Gratitude and Curiosity
I would be lying if I said I felt guilty for taking up one of eight class marshal spots this year.
I would be lying if I said I felt guilty for taking up one of eight class marshal spots this year.
Having witnessed the farcical antics of this year's Student Assembly, Dartmouth students are treating the upcoming presidential elections with their annual surge of relentless cynicism.
I have always wanted my own beehive. I think I initially fell in love with the idea as a child when I was taught to simultaneously cherish and fear bees.
It's time to talk Student Assembly. Again. With several candidates vying for student attention, one presidential candidate truly stands out among the competition. While junior Carlos Mejia's risqu spread in The Mirror and Ms. Robinson's seduction of a young Dustin Hoffman were both impressive and fictitious, I have impressed many with my dedication and personal struggle with adversity. As a dedicated student/drinker, my greatest asset is my typicality.
I am running for Student Body Vice President in order to fix Student Assembly and to use it to improve the lives of the students it serves.
After exploring the many different facets of Dartmouth as a student and learning about our College's key strengths and weaknesses, I feel that I am in a unique position to offer solutions and a fresh perspective to Student Assembly as vice president.
Since the start of my freshman year, I have been one of the most dedicated members of the Student Assembly.
Student government at Dartmouth abounds with the potential to positively influence the College experience of all students, but its current structure prevents it from achieving its potential. My plan for concrete change is to turn Student Assembly from a fragmented lobbying body into an organization that oversees and controls the roughly $850,000 of Student Activity fees distributed to student organizations each year.
Student Assembly needs immediate, radical and effective reform. By simply implementing new programs, improving existing services and changing its focus to serve the Dartmouth community, a new student government could bring about a revolution in campus life.
I'd just like to briefly acquaint you with my platform for Student Assembly president and my eligibility as a candidate.
For the last two terms, Student Assembly has allowed itself to be bogged down by a political red herring: the issue of so-called Student Assembly reform.
Ian and I want to empower students to accomplish their goals, and to make their life easier while doing it.
In a recent op-ed, "Ain't Nuthin' But a Blame Game" (May 2), Michael Kreicher '08 concluded that blaming hip-hop music for the problems of racism, sexism, homophobia and violence in society is a convenient but invalid way to address these very real problems.
Jaromy Siporen will be best able to steward Student Assembly in the direction of change. After the Editorial Board privately met with each candidate, it became clear that the ideas in Siporen's platform are the most feasible; his dissatisfaction with Student Assembly's current structure is the most cogent; his understanding of Student Assembly is the most thorough; and his leadership style is the most conducive for successful implementation of his platform. Siporen sees the improvement of students' quality of life as the ultimate objective of Student Assembly and builds his platform on this vision.
To the Editor: While I agree with Ben Selznick '07 that the drinking age should be lowered to the age of 18, I cannot agree with his arguments to do so ("Make it 18" April 30). Selznick wrote "When it comes to colleges, our law simply doesn't reflect reality.
To the Editor: I am sure you have your remaining alumni set for your three-part series ("ROTC alum commands army base in Afghanistan," May 2; "'Adventurous' graduate trains, may head to Iraq," May 1), but on the outside chance you are still researching, look up Mike Lauria '05.
After I received several Facebook group invitations just hours after campaigning had officially begun last week, it was clear that the race for next year's Student Assembly leadership was well underway.
Last week, in an event sponsored by the Sexual Assault Awareness Program and the Afro-American Society, a discussion was held concerning the influence of hip-hop music on issues of race, gender, sexuality and violence.
This year's campaign for election to the Dartmouth Board of Trustees is surpassing the past few in its intensity and impact on the Dartmouth community.
Last year, the Darfur Action Group at Dartmouth participated in a noble, successful and ultimately ineffectual effort to divest from companies that do business with Sudan.