only moved into Lathrop during second semester, a lot of you probably don’t know me, but do know this—I can take some BOSS notes at a meeting. I’m also prepared to buy an array of multi-colored gel pens so that our house team meeting minutes can be not only functional but fabulous, too. If you (like I assume you are) are concerned about my typing skills as a secretary, I’d like to wow you with the fact that I type fast (approximately 326 words per minute as recorded by my roommate Andrew Lindsay) so I’ll never miss a word you say. I can also do a mean dance move, the cupcake, inquire for further detail. All in all, I love the Lathrop community and want to improve and continue its great activities and events. I’d be a dedicated member that would care to hear what you think and how you want to improve not only Lathrop, but Vassar in general.

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My name is Charlie "Fierceness" Biers and I intend on running for Sophomore Representative for Lathrop House. In high school I was a part of Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior council. My senior year I joined "Knights & Ladies" which is a selective leadership organization focused on aiding in school events and community work. In addition, I was co-president of my school's BSU as well as president of Bi-racial club. Being a voice and adding mine to a group of people in order to effect change has always been a passion of mine. From past experience in high school I have developed strong communication skills and an understanding of what it means to represent a group as a whole. Most importantly, I know that I am only one of many people and understand how crucial it is to hear all voices that I represent as well as make sure all can see their opinions and efforts shown in work that is produced. Furthermore, an important part of Sophomore Representative is working towards our class gift. I am a Phonation calller on campus and fully comprehend the importance of helping Vassar College continue it's excellence. I plan on working very hard with sophomores in and out of Lathrop to aid our college and raise gifts to effect change on campus and encourage more students to apply and attend Vassar. I sincerely love Lathrop House and the strong sense of community it has and hope to represent all the fierce sophomores living there for 2010-2011!!!!!!!

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It's been said before, but I'll say it again: Lathrop is a tight-knit, supportive, and fun community unlike any other on campus. And after having lived in the dorm for two years, I have come to appreciate the House Team as the backbone of this vibrant environment. This year especially, our team has worked so hard to strengthen ties within the dorm with awesome events and initiatives, and have also established Lathrop as an active member of the larger Vassar and Poughkeepsie community.

But a new school year cometh, and with it the opportunity to make Lathrop better than ever before! It would be an honor to serve as Junior Representative of our dorm, and I guarantee that if elected I would represent my (admittedly small) constituency on both House Team and Class Council with enthusiasm, joi de vivre, zest, spunk and vigor. If you have reservations about my qualifications, I can assure you that I am ready for the job. I have had plenty of experience as a planner, leader and listener. This year, for example, I have served on the Editorial Board of the Miscellany News, and have been worked with humanitarian organizations like Operation Donation. As for my goals? I am very excited to help maintain the steady stream of awesome events and activities House Team has been responsible for this year. And there are definite ways, both big and small, our dorm can be improved: from the beautification of the basement and getting a DVD player and remote for the MPR, to strengthening ties with Buildings and Grounds Services...but ultimately, I will be serving you! So let me know what you what you would like to happen: call me at (608) 807-7250, e-mail me at erlorenzsonn@vassar.edu, or knock on my door at Lathrop 423! I would love to talk.

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Hi Mainers!

Let me start with an introduction. My name is Boyd Gardner. I’m a political science major, with a correlate in French. I’m currently Main’s Vice President. And, finally, I’d like to represent you to the school and to the Vassar Student Association (VSA) as your President next year. It has been a pleasure serving as your Vice President. We’ve had some good times, some truly random study breaks, and two really fun parties (Moulin Rouge and Pool Party!) The Pool Party hasn’t happened yet, but assuming it doesn’t rain on April 25, it’ll be amazing. You should come.

Next year will be a challenging year for Main. We’re losing our wonderful House Fellows and welcoming new ones, we’ll be saying goodbye to our absolutely amazing House Advisor, and we’ll be continuing to work with the VSA and our administration to steer Vassar through these difficult economic times. I believe that my experience negotiating with VSA leaders, my work planning campus-wide events for Main, and my two years of service in the Office of Residential Life put me in a good position to lead Main next year. I feel that all too often representatives act as free agents, and don’t make serving their constituents their top priority. I can assure you, however, that I’ll be a strong advocate for Main residents on the VSA Council, and I plan to make constituent service the hallmark of my Presidency.

I know how difficult next year will be, and I am completely ready to represent you both on the VSA Council and around the house. If you have any questions, concerns, or just want to talk about Main, school, or whatever, send me an email or come find me in Main 478. I look forward to all our conversations in the coming weeks, months, and year!

-Boyd

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My name is Matt Elisofon and I am currently a freshman in Main and am interested in running for Main Vice President next year. I am planning on being an English and film major and want to write and direct movies one day. My only extra-curricular contribution to the school is to that I'm on the Vassar Rugby team and seeing as though I love Main so much I would love to do my part for the dorm. I was a counselor at a sleepaway camp for 2 years and once won counselor of the week and was on student council in High School. I found those experiences to be extremely rewarding and think that Main Vice-President would be a great position for me. I am attentive, approachable and above all a devoted Mainer.

Thanks for your consideration,

Matt

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I've had enough experiences with enough of Vassar to know what the students like, what the students want, but most importantly what the students need.

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My name is Madeline Zappala, and I am a sophomore American Culture major and two-year Main resident. For me, the large, yet tight knit community of Main has been an extremely positive influence on my experience at Vassar. For the past two years, I have reaped the benefits of the hard work and organization of House Team members, and now I feel like it is my turn to step up and participate in what has made my experience living in Main so spectacular. I am a very hard working student, extremely motivated and efficient, especially when it comes to working on things I’m passionate about. I would love the opportunity to have a more active role in the community of the dorm, and I am dedicated to creating the same sort of community environment for new and existing Main residents to thrive in. I am comfortable in leadership positions, having been a National Honor Society member, captain of my high school softball team, but I am also very calm and easy to get along with. Having had almost two years at Vassar under my belt, I have experience balancing extra-curricular activities with class work, and I am fully capable of taking on the commitment of Vice-President of Main. I am excited about taking a more active role in the dorm I live in, and I would be elated if you would vote for me, and I promise to not take my responsibilities ightly.

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Hey Mainers,

I’m Stacy Mowry and I am running to be the Main House Treasurer for the 2010-2011 year. After living in Main for a year I realize how much I want to get involved in bringing Main to its complete potential. I am a highly qualified candidate for treasure (as a math major, numbers are kinda my thing). In addition, I have a strong work ethic as well as an utmost sense of responsibility, organization, and dedication to the position.I believe I can successfully work with the rest of the Main House Team in order to plan great events and study breaks, and most importantly, I’ll be sure to keep all our finances aligned =). As for experience, I worked on my high school’s National Honor Society's council as secretary where I planned community service projects and gained invaluable skills working cooperatively and effectively in collaboration. I fully intend to put all I’ve got into Main as your treasurer to make the best dorm even better =)

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Hey all, my name is Emily Crnic and I'm running for Main House secretary for the 2010-2011 school year. Throughout this past year I've come to find that Main is clearly the best dorm on campus. I would like to become a part of Main house team in order to work with fellow Mainers who have as much Main pride as I do, and who want to work together to plan awesome events and to make sure everything is running smoothly. I have realized that I want to get involved in everything that Main has to offer, and I want to do that by being your secretary. I am a well-qualified candidate for the position of secretary because I am neat, organized and I take very good notes. I also ran many events in high school and I am ready to plan and help to run countless more here at Vassar. In high school I was a part of numerous organizations that taught me leadership and gave me the experience I need to run for secretary. I was vice president of the business club, secretary and treasurer for Student Council, and finally the community service rep for National Honors Society. So when Election Day comes around don't forget to vote for Emily Crnic for your Main House secretary!

