Just over 130 candidates have mustered up the courage to put their names on the ballot for student elections this May 9th and 10th.
Three students will be vying for the Student Assembly presidency -- Molly Stutzman '02, Michael Sevi '02 and Ted Smith '02, and an additional three students will compete for the vice-presidency, including Aly Rahim '02, Amit Anand '03 and Michael Newton '04.
Chair of the Election Planning and Advisory Committee Margaret Kuecker '01 said she was impressed with the large number of applicants this year.
"I think now there's a climate on campus of activism," she said, adding that not only was there an increase in the number of candidates, but that she expects voter turnout to sustain the proportional gains it has made in the past three years.
The candidates come from a variety of backgrounds.
Stutzman, the Assembly's summer secretary, formerly chaired and vice-chaired the Assembly's Student Life Committee.
Although she did not win last year's vice-presidential campaign, Stutzman told The Dartmouth that preparing her platform last year allowed her to get a head start in creating her new vision for the Assembly.
"A lot of those ideas and a lot of those interests carry on," she said.
If elected, Stutzman hopes to "focus on student outreach," making the Assembly what she called a "more recognizable resource for students" by encouraging greater communication with both individuals and student groups.
Although there will be no Assembly candidates officially representing the"Jack-O-Lantern" comedy newsletter this year, the absence of institutionalized levity will not preclude the introduction of extreme views to the campaign.
Sevi and Rahim told The Dartmouth they are cooperating during their respective campaigns. Running under the slogan "the end of Student Assembly, the beginning of student government," the Sevi-Rahim ticket promises that if elected, the Assembly will undergo some major changes.
Both Rahim, who served on the Assembly his freshman year, and Sevi, a transfer student active on the governing body of his previous university, report having been "disillusioned" with the Assembly.
"The SA has become irrelevant to almost every student on campus," Rahim stated.
Sevi referred to the Assembly as a "joke" and a "social club" and said that it is neither representative of nor respected by students on this campus.
"We want to alter the SA as it stands significantly enough that it is perceived to be a different institution," Rahim explained.
If elected, the duo promises that "every significant leadership position will be open to all the campus" and to increase the diversity, social consciousness and representation of ideas within the Assembly itself.
Smith declined to comment on his platform.
Anand has been active in the Assembly since his freshman fall, serving on the student response task force and chairing the Administration and Faculty Relations committee.
After returning to campus after having been away for three terms, Anand said he feels that he will be able to offer the Assembly a fresher "outside perspective."
For Anand, making the Assembly an "institutional voice" on this campus is a main concern.
"I think the most important thing for me at least is focusing the SA a little more towards issues students care about," he said, adding that, if elected, he hopes to narrow the range of topics that the Assembly tackles at one time from nearly 15 to just two or three of the most important.
By focusing energy, efforts and funds to a limited number of "bigger issues," Anand said the Assembly could make more of a difference on campus.
According to Anand, topics could range anywhere from guaranteed student housing to increased financial aid for upperclassmen.
Although Newton, one of Anand's vice-presidential competitors, is the youngest candidate on the executive Assembly ballot, he sees his youth as an asset rather than a liability.
"I came to this campus hoping to make a positive change to this community and I think SA is a great way to do that," he said, adding that, after two terms at the College, he has retained a bit of "freshman fire."
If elected, Newton hopes to make the Assembly more representative of the student body by increasing its diversity in terms of race, geography and interests.
Despite his focus on a broad new philosophical vision for the Assembly, Newton has also set his sights on some more specific issues -- such as placing recycling bins in each dorm room and a cereal dispenser in Food Court.
The remaining student elections promise to be equally colorful, according to Kuecker.
The Committee on Standards race will be "very, very competitive" she said. Twenty-four students will compete for the six available positions.
The Green Key Society will also see an exciting race; nearly 60 students will contend for the 20 elected positions.
Eleven students will vie for the six spots on the brand new Organizational Adjudication Committee.
"This year there's a lot more interest in the Class Council races," she noted. With the exception of the Class of 2002 vice presidency, at least three candidates are running for each of the other executive class offices.
Interest in lower level council positions may co-vary with class year, however. Although 16 '04's are running for the 8 Assembly class representative positions, only 6 '03's and one '02 are vying for comparable slots in their own classes.
