As the single Dartmouth student on a 14-member Presidential search committee, Erica Ryu '98 represents a lot of opinions.
But Ryu, a sociology major from Northbrook, Ill., feels confident she is up to the task.
"People most want a president who will be accessible and can connect with students in their daily lives," Ryu said.
The 14-member Presidential Search Committee Ryu is on also includes six Trustees, six members of the faculty and one alumni representative.
Ryu was chosen by the Committee from a list of candidates recommended by the College's deans -- a selection process which has been criticized for failing to include the student body's input in the matter.
Case Dorkey '99, the Student Assembly's vice president of administration and faculty relations, characterized the selection process as "a huge step backwards."
"Especially since there is only one student on the committee, for that person to have been picked with no student input ... it was one of the biggest disappointments of my time on Student Assembly," Dorkey said.
Ryu acknowledged that being on the Committee will be difficult because "there are so many different experiences within the student body."
According to Ryu, students would like many of current College President James Freedman's policies to be continued. She added that the overall Dartmouth experience, as well as the intellectual caliber, diversity and gender parity of the student body, should be maintained and improved upon.
Ryu plans to hold open forums and discussions in residence hall clusters to hear her fellow students' concerns. The first such meeting, in the River cluster Sunday afternoon, was attended by one student.
Ryu will also be having office hours this term every Thursday from 1 to 2 p.m. in 14 Collis.
"Being on the search committee is not only so rewarding because I get to contribute to Dartmouth's history, but also because I have met incredible people -- the trustees and faculty and alumnae, as well as other students who I've gotten a chance to talk to about the search," Ryu said.
Despite misgivings about the selection process, Dorkey said Ryu is a good choice for the Committee's student representative.
Assembly Vice President Nahoko Kawakyu '99 agreed.
"It is hard for one student to represent 4,000 views," Kawakyu said. "But I have confidence in her."
The Committee will present a short list of Presidential nominees to the Board of Trustees in the spring.
Ryu's friends said her personality will help her in her role.
"She also has an extreme sensitivity, great ability to listen, a level understanding far surpassing any one else," Jenie Oh '98 said.
Another friend of Ryu, Sarah Boynton '98, said, "She is really amazing both academically and extra-curricularly. She's done a lot of Dartmouth, been in the Greek system... a lot of people know her on campus."
Last term, Ryu was vice president of Epsilon Kappa Theta sorority. Ryu is also the chair of the Pan-Asian Council, an intern at the Upper Class Deans office and a member of the Chamber Singers and Christian Fellowship groups. She is also trained as a senior mediator at the College's mediation center.