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As sophomore representative, I plan to add some metaphorical "spice" to the Main lifestyle. Some ridicule the Main dormitory as lacking community. I, as official representative for the Class of 2013, would do my best to foster a true and unified "class consciousness." As residents of the oldest dormitory on campus, I would like to make it so every Mainer is proud to call this national historic landmark, "home!" I would work closely with the Main House Team to assure that the class interests of 2013 be heard in the sometimes alienating world of the Upper Class(men). 

Additionally, I would strive to upgrade what some have suggested to be "bland" dorm parties into parties with a little more "flavor." I would also aim to create more dormitory-wide gatherings, so that people from all over Main, be it 2 North or 4 Cent, could get to know their neighbors, which really is the first step towards community solidarity. I also would attend weekly VSA Council meetings, and encourage everyone to bring new ideas to the table. Next year is especially significant because of the class gift, which will be finalized next year! 

I would be delighted to be a part of the Main House Team, and represent the voices of it's sophomore residents. I hope you will support me with your vote.

Sincerely, 
Adriana "Addie" Provenzano

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As the school year comes to a close, I am left wishing for many things— that I hadn’t saved my term papers for the last minute, that I didn’t get the smallest, windowless room in my suite for next year and perhaps most relevant to this statement, that my time on the Main house team was not nearing its culmination.

My tenure on the house team as a Student Fellow has been wonderful—I’ve met new people, made new friends and had the opportunity to do some pretty wonderful stuff for Main residents (Moulin Rouge = best Villard room party this year, right?) As lame as that sounds, it’s true, and I want to do it again. That is why I graciously ask you to consider me for the position of Main Junior Representative.

With the influx of rising juniors into Main as well as the JYA turnover, electing a junior representative able to promise unfailing communication and openness is as important as ever. The position should not be characterized through emails alone; rather, it should involve a constant conversation between residents and representative, as this is the only way to ensure Main’s voice is earnestly represented on class council. If elected, I will engage in this conversation and continue to apply the same creativity and thought to Main programming as I have thus far. Thank you for your consideration!

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My name is Brett Anker and I would like to be considered for Raymond House President. For those of you who do not know me, I am currently a sophomore living in Raymond 215. I am a History major with a correlate in Hispanic Studies, who originally decided to spend a semester abroad. However, due to my excellent experiences in Raymond this year, as well as a desire to take multiple courses only offered this upcoming year, I changed my mind. I spent my freshmen year in Lathrop and was rather disappointed in the lack of dorm pride. Upon my arrival in Raymond I was delighted to see what a close knit community Raymond had. This past year I lived directly across from Raymond's current President Samin Shehab. Since we were in close proximity to one another, I spent a lot of time in his room and with his fellow house team members learning some of the roles and responsibilities as a member of house team. In fact, part of my desire to run for President stems from the excellent job our current House team is doing. They have inspired me to continue the work they are doing and make a few additions to make dorm life even more comfortable and exciting. After this year I can honestly say I have dorm Pride. Go Raymond!

Those include:

Reinstate Sunday night Communitea, free tea and crackers on Sunday night. I realize that Sunday night is a very stressful night with all the work many of us put off during the weekend and hope to alleviate some of that stress.

Dorm game nights, many people have expressed interest in playing board games on some quiet weekends or possibly Thursday nights. I know that will conflict with Poker but I am open to suggestions on when where these events could occur.

dorm/Interdorm sports- This year Raymond seemed to show quite a bit of interest in sporting events. I am hoping to organize dorm wide football games, wiffle ball as well as any other sports people would like to try, most likely being played on Joss beach. There was also efforts this year to play Joss dorm in a battle of the dorms football match. That never occurred and I am hoping to accomplish that next year.

Tv sign out- I have seen multiple instances where people have signed out the tv for a specific time and have been unable to watch due to people disrespecting the sign out and/or ripping the sign down. I am open to suggestions but right now I am considering purchasing a daily planner for the entire school year and making it an official sign out sheet. This is by no means perfect but if elected I will look for ways to improve the current system.

If elected as Raymond President I will do my best to make everybody's year enjoyable and exciting. If you have more ideas, comments, questions or concerns email me at Branker@vassar.edu or stop by Raymond 215 if you want to talk to me.

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RAYMONDITES! The time has come once again for you to momentarily disentangle yourself from the hellish jungle of academia and cast your vote for the next Raymond House president. A difficult decision, to say the least. A decision of the utmost importance. One that will affect the course of your life and beloved house for the next year. I, Lita Sacks, your dutiful treasurer, will be running for the coveted and prestigious position of Raymond House president. Having served on house team this year, I shall enter the presidency prepared for what lies ahead and with an intricate knowledge of inter-house politics. I will add stability to a year full of change and ease the transition of acquiring both a new house advisor and a new house fellow. I vow to you, I will put the “unity” in “community” and the “jest” in “majestic.” On a more serious note, these are my two main goals if elected president: 1. I plan on implementing presidential office hours in which any Raymond student may come to my room and discuss their thoughts and concerns about the dorm and the college in general. The president’s job on council is to represent the overall views of the dorm and I intend to do just that. Setting aside time to talk to the people that the council’s decisions affect will help me and the rest of the VSA stay focused on accomplishing what matters most to the Vassar community. 2. Raymond has tremendous dorm pride. We always fight hard at Serenading and this year we even won the Brewer Games. By the end of the year, however, the pride has faded and fewer and fewer people come to dorm functions. My main goal if elected will be to maintain this pride and enthusiasm for the whole year. I plan on working with the House Team to make study breaks more interactive to dissuade people from coming down only to get a bite to eat. I also hope to collaborate more with the House Fellows and House Fellow Interns to help make their events more readily attended. Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions: lisacks@vassar.edu

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My fellow Raymondites,

Let me take a second to introduce myself. My name is Stephen Platz, and I would like to be considered for Raymond House Vice President. When I moved to Raymond at the beginning of the fall semester, I found an environment that was immediately warm and welcoming. I hope to do my part in giving back to this community that I admire so much, and the best way I can think of doing that is by running for a house officer position.

As Raymond Vice President, I would be primarily in charge of house event planning and organization. These are duties which I am uniquely qualified for. In high school, my senior prom party attracted the largest number of attendees and did not receive a single noise complaint from the police due to a primo insulation setup, which I devised. But in all seriousness, I served in an event planning capacity throughout high school as a member of student council, and take a great deal of pride in seeing the events that I am affiliated with run smoothly. Plus I've got dorm spirit in spades.

So please consider me for Raymond House Vice President

-Stephen Platz

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As Vassar College continues to feel the strain of the economic downturn of the past few years, strong financial leadership is needed. With a strong background in financial management, an understanding of fiscal responsibility, and the ability to stretch every dollar to its fullest potential, I’m quite confident I have the tools to be the next financial leader of Raymond House (otherwise known as treasurer). With a full year of experience on Raymond House Team, I have a strong understanding of the bureaucracy and inner workings of the system and will be able to spend money on what is most important to the community at large. I’m looking forward to what I’m sure will be another exciting, fun, and prosperous year for Raymond House. Your vote of confidence and support would be greatly appreciated.

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Hi everyone. My name is Xiao Qiang Chen and I am running for Raymond House Treasurer. I don't know how the website for voting looks, so saying my name and position might be redundant. :) Having been at Vassar for almost an entire school year, I feel up to taking a more active role in our community and starting in this dorm is my first step. I am specifically running for treasurer because of my interest in budgeting and my commitment in keeping track of my spending. Even thought I might not be the most organized person or smartest person running for this position or any position, I feel that by taking part in this House Team I will allow these traits to grow and develop.

