Race for Next Undergraduate Council President Begins

While only a small percentage of undergraduates turned out to vote in the last Undergraduate Council election, record numbers of presidential and vice-presidential hopefuls filed bids for their candidacy on Friday.

Although the petition signatures have not yet been checked and the final roster of candidates is not yet available, members of the council's Election Commission indicate that the field will feature 18 candidates, up from 14 last year.

Trevor S Blake '00, T. Christopher King '00, John A. Burton '01 and Noah Z. Seton '00 will all vie for the presidential seat along with Henry C. Quillen '00, Eduardo J. Dominguez '01, David L. Levy '00, Edward "Ted" A. Swasey '00, Rebecca F. Lubens '00, M. Michelle Robinson '01 and Jonathan Gruenhut '99.

The vice-presidential field features Nicholas J. Stone '00, Fentrice D. Driskell