There is one Dartmouth student you will see in the newspaper a lot, and who, even if you don't know it, represents you.
Student Assembly President Jon Heavey '97 has the ears of the administration, and he keeps one ear to the ground.
The Assembly is the campus' elected organization tasked with representing the student body.
"Officially I'm supposed to be the student liaison to the administration and faculty," Heavey, an engineering major, said. "As far as I see it, I'm supposed to be improving student life."
Propelled by his likable, honest personality, Heavey defeated his nearest rival by more than 500 votes in the school-wide presidential election Spring term.
Heavey has the task of presiding over Dartmouth's often hectic and always political student government, not to mention negotiating with students, faculty and administrators.
In recent years Assembly presidents have been charged with redefining the legislative body's role according to their philosophy and the College's needs. Heavey seems more interested in getting students their $28,000's worth.
During his campaign, Heavey's posters attacked the numerous fines the College imposes on students and the high prices of certain services.
Heavey said he intends to pursue student issues when he officially takes office this fall, beginning with changing the way Telephone Services bills students. Heavey said he is interested in negotiating for soap to be placed in the College's residence halls' bathrooms.
On a more ambitious scale, Heavey hopes to convince the College to name an official mascot. The "Big Green" has never been the College's official nickname.
"There are tons of good ideas," he said. "It is all about coordinating the ideas now."
A member of the Dartmouth's heavyweight rowing team, Heavey says he is also interested in making the recommended pre-medical curriculum an official minor and "fostering an environment of taking pride in Dartmouth."
A Buffalo, N.Y. native, Heavey transferred to Dartmouth after a year at Carnegie Mellon University. Heavey said he was attracted by Dartmouth's student body.
"I admired how well-rounded the students are, how athletic, motivated and intelligent they are," he said. Heavey said Carnegie-Mellon students are more interested in "sitting in front of computer screens playing computer games all the time."