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Next year, more than ever, it will be incredibly important to have a dedicated house team that knows what Raymond is all about, as there will be some pretty significant changes taking place. Jess Bennett, our much-loved Student Advisor, and our adored house fellows, Natalie and Chris (and Noah, of course!), won't be part of the Raymond community anymore. Though the people filling their shoes will undoubtedly be fantastic, a good and confident house team will help the transition run as smoothly as possible. I have been an active member of the Raymond community since the beginning of my freshman year, participating enthusiastically in every house event. I was also a devoted member of this year's house team, serving as a student fellow in 2-North, and working on the planning of both the Haunted House and Roaring 20s, among other things. I take a lot of pride in being from Raymond, and I will be fully dedicated to showing our new peers and mentors the ropes. There are lots of things that set Raymond apart as a dorm, and I refuse to let it lose it's family-like charm (We're totally the Gryffindor of Vassar...). So I encourage you to consider this statement when voting for all of the Raymond house team positions, and select candidates who will be capable and willing to put in all the hard work that a successful house team requires and who will be fully dedicated to keeping the Raymond community alive.

(Raymond... WHAT WHAT!!!)

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My skills of recapitulation and organization are unparalleled, and as secretary I will put them to full use toward our House's exaltation. Help me bring Raymond to glory. Vote Christian Nadell.

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HEY THERE RAYMOND-ITES! I’m Priyal: film major, rising sophomore, and insomniac extraordinaire. I love Vassar and it’s already changed me a lot in just the past eight months. I’m running for this position mainly because I really want to give back at least as much (if not more) as I’m getting out of this fabulous place. I’m not interested in being part of “the other”, and acting self-important and all. I have no expectations and no agenda. I’m just a dedicated and determined person looking to facilitate positive change on this campus. This position is a great opportunity to do that since I’ll be part of both the house team and the Class Council of 2013. I've been told I’m very genuine, and I know that I’ll do what it takes to give you guys what you want. So vote for me if you want a more pro-active community!

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Hello, my name is Joshua Solomon and I would love to be the Raymond Sophomore Representative for 2010-2011. My dedication to Raymond and Vassar knows no bounds. The people that I have met are fantastic, and if given the opportunity, I would use my leadership skills and enthusiasm to help Raymond, the 2013 Class Council, and Vassar better achieve its goals. As Raymond Sophomore Representative, I intend to communicate on a daily basis with my peers to gather suggestions on Raymond and campus-wide programming as well as solutions for larger problems. I have the leadership skills necessary, serving as the Captain of my high school debate team, but my main attribute is my passion for Raymond and Vassar. I intend to serve the Raymond house team to the greatest extent of my ability and keep the dorm and campus a fun, inclusive place when we are not studying.

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I'd be a decent Junior Rep.

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I’ve had a wonderful year on House Team as Freshman Rep., and I’d really love to be president. We are small, and certainly unique, but also dynamic and important. Our connections to the rest of the campus extend past our position as a residential hall to an organization supporting some of the most important causes on campus. We also have had some fantastic events. I would like to do Harvest Festival and Roaring ‘20s again, and make sure that they are as wonderful as they have been. All I’ve experienced on house team, and just living in the house, has convinced me that I really want to be president. I’m so proud to say that I come from Strong, and I want to continue to support everything that makes our house so unique and so powerful in our own way.

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My name is Cassidy Hollinger, and I would like to represent Strong House as Vice President in the 2010-11 school year. The family and community that Vassar students form inside each House is one of the most important and influential parts of life here. Because of that, I want to make each Strong woman's experience a fun and positive one, as mine has been. I have years of student government and leadership experience behind me, and a lot of creative ideas to make the upcoming year amazing for Strong.

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As a new resident to Strong House, I am excited to be in a new environment and to become an active member of the house community. I feel that not only would the position of secretary allow me to get involved in house activities, but I also feel that I would be an asset to the already vibrant House Team. I have strong organizational and leadership skills and am very dependable. As president of my high school’s Model United Nations club, I played an instrumental role in organizing meetings, incorporating creative activities and planning fundraisers. As Senior Officer in high school I played an instrumental role in organizing activities that would boost spirit and provide entertainment for the senior class, such as senior trip, prom, and senior games. These two positions allowed me to be work as part of a team, and reflect my dependability, creativity and dynamic spirit. As Strong House secretary I feel that I could bring a fresh perspective, great organizational and leadership skills and lots of good ideas!

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Dear VSA peoples:

My name is Medha "Mimi" Sahi. I'm a freshman living in Strong and would like to run for the position of SOPHOMORE REPRESENTATIVE for the upcoming year in Strong itself.

Just recently I have realized what a wonderfully welcoming and embracing house Strong has been to me. As a sophomore who, I can safely say, has found her place on the Vassar Campus, I feel almost obligated, and obviously honored, to be returning some of the kindness that Vassar, and Strong house have shown me. Also, I think that I could be a valuable, and enthusiastic part of the House Team with my creativity and willingness to put in effort for the sake of the team.

I would greatly appreciate if you considered my application.

Medha Sahi

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Hey everyone, my name is David Iselin, and I am running for TA President. For those of you who don’t know, I have spent the past semester in Washington D.C. at American University. While my time in D.C. was fun and exciting, I am ready to be back at Vassar.

If elected TA President, I have a few goals. First, I want to establish a strong TA community. After three years at Vassar, we have all developed a close knit group of friends. Living in the TAs will give us the chance to branch out and meet new people. As TA President, I will work to create a TA community, where everyone knows their neighbors. I want the TAs to be more than a collection of individual houses.

Also, as TA President, I would represent TA residents on the Senior Class Council and the VSA Council. Serenading, the Halloween Dance, 100 Nights, Senior Week – these all are events sponsored by the Senior Class. As a member of the council, I will work to ensure that these events are well attended and fun, and reflect the nature of the class. I have been on class council for the past two years as the Raymond representative. I know how council operates and I have experience organizing events. Some of the different events that came out of council include Juniors at Juliet’s and the Blacklight Mug Night.

My personal goal as a class council member would be to help choose a commencement speaker that is well known, and more importantly, informative and engaging. I want the speaker to be relevant and motivating; someone who will address issues that affect our lives. While this is ambitious, the commencement speech is one of our last moments at Vassar and I want it to be memorable.

As the VSA representative, I will represent you as TA residents, seniors, and Vassar students. The VSA needs to become more connected to the student body. It needs to work to improve dialogue and transparency. Students need to know what is happening in the Council and how it affects them. Also, I would work to bring items to the table that directly affect the students, such as the class evaluation and selection process. I believe that the VSA needs to focus on these types of issues.

Feel free to send me an email with any suggestions, questions, or comments. Thank you.

David Iselin (daiselin@vassar.edu )

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Everyone thinks that the TA's aren't as cool as the TH's, but they are sadly mistaken.  As President, I will make everyone wish they chose the upper part of campus, and not just for the gym or the golf course.  I've spent a lot of nights at the TA's this year (thanks boyfriend) and was 2011 Vice President this year, so I have the knowledge and the skillz to rock the 2010-2011 school year.  As TA President, I will make your senior year super fun, super awesome, and super magical.

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For the last two years, I have been a part of Main House Team as the Sophomore and then Junior Rep. One of the things that I loved about being on House Team was helping to create a sense of community within the dorm. I want to help foster the same sense of community in the TAs next year. It is our final year at Vassar and I think living in Senior Housing gives us a great opportunity to get to know others in our year who we may not have met before. As TA President I want to work with the other TA Officers to throw great events and make Senior Year really amazing.

