Aleph Henestrosa '96 yesterday announced he will run for Student Assembly vice president next term on a platform of drastic reform.
Henestrosa said the current Assembly lacks legitimacy and respect, has almost no impact on student life and very little bargaining power with the administration.
"I've heard a lot of students say that the Student Assembly is very irrelevant and some people even say we should do away with it," he said.
Henestrosa said he would replace the present Assembly with a new forum he dubbed the Student Council, which would include members of the administration and faculty in addition to students.
He said the council would have more bargaining power with the administration.
Henestrosa said he is concerned with campus social life, which he said is monopolized by the Greek system.
But Henestrosa said he is not anti-Greek and would like to work with both Greek and non-Greek students to broaden student activities.
Henestrosa said he would also promote understanding between campus groups by allowing all students to serve on Assembly committees.
Henestrosa, an active member of the Latin-American Forum, has never served as a member of the Student Assembly. He said he will have the help and advice of members who have served on the Assembly.
Henestrosa said he would like to run on a ticket with one of the presidential candidates, and this weekend will "try to draft a common plan," with one of those candidates. He would not comment further.
Henestrosa is the first student to announce his candidacy for vice president. Juniors Jim Brennan, Brandon del Pozo, Phil Ferrera and Jim Rich have all announced their plans to run for Assembly president in the spring.
All students who intend to run for any elected position must turn in their signed petition to the Student Activities Office by this afternoon.
