With filing closed, VSA candidates launch campaigns

Hayley Tsukayama Staff Writer

The Vassar image. Dorm renovations. ACDC food. Tuition. As spring elections to the Vassar Student Association (VSA) draw near, student candidates find themselves thinking a lot about the state of the College and the major issues that will face the VSA next year.

All presidential candidates expressed a desire to reform the role of the VSA Council on campus. “The main thrust is changing the attitude of the VSA and the student attitude toward the VSA,” said Rob Voigt ’08. “It’s important to join the conversation, and find little things that we can fix.”

Christopher Binetti ’08, also emphasizing the need for the VSA to have a more visible presence on campus, raised concerns that groups, not individuals, are represented on the Council. Binetti stated he would like to focus on “the big issues,” particularly what he sees as a stagnant political environment on campus and a fractured community.

Candidates also talked about increasing the effectiveness of committees, and improving college relations with the Town of Poughkeepsie. Sam Charner ’08 stressed the importance of collaboration on all issues, both on-campus and off, emphasizing that “information needs to flow from one source out to the community.” The view that Vassar is “elitist” troubles candidate Heidi Genrich ’08, who hopes to get the VSA more involved in the community and the student body. “College is the place to live out ideals,” said Genrich. “The VSA is not the only student voice, but it is a great tool.”

Arjun Agarwala ’10, in an e-mailed statement, cited specific issues he wished to change: expensive meal plans, storage issues, and the creation of a more accessible campus shuttle service. Fellow candidate Phillip Royce Drake ’10 could not be reached for comment.

Earlier this year, the VSA Council created the Vice President for Student Life position to work with the office of the Dean of the College on residential, food, and security matters. “I see the position as taking two issues,” said Morgan Warners ’08. “There are the everyday student issues …and the long-term quality of life issues.”

Alberto Apodaca Jr. ’08 cited a need to retool Campus Dining and to speak with Residential Life on space and storage issues. “We need to concentrate on the aesthetics of the dorms,” he said of the upcoming renovations, “but also keep the functional, homey dorm atmosphere.” In an e-mailed statement, Sasha Levites ’08, raised concerns about Residential Life policies on privacy, asking “Should house advisors/staff members be allowed to enter a student’s room without their knowledge or consent?”

Candidates for Vice President for Academics, currently the Academic Executive position, focused their plans on communication issues. Lorette Fisher ’09, said she wants to reform the professor evaluation process, investigate the proposal to move professors from a five class per year to a four class per year system, a proposal which has raised concerns over the availability of courses and class size, and remedy what she sees as a lack of offerings in the first semester of the Course Catalogue. In an e-mailed statement, Jessica Cho ’08, suggested there should be a way “freshman can better network and communicate with faculty and upperclassmen,” and she also looks to guarantee that multidisciplinary programs have their necessary courses every year. In an e-mailed statement, Kyle Giunta ’08, agreed that there was a dire need for student involvement and added, “I would love nothing more than to bridge the gap [between students and VSA].”

The new description for the Vice President for Activities focuses heavily on the College’s relations with the greater Poughkeepsie area. “I’m very passionate about the new focus on community,” said James Kelly ’09. “We have so many resources; too often VSA organizations miss opportunities to pool their resources, knowledge, and money.” Vince Vincent ’08 focused on community involvement and cooperation as well, hoping to establish a “tradition” of campus-community involvement, and also to have organizations seriously examine and commit to their mission statements.

All candidates for the Vice President for Finance emphasized a need for proper allocations of funds in the coming year. In an e-mail, Jessika Wong ’08 said she plans to work within the new budget. In an e-mailed statement, Kenneth Simons ’08, said, “I want to attempt to develop student-run financial projects with interested students to create a capital developing program for the VSA.” Fania Veksler ’08, in an e-mail, said “Vassar thrives on the efforts and enthusiasm of all the on-campus activities…they need money to make these things happen.”

Summer’s-Grace Green ’08 is running uncontested in the race for Vice President of Operations.

Debates for all executive positions is scheduled to take place from 6-8 p.m. on April 12 at ACDC, and on April 17th in the Retreat.