I am also really excited to have the chance to be on VSA Council. While I love event planning and building a sense of community, I think that VSA Council is the place where we as students can make the biggest impact on life at Vassar after we graduate. This is out final year to make a direct impact on council & I would love the opportunity to be a part of that!

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Hey all! My name is Erika Betancourt and I'm running for Programming Director of the TAs. As the current vice president of Davison House, I've had plenty of experience with how programming works, and with the stress of planning events. Davison has thrown 2 successful events this year that took a lot of work, time and dedication. As with any leadership position, these qualities are essential to efficiently get things done...and anyone that knows me knows I am anything but lazy :) Senior year is a super exciting time, and it'll be great to throw some chill events for us seniors throughout the year. So vote for me!!

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Hey everyone, my name is Max and I’m running for president of the Town Houses. The THs is a special place at Vassar, although many people haven’t seen it in daylight. It’s private enough that we can develop as a tight-knit community, but integrated enough with the rest of campus that we can serve the Vassar community at large. It’s also extremely diverse; we’re all coming from different dorms and years of varied experiences at Vassar. It’s a place for transition between dorm life and – for many of us – the “real world.”

I would love to represent our TH community to the VSA, as well as work with the TH programming director and treasurer to organize exciting events and maintain our communal atmosphere. I already have a lot of ideas (BBQs, concerts, outdoor film screenings) and I am excited to hear yours.

I’ve held many leadership positions at Vassar, which I believe qualify me for the position. I served on the ViCE executive board for two years, during which I organized dozens of successful programs and learned everything that goes into planning campus events. I was also a Student Fellow and served on the Jewett house team, so I’m familiar with serving as a voice for a residential body.

Feel free to get in touch with me (makutner@vassar.edu) with any ideas or questions and please consider me when casting your vote for TH president.

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Hey everyone, I'm Sam and I'm running for President of the Town Houses. The THs have provided a lot of fun for our first 3 years at Vassar and I want to make sure that living in them is an even more memorable experience. I'm an easy going guy who listens and likes to have fun. In addition, I have lived in the TH's this semester which has given me a solid understanding of what the responsibilities of being your TH President would entail. As your President I plan to be attentive to your needs and opinions in order to ensure that we all have an awesome senior year.

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So, we’ve finally reached that exciting time in our lives when we no longer have to buy a meal plan and eat at the DC (yet this also means we actually have to pay for that breakfast wrap or chicken ciabatta at The Retreat).  We’re living together next year in the Town Houses, just a short walk away from campus, yet we’ll be forming a community all our own.  It’s a walk I’m sure we’ve made plenty of times already, and one I’m looking forward to sharing with you all next year. As the Town Houses Programming Director, I promise to make living in the TH’s as fun and community-oriented as possible.  I plan to bring amazing events to the TH’s, including a block party/BBQ at the beginning of the year with free food and music for all (not to mention the possibility of a snow cone machine), and continue programming throughout the year with hot chocolate (with marshmallows, of course) and warm baked goods throughout the cold Vassar winter.  Let me hear your ideas!!!  What do you want the TH’s to be like? My previous experiences as the Jewett House President have given me the necessary skills to work on a house team and with the VSA Council to organize both small and large-scale events, including numerous in-house study breaks, off-campus trips, and the famed Seven Deadly Sins Party.  I’m prepared to work with our SARC intern to provide exciting programming for all residents of the Town Houses, and make next year one that will be unforgettable.

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Hey everyone, I’m running for Programming Director of the Town Houses because I’d really like to be the person who coordinates and carries out whatever great events you’re interested in throwing next year. I recognize that the most important quality of a programming director is his/her openness to the ideas and suggestions of others, coupled with a strong resolve to see that these ideas grow to become fantastic events (i.e. don’t just stop at the “well that would be great” phase). However you’re all feeling about Vassar – warmly, coldly, indifferently, whatever – it’s important that we acknowledge that next year is, among many other things, an opportunity to have an incredibly good time and to what we genuinely want to do. As Programming Director, I would like to take whatever ideas you might have – barbeques, visits to breweries, inter-TH block football games, music festivals, etc. – and make them into successful and fun events. I’m an easy-going and very approachable person, and I’d love to apply my energy and drive to any and all creative endeavors you would like to pursue. In fact, consider this application an invitation: I’ll be living in TH E9 next semester, and if elected I encourage anyone with an idea to stop by, talk to me about it, and see if we can develop it into a great event. I’m really looking forward to my senior year at Vassar, and I’m confident that as Programming Director I would add to the TH community experience, as well as to the Vassar community as a whole.

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In running for Food Committee Chair my goal is to facilitate more student input in campus dining decisions, while also increasing the quality and consistency of the dining experience as a whole. For something as central to the college experience as food, I feel that campus dining decisions are not given the attention and importance they deserve, and I hope that as Food Committee Chair I will be able to remove much of the frustration that confusion that surrounds the current meal plans. In short, I love food and I love Vassar, and as Food Committee chair I’ll work hard to get the best for both. 

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Greetings! I’m Xiaoyuan ‘Charlene’ Ren. So… Not that satisfied with food choices at ACDC? Having trouble dealing with your meal plan? Hoping to know more about what you are eating, like ingredients, nutrients and how “green” the food are? Wish you could learn more tips on selection of daily diet? I will make sure all these problems can be solved in one way or another. After becoming the local food intern on the sustainability committee, I have become more aware of the food issue on campus. I hope that through this position, I will help voice student’s consideration over food selection, healthy eating, and local /green food choices. Then I will certainly plan the progress of campus dining with careful reference to every single suggestion. The food system on campus will become transparent so that everyone will know exactly how the food is prepared, what they’re choosing to eat and why, and how those choices will affect themselves in multiple ways. More food-orientated tips should soon also be offered to meet different needs of students.

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After a year on the food committee, it's clear that this is one of the most important groups on campus.  Basically, we are the link between the student body and all dining services (aside from those comment cards).  We started the year by sitting outside the dc to listen to student suggestions on food.  From there, we made suggestions and requests, resulting in better fruit selections, consistent homemade salad dressings, separate grilling spaces for vegetarian options, kosher deli meat, new coffee pots, etc.  These may seem small, but ultimately its the little things that make for a more enjoyable dining experience. For next year, I would like to continue making little but important improvements requested by the students and also move forward on some more long-term initiatives including a broader selection of meals, more visibility of menu options, a better system for maintaining dorm kitchens, and even looking at vending machine options on campus. I hope I can continue to serve you all next year as the food committee chair.

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Having been employed as a Community Action Coordinator for Field Work this past year, I had the opportunity to work with a variety of Poughkeepsie institutions, not-for-profit organizations, schools, government offices, service centers, and various committees to seek change. Whether it was registering students to vote, conducting outreach at the Family Partnership Center, working with the Children's Media Project, helping out at one of the many John Flower's events, or assisting with Battered Women's Services, I heard these individuals and organizations say countless times how thankful they were for all that Vassar students do. By going to any of the restaurants along Raymond or Collegeview Avenues, it is easy to see how the current flow of Vassar students aides their business. However, I was also at Arthur S. May Elementary school on Election Night in November, when Poughkeepsie residents ridiculed Vassar students as they went to cast their vote. I heard shouts of "Go back home," "You shouldn't be voting here," and "You don't really live in Poughkeepsie anyway." For me, this epitomized the tension between Vassar students and the surrounding Town of Poughkeepsie.

