VSA appoints new Lathrop President

Juliana Kiyan Staff Writer

Kyle Giunta ’08 was appointed Lathrop House President by the Vassar Student Association (VSA) Council on Sunday, Feb. 19, following the resignation of Doug Dalessandro ’07 from the position in late January.

At the Feb. 19 vote, the Lathrop House representative abstained and Jewett House President Ian Patrick ’07 voted against Giunta. Patrick instead supported the promotion of current Lathrop Vice President Amalia Sax-Bolder ’08, instead of Giunta, because she has served as acting House President since the spot became vacant, and was already familiar with the “internal affairs of the house team throughout this year,” said Patrick.

Regardless of Giunta’s past experience with VSA, Patrick said, “I feel that putting a formerly uninvolved Lathrop resident (this year, that is) in the head position of a House Team that has worked together closely since late August could be detrimental to both the morale and efficiency of the team.”

VSA unanimously voted the Lathrop House president position vacant on Jan. 29 after Dalessandro announced his resignation, and to fill it by appointment. The VSA executive board suggested an application process to help select his replacement. VSA Vice President Kelsey Woods ’06 and Secretary Laureen Cantwell ’06 encouraged the house team to weigh in on the decision with its needs and how it operates.

Giunta was one of three applicants for the position. He expressed optimism and ambition for his dorm, while also acknowledging the year’s difficulties. In his application, Giunta wrote he was troubled by vandalism and dorm damage last semester.

“In a word, I would say that Lathrop needs to relearn the idea of respect,” he wrote. “Instead, it has simply lost focus. I vehemently believe that I, along with the help of the house team, can restore that focus.”

Last year, Giunta served as the Freshman Representative for Lathrop House and as the Class of 2008 President. Giunta said he intends to emphasize dorm fidelity as the new House President. He said that in the case of the Lathrop presidency vacancy resignation, the process of selecting a new officer should have fallen more into the hands of Lathrop and less to the VSA. Giunta asserted that he “will always be a Lathropian first and a VSA member second.”