Through acting as a student representative on the Campus Community Advisory Committee, I hope to address this animosity and work to alleviate some of the Town-Gown tension. Having grown up in Dutchess County and the Poughkeepsie area, I would couple my life-long familiarity with Poughkeepsie and my experience as a Vassar student to do so. Because I am a local student, I feel this gives me a unique perspective which I would look to bring to the CCAC.

Events such as Meet me in Poughkeepsie, the weekly Farmer's Market, and the Arlington Street Fair are always a huge success in bringing students off-campus and into the community. I would hope to continue these and other similar events aimed at bringing us into the community, and would work to have more "Tasty Tuesdays" and events which bring the surrounding community to Vassar. I would be open to more ideas, both from students and from members of the Committee as to additional ways this could be done, and would do my best to implement them.

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With hundreds of millions in endowment, Vassar as an institution has a choice to make between investments that pay off better but undermine the lives of thousands or even millions, and investments that are morally upright and socially responsible. It is crucial that we ensure that the endowment is managed responsibly, that not only the continued operation of the college in the long-term is guaranteed, but also the general well-being of the society is not harmed by our investment decisions. Although there may be some short-term trade-offs resulting from such choices, in the long run, the sustainability of the college hinges upon the role it plays in promoting its liberal values and ideals by engaging in socially responsible investments. As an economics major and a member of the Vassar Investment Club, I have accumulated considerable experience analyzing the behavior of corporations, regulators, legislators and other market participants and examining how the public welfare might be lost in the process. In order to divert attention from their questionable actions, corporations usually resort to a milieu of legal rationalization, token compensation, political manipulation, and media publicization. The victimized stake-holders, sometimes local community suffering from hazardous chemical pollution, sometimes employees in developing countries working under inhumane conditions for negligible pay, and sometimes small shareholders duped by falsified accounting into buying the shares at a bloated price, often possess too little resources or influence to make their own voices heard. Under such circumstances, institutional investors such as Vassar have a moral responsibility to stand up to the corporations and make them re-examine their practices. With my expertise in business analysis and independent research, I expect to contribute to Vassar’s agency as an ethical investor.

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I would like to run for a spot on the Campus- Investor Responsibility Commitee because I am interested in global, as well as local agendas, that would truly benefit from our college's support. A lot of the courses I have taken in the past year have dealt with: issues concerning education policies with respect to race, disablilities and poverty and, at a societal level, the role that various governments play in addressing such issues as: pollution, the preservation of land for indigenous people, developing technology, issues of discrimination based on race and, or gender. As a result, I have encountered some very concerning modern issues such as: very environmentally destructive mining practices in Peru by the US Newmont Diamond Mining Company,as well as, the lack of educational support for foster children with disabilities, attending public school systems in the United States. Even when I was abroad for Junior year, I saw some of these issues play out before me, in the form of: malnurished infants,illiterate and impoverished women forced into prostitution, as well as widespread contamination. The first-hand experiences have moved me at a personal level and have made me think about some of the issues that, as a society, we acknowledge, but do nothing to address. If I am given the chance to serve as a representative for this commitee, I will do my best to bring to our college's attention some of these overlooked issues, in addition to others.

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We have a vote in the Corporate America as both consumers and investors. As consumers, we all know how to buy goods from companies that practice social and environmental justice, but what about our rights and responsibilities as investors? My goal as a member of CIRC is to ensure that on top of financial return, Vassar’s near $700m endowment fund is rightly channeled to corporations that possess social and environmental awareness, a principle that reflects the philosophy of a Vassar education. As an Economics and Philosophy double major, I will combine my special knowledge and solid analytical skills with my energy and passion. My strong sense of responsibility and commitment is also evident by my engagement in VCEC, Vassar Investment Club and the Vassar Squash Team. Our voices of social conscience will not be dwarfed by the power of the Corporate Machine, as long as we speak out both as consumers and investors. Today, it is time that you cast a vote as an investor!

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As a committee member, I will not just be dedicated to immersing myself into the culture at Vassar. I will also be dedicated to studying and evaluating this culture as it relates to the inclusion of all the multitudes of culture on campus. It is my goal to find better ways of helping students, faculty, and staff collaborate to build a more supportive network that will improve everyone's experiences.

I have countless experiences where I was charged with assessing the climate of a student body and vocalizing implementation strategies to address their general problems and concerns. One of them being my time in high school as the Student Representative of the School Board. As Student Representative, I was charged to speak for all of my peers' concerns, sentiments, and issues.

During the second month of my senior year, schedules were still not made for students, students were therefore everywhere but class, and the school day had become one big study hall. I brought this to the forefront of the school board's agenda by speaking about the impact these administrative issues were having on the school. The very next day, my words appeared on the front page of the newspaper and by the following week, the school board had taken the necessary steps to solve the scheduling debacle. This, among many other incidents, are examples of the ability I have to take initiative on issues that matter to the student body and my ability to make these matters understood to the general public. It is my sincere interest to be elected so that I can exercise my passion and ability on this committee!

If you have any questions, please feel free to hit me up: ocwillson@vassar.edu

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HELLO VASSAR! I'm running for these positions because I think I got what it takes to handle anything thrown at me in these fields. Master Planner because I know this place inside and out like no other. Sustainability because I jumpstart a fantastic and very successful recycling program back in my high school and College Life because I know what the people want.

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For three years now, I've slogged through the labyrinthine financial aid process, through its hidden costs and unforeseen complications.  I've perfected the art of fitting in my ten work-study hours while simultaneously finishing two ten-pagers and cramming for a French exam.  I've fielded more questions than I care to admit from my rural community as to whether Vassar is a community college.  All these things I have experienced -- indeed, most of us have experienced some variation of these events at one point or another -- but I've realized that students alone should not bear the brunt of these frustrations.  Vassar has its fair share of work to do not just in diversifying its community, but (perhaps more importantly) in ensuring that diverse community is at home within its gates.  As the Class of 2011 Representative on the Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid, I hope to make the decision to come to Vassar easier for future generations of Vassarians.

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Having worked as a tour guide for the Admissions Office for the past two years, I have furthered my strong, personal understanding of the Admissions/Financial Aid process (and what actually goes on inside the Kautz House) from yet a second point of view. Given the close proximity in which I work with the Admissions Office staff, I have developed a relationship that will foster my ability to communicate the student body's views in a persuasive, effective manner. During a time when we are witnessing lost jobs, shrinking curricular offerings, and stalled projects on campus, we must ensure that Financial Aid and our Need-Blind policies are maintained (and improved) to the highest degree. At a time when college applications are growing at an exponential rate, this position becomes more crucial than ever. I am familiar with the inner-workings of committees (given my prior experience as a student representative on the Library Committee), and I look forward to advocating on your behalf as your student representative to the Admissions & Financial Aid Committee. [I would invite you all to come visit me on campus, but I am currently studying abroad in Madrid! See you next fall...]

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My name is Andrew Gaines and I am running to be the 2012 representative to the Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid. I am currently the 2012 representative to the Committee on College Life, representing our class in discussions with senior administrators on campus issues and student policies. I am extremely organized, efficient, and dedicated to representing the needs and voice of our class. I was Freshman Representative last year for Main House, and I am a Student Fellow in Main this year. If elected, I promise to be an active member of the committee, making sure that the Class of 2012 is heard.

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Although it feels like it has been ages since I sent my applications to colleges, I can still remember the extremely painful application process, the sleepless nights and the anxious waiting. However, I never got to know how the other side, the admissions office, feels about this process: reading thousands of applications, eliminating the majority of them and shaping the student body of the upcoming class. But now I have the chance to be the voice of an “outsider,” as a student who recently went through this painful process, on the “inside.” I’m aware of students’ expectations for the admissions and financial aid committee and I promise to voice these expectations as loudly as possible.

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I seek this post to maintain and better the function of admissions and financial aid at Vassar College. As a representative on this committee in such turbulent economic times, I will attempt to oversee and adjust the goals of admissions and financial aid to help deliver upon Vassar's promise of "need blind" admissions and the providing of aid where it is needed and deserved. It is not admissions' and financial aid's job to promise the impossible, but rather it is their job to promise what is within our community's means. If we are not able to give aid to the extent that we hope, than I see my post as an opportunity to begin to create new means of doing so. If admissions can't work "need blind" to the extent that it has wished, than it is within my desired post's duties to alter its' policies and tailor its' goals. In these hard times, if all else fails, transparency is always within our means, and I will seek to make it necessary on the part of admissions and financial aid. With the cost of college skyrocketing and many families experiencing economic hardship, it is necessary for admissions and financial aid to let the truth--however bad it may seem--be known.

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Next year will be a big year for the Committee on College Life. They will have to make the final decision on Vassar’s smoking policy and as always will have to work to improve relations between Security and students. I feel that I am uniquely qualified to address these issues and any others that may come up, and humbly ask that you elect me as your representative to CCL. As News Editor for the Miscellany News, I have spent the past two years following CCL and all of the projects that it has dealt with. For two years, I have made it my business to talk to students and find out what they think about the issues being discussed on CCL and whether they think that the committee is doing a good job. I am intimately familiar with all of major debates going on in CCL and on campus and because I know what all of the arguments are for and against the proposals that CCL votes on, I feel comfortable saying that I know what the student body wants and what I can do to bring it about. It has also been my job to talk to various administrators and faculty members about these issues, and I know what questions to ask and how to make them listen to students’ opinions, so I can promise that if you elect me our voice will definitely be heard. So while CCL will face some very contentious issues next year, I hope to have the opportunity to use all of my experience to make sure that the final policies that it passes are fair and agreeable to everyone, so that we can all have the best Vassar experience possible.

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My Fellow Rising Seniors, I have had the honor to be our class’s Committee on College Life Representative for our freshman and sophomore years; I was there when gender-neutral housing was approved and kicking coke almost became a reality. Through it all, I have understood the needs of my constituency and translated this puissant voice into action. CCL’s unique administration-student dynamic is something that I have come to know well and utilize for the sake of implementing policy that has proven beneficial to our class. In addition to my work with CCL, over the course of three years I have been able to hone my leadership skills and channel my ambitions through alternative means: I was a student fellow in Noyes, a VSA representative on the Drug and Alcohol Education Committee for two years, and a co-Captain for Vassar’s extremely successful Quidditch team. My work with Noyes house team provided me with the chance to listen and respond to the omnipresent concerns of students; whether it was curricular policies or campus dining, I heard their voices and did all that I could to ameliorate their issues. The Drug and Alcohol Education Committee gave me the opportunity to work with a myriad of committees and organizations on campus in order to address this crucial issue of alcohol on campus. Through my work with the DEC, I was able to enhance my relationships with administrators and students alike. I came to understand how the system functioned and the kind of work it required to push an initiative from its fetal stages towards its implementation as policy. Finally, my work with Vassar’s Quidditch Team has led me to collaborate with numerous organizations and students. It was an exhilarating experience that taught me how to respond to the desires of students and the effort required to make our organization’s dreams a reality. My ear for student voices and previous committee work has cultivated a voice that refuses to be silent, a heart that understands what the senior class wants, and a political mind that will see that it gets done. I look forward to tackling the divisive issues that CCL will face next year; vote for me and together we shall shape the policy of this fine institution for a better tomorrow. Any questions regarding my ideologies? Or if you simply want to vent to someone because of that impending doom known as your thesis/senior project, don’t hesitate to visit me! I reside in Raymond 428, stop by and say hello.

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Hello!

My name is Sarah Wadlinger and I would like to be the 2011 Representative for the Committee on College Life! After three years at Vassar, I have come to care deeply about the community we have on this campus, yet I feel there is still room for much improvement. One of the most crucial ways to help foster progress on this campus is to make sure that student opinions are being heard by the administration. As the 2011 Representative for the Committee on College Life, I will bring with me a deep concern and understanding for what our class wished to be changed and solved at Vassar. For the past two years, I have been an active member of the Raymond House team, this year serving as the Student Advisor. This job has given the exposure to student concerns that the Committee on College Life should be aware of. Ranging from academic policies or judicial procedures, I have encountered a variety of issues that I think this campus is ready and willing to address, and in which I am eager to engage. My position as student advisor has also allowed me to work not only with a variety of students in my dorm, but also other student leaders on campus and various administrators. I have come to understand the necessity for student-administrator relationships in facilitating discussion and impacting change on this campus. The Committee on College Life is one of our best resources for maintaining the connection between the students and the sometimes inaccessible higher levels of our college’s organization. As an individual, making and maintaining new relationships is something I am passionate about, and this is the drive which I will put into my position on the Committee on College Life. If elected, I will bring both my willingness to engage with students, faculty, and administrators, as well as an understanding of what is important to all members of the Vassar community.

If you have any questions, please email me at sawadlinger@vassar.edu!

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Hello!

The class of 2012 requires a Committee on College Life representative that is, above all else, in tune with the goings on of the college. As a member of the Miscellany News editorial board and the Main House team, I can confidently say that I meet this requirement. Yet this knowledge alone does not make a good representative; rather, the 2012 CCL rep must be eager to use this knowledge to modify college policies so that they best represent the needs and desires of Vassar's student population. Given the continued change the College will see in the 2010-2011 academic year, it is as crucial as ever that the class of 2012 elect an informed individual who is not afraid to speak his or her mind. As an individual with demonstrated leadership skills and a dedicated passion for the nuances of campus life, I have both the desire and ability to be fulfill these requirements and effect change in college policies as the class of 2012 representative on the Committee on College Life.

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HEY THERE 2013-ERS! I’m Priyal: film major, Raymond resident, and insomniac extraordinaire. I love Vassar and it’s already changed me a lot in just the past eight months. I’m running for this position mainly because I really want to give back at least as much (if not more) as I’m getting out of this fabulous place. I’m not interested in being part of “the other”, and acting self-important and all. I have no expectations and no agenda. I’m just a dedicated and determined person looking to facilitate positive change on this campus. I've been told I’m very genuine, and I know that I’ll do what it takes to give you guys what you want. So vote for me if you want a more pro-active community!

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HELLO VASSAR! I'm running for these positions because I think I got what it takes to handle anything thrown at me in these fields. Master Planner because I know this place inside and out like no other. Sustainability because I jumpstart a fantastic and very successful recycling program back in my high school and College Life because I know what the people want.

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I have read Vassar’s Student Handbook. I am not proud of this fact. In fact, I think it a bit strange, but if reading through Vassar’s regulations and serving on the Judicial Board this year has taught me anything, it is that some of Vassar’s policies are just plain silly or ambiguous. For example, did you know that it is illegal to ride a skateboard on campus, or that you may not, ambiguous as the statement is, “bring pets to the Vassar campus” (Section 22.01, 16, College Regulations). More confusing still are alcohol policies that equivocate on the extent of infractions that one needs to be found responsible for--this has to do with the use of the terms and and is in the regulation--in order to have violated a college regulation in its entirety (Section 1.02-1.03, College Regulations). Policies like these need to be changed, even if slightly, to ensure clarity and that the regulation itself is actually important, and as 2013 Representative for Committee on College Life (the committee with the power to changes such rules), I would be just the person for the job.

I’m not going to lie, I have too much time on my hands to think about this stuff, but ultimately, someone has to do it. And while I do enjoy reading regulations (yes, I am that special), I also care about how college regulations impact each individual of the Vassar community. So lets be honest, if you had to choose someone to review and vote on regulations, wouldn’t you prefer it be the person who has actually read and cares about them? Consider your options, but I think you will find that I am indeed the best person for the job.

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As a committee member, I will not just be dedicated to immersing myself into the culture at Vassar. I will also be dedicated to studying and evaluating this culture as it relates to the inclusion of all the multitudes of culture on campus. It is my goal to find better ways of helping students, faculty, and staff collaborate to build a more supportive network that will improve everyone's experiences.

I have countless experiences where I was charged with assessing the climate of a student body and vocalizing implementation strategies to address their general problems and concerns. One of them being my time in high school as the Student Representative of the School Board. As Student Representative, I was charged to speak for all of my peers' concerns, sentiments, and issues.

During the second month of my senior year, schedules were still not made for students, students were therefore everywhere but class, and the school day had become one big study hall. I brought this to the forefront of the school board's agenda by speaking about the impact these administrative issues were having on the school. The very next day, my words appeared on the front page of the newspaper and by the following week, the school board had taken the necessary steps to solve the scheduling debacle. This, among many other incidents, are examples of the ability I have to take initiative on issues that matter to the student body and my ability to make these matters understood to the general public. It is my sincere interest to be elected so that I can exercise my passion and ability on this committee!

If you have any questions, please feel free to hit me up: ocwillson@vassar.edu

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Dear all, I'm a rising senior English major, but have taken courses across the humanities. I will do my absolute best to represent your concerns on the CCP as the Arts rep. Please feel free to email me at shbhattacharya@vassar.edu with any questions or concerns. Thanks, Shouvik

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Hello everyone,

I am Raluca Besliu, and I want to represent you on the Foreign Language Representative on the Committee on Curricular Policy, mainly because of my personal interest in maintaining the high standard of our foreign language programs. Having worked and/or taken classes in more than three of the existing language departments at Vassar (French, Spanish and Russian) and speaking four languages, I am fully aware of the necessity to, at least, maintain the programs at their present level.

I have discussed with many people about the importance of the Vassar summer programs for our college’s prestige and capacity to attract undergraduate students. Therefore, one of my main goals as your representative will be to bring back the summer language programs that are tremendously beneficial for improving our capacity to acquire fluency in a foreign language as well as to enhance our understanding of different cultures.

My other goal for next year is to ensure that the language departments do not suffer additional cuts that could further reduce the course options available. Finally, I want to ensure that the decision-making process will be more transparent and that you will have an input in the decision-making process.

Best,
Raluca Besliu.

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As a Japanese major and an international student, I enjoy engaging with different cultures by learning foreign languages and interacting with different people. Indeed, in today's globalized world battered by conflicts between cultures and beleaguered by common issues needing co-ordination and cooperation, proficiency in a foreign language and understanding of another culture should be given more priority than they are receiving nowadays. From my perspective, foreign language learning should be a vital and organic part of Vassar education complete with language instruction, literature/arts, regional studies, cultural activities, and studying abroad opportunities. It is important that the students be given the opportunities and resources to learn about another culture holistically both inside and outside the classroom. With years of experience of foreign language learning and having worked with a language department as research assistant/drill instructor, I am confident that I can help make language learning a better experience at Vassar.

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Foreign languages are definitely my passion. All throughout my education I have been learning them, starting with a Spanish Immersion program in kindergarden. In sixth grade I started the study of French and here at Vassar I have begun learning Portuguese. As I am familiar with different methods of instruction, I think I could contribute a lot to this committee.

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There is no question that Vassar is an amazing school; we have professors that challenge us academically, pushing to expand us as students and thinkers.  There are, however, many academic aspects in which Vassar lags behind our competitors.  As the Social Science Representative to the Committee on Curricular Policies, I want to ensure that every student at Vassar is provided with academic rigor and an interesting curriculum, regardless of major or professor (and to prevent all of us getting waitlisted for that amazing course with Tim Koechlin). One of my main goals as a representative to the Committee on Curricular Policies is to lobby for a mid-semester course evaluation.  These evaluations would exist to improve a class for the second half of that semester, as the professor would have immediate access to students’ responses.  Relying solely on our current CEQ system only helps future generations of students, not ourselves.  A simple, quick, questionnaire in the middle of the semester can provide feedback to the professor to help them determine what works best to help us learn, while making each course as engaging as possible. As an education minor, I understand what works best in helping to integrate and assist all students, regardless of their academic background, and plan to incorporate these techniques and policies into future curricular decisions.  Huge variations in quality should not exist between courses and professors; each student should have a voice in their education.  I’m an economics major, but have taken courses across the social sciences, and am prepared to represent all of you.  As the Jewett House President my sophomore year, I sat on the Academics Committee and helped develop proposals to reformat our current CEQ.  Allow me to be your voice next year on the CCP, and fight for the amazing curriculum and education we all came to Vassar for. Let me hear what YOU want!  chdoscher@vassar.edu

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In my past three years as a history major at Vassar, I have had the opportunity to take a number of truly eye-opening classes across the curriculum. Academic opportunity is a key component to this school, and as social sciences representative on the CCP I will work to ensure that both current and future Vassar students are always able to have access to the same experiences and resources that I have enjoyed here. Toward this end, I have a number of topics and goals I would like to see next year's CCP address:

- Maintain the school's diverse curriculum and ensure that all academic departments receive adequate support.

- Continue the reevaluation of the Course Evaluation Questionnaires (CEQs) so that student input is effectively included into course and instructor evaluations.

- Discuss strategies to make the academic schedule as flexible and open as possible. In particular, to evaluate issues of courses overlapping and/or consistently filling up.

- Maintain the open curriculum currently in place and ensure that Vassar students are well-prepared for the future.

- Improve communications between social sciences majors and the social sciences representative by establishing an ongoing dialogue with majors committees.

Thanks for reading. Please feel free to contact me via email if you have any questions or comments.

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As a Biochemistry major of the class of 2011, I have had much first-hand experience with the majority of natural science departments here at Vassar. I believe it is this experience alone that makes me a suitable candidate for the Committee on Curricular Policies for the Natural Sciences. If given the opportunity to serve, I would make it my initiative to voice the opinions and concerns of science students regarding their curriculum. Thanks for your consideration.

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Belonging to a 18-credit major, I am no stranger to curricular policies within the science departments. Belonging to an 18-credit major has also definitely made me aware that some of these policies are due for change! I think that the natural science departments are some of the best that Vassar has to offer; I have encountered so many fantastic professors and courses as a Biochem major. However, since the best departments can only remain so if they are open to revision, I would be proud to represent my fellow students of the sciences on the CCP! I resolve to listen closely to your suggestions and make sure that they are heard, help preserve the excellence of the science departments, and make sure the nitrogen ice cream is always delicious. Actually that might be up to the Chem majors. I resolve to respectfully request delicious ice cream flavors from the Chem majors. Vote for me, Kelly Fitzgerald, for the CCP, Natural Sciences!!

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Vassar's has academics at its heart.  Major curricular changes affect every member of the community in some way, so the CCP is a key body of the school's administration.  I sat on the CCP last year and learned a lot about the challenges that face the school.  My goals are still the same for this year: maintaining VC's academic excellence while working towards greater fiscal strength and fairness for all students, faculty and staff. Besides the CCP, I have also worked on the Sophomore Class Gift Committee and as secretary for the Aikido Club.  And like many Vassar students I also work a part time job, so I know what it is like to have a tough schedule.  As such I will always support measures that add flexibility for students and reduce the number of obstacles they might run into. I'm always available by email if you have ideas, questions, or issues about CCP or anything else.  Thanks for reading.

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I'm looking to create my own major in social neuroscience, so I'm concerned with curricular policies, especially since so many courses aren't being offered. I'd like to work closely with the Committee on Curricular Policies to ensure that those of us who want to participate in the Independent, or Multi/Inter disciplinary subjects will be able to, with as little trouble as possible.  I think these programs are the epitome of an ideal liberal arts education, so I'll do my best to keep it that way with added improvements.  I'll also bring any other concerns you may have in mind for the committee.

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Before a few weeks ago I was unsure whether the major that I originally chose was right for me. I had no strong loyalties to any particular department so I decided I should think outside the box. I began looking into different multi/interdisciplinary majors and even considered independent majors. Finally, I found the one that was right for me, STS. Yet, this process of searching and contemplating about a potential major was far more difficult than it needed to be. My advisor was not privy to the world of STS and multi/interdisciplinary majors; in fact, STS was the suggestion of a friend. As a member of the Committee for Curricular Policies, I will make sure that multi/interdisciplinary routes are not overlooked and do my best to make sure there is more information for potential majors. Vassar is unique in that it has very few core requirements; the multi/interdisciplinary majors offer a chance for us to take full advantage of our liberal arts education. It is, therefore, imperative that as many classes be saved from the clutches of this economic crisis as possible.

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As a first-year student, I have been exposed to many different aspects of Vassar, especially those not included on the tour. With recent events regarding racial tensions on campus, my opinions as well as those of others I have read on The Miscellany News website, struck me and have stayed in my thoughts since. What really has motivated me to get involved is my desire to find a channel to voice my opinions in a way that is helpful to the college and to future students. Many students of color have had difficulty identifying with the greater Vassar community because of their race. As a person of color, I would like to help establish better ties and relations not only between students of color, but also those from different socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds and the rest of the Vassar community (which is predominantly white.) In the few months that I have been here at Vassar, I have served as a Multicultural Recruitment Intern with the Admissions Office. In the months I have spent in this role, I helped plan and coordinate both the Vassar Bus Trip and the upcoming FOCUS weekend. Also, I have gained valuable perspective, and now more than ever see the importance of a sense of inclusion with students of different backgrounds. As an alumnus of the Vassar Bus Trip in November 2008, I was better able to see why students of color would apply to Vassar after attending the trip. It helped address many issues and concerns I had when applying to colleges all over the country, especially because most higher education institutions are not very diverse.

I believe that my character development from serving as a Multicultural Recruitment Intern as well as my ability to voice my opinions strongly and articulately are some of the many characteristics I would contribute by serving on the CIE. It is a committee I feel that is among the most important here at Vassar. It addresses the issues generally tiptoed around and considered “hush-hush”, because it is so difficult to address them. I feel that I am brave and respectful enough to discuss these issues, despite their inherent difficulty. It is important in today’s world to find solutions to these problems. Despite the implementation of Affirmative Action, there is a barely an increase each year of minority and low-class students attending higher education institutions,.

My main two ideas are that have already been proposed to the CIE. The first is the sort of pre-pre-orientation program for first-generation students. Though we have FOCUS weekend, not every student can attend, as it is during the school year. A pre-pre-orientation get together helps establish a connection and facilitates making friends before the daunting freshman year begins. There are so many first-generation students, like myself, who have not had the help from their parents in applying to college, and the idea of majors, classes, and the general “college experience”, is such a strange and scary concept as we have not had our parents’ experience to learn from. This idea of a pre-pre-orientation program needs to be instated, especially considering there are programs similar to this at many of our peer schools.

Another idea is to include in the freshman orientation panel a socio-economic talk. On this campus, a lot of students associate low-class status with being a person of color. That is not the case. There are students of all sorts of “lower-class” status from all different racial and ethnic backgrounds. One of the main (yet barely addressed) issues on this campus deals with socio-economics. Discussing this will help nclude students from all types of backgrounds and cities, will help ease tensions, and will help stop the name-calling and using the word privilege as a pejorative term around students. Vassar has people from all types of backgrounds, yet we are all part of the larger Vassar community. Incoming freshmen need to see this. In all, I hope to develop more ideas as I continue my studies here at Vassar and as part of the CIE.

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HEY FOLKS! I’m Priyal: film major, rising sophomore, and insomniac extraordinaire. I love Vassar and it’s already changed me a lot in just the past eight months. I’m running for this position mainly because I really want to give back at least as much (if not more) as I’m getting out of this fabulous place. I’m not interested in being part of “the other”, and acting self-important and all. I have no expectations and no agenda. I’m just a dedicated and determined person looking to facilitate positive change on this campus. I've been told I’m very genuine, and I know that I’ll do what it takes to give you guys what you want. So vote for me if you want a more pro-active community!

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I became interested in and aware of the Committee on Inclusion and Excellence during a weekly house study break, when two members came in to hold an informal discussion about school spirit, multiculturalism on campus, and campus community. I thought the discussion we had was enlightening and productive; the relaxed and open atmosphere encouraged participants to share experiences about potentially controversial topics. Many times I feel that people come to discussions with opinions previously formed and don't truly have the desire to listen to differing viewpoints. I was impressed with the facilitation of the committee members who made the discussion into a conversation, where all viewpoints were validated.

I would like to be involved in a committee that facilitates inclusive and productive conversations on campus. As a varsity athlete and Student Fellow, I participate in and deeply value campus communities, and would like to continue the conversation about how to make these communities more inclusive and cohesive. I also look forward to creating a small community with the other members of the committee.

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I would love to serve on the Committee for Inclusion and Excellence. The dialogues on campus of the past year (particularly the controversy surrounding recent campus events) indicate to me that Vassar is not as inclusive as it should be. People still feel marginalized on this campus, and I think this committee is doing important work to counteract this fact. Even with our relatively comprehensive financial aid program, Vassar is not accessible to everyone. Improving accessibility is just as important as allowing all voices to be heard on campus. My studies at Vassar are focused in social-consciousness related classes, and I think these have helped me to understand some of the forces at work that lead to silencing and inaccessibility. Hopefully, I can use and expand this knowledge by working with the CIE to make the Vassar experience available to a wider variety of persons and improve it for those already here.

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As a committee member, I will not just be dedicated to immersing myself into the culture at Vassar. I will also be dedicated to studying and evaluating this culture as it relates to the inclusion of all the multitudes of culture on campus. It is my goal to find better ways of helping students, faculty, and staff collaborate to build a more supportive network that will improve everyone's experiences.

I have countless experiences where I was charged with assessing the climate of a student body and vocalizing implementation strategies to address their general problems and concerns. One of them being my time in high school as the Student Representative of the School Board. As Student Representative, I was charged to speak for all of my peers' concerns, sentiments, and issues.

During the second month of my senior year, schedules were still not made for students, students were therefore everywhere but class, and the school day had become one big study hall. I brought this to the forefront of the school board's agenda by speaking about the impact these administrative issues were having on the school. The very next day, my words appeared on the front page of the newspaper and by the following week, the school board had taken the necessary steps to solve the scheduling debacle. This, among many other incidents, are examples of the ability I have to take initiative on issues that matter to the student body and my ability to make these matters understood to the general public. It is my sincere interest to be elected so that I can exercise my passion and ability on this committee!

If you have any questions, please feel free to hit me up: ocwillson@vassar.edu

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HELLO VASSAR! I'm running for these positions because I think I got what it takes to handle anything thrown at me in these fields. Master Planner because I know this place inside and out like no other. Sustainability because I jumpstart a fantastic and very successful recycling program back in my high school and College Life because I know what the people want.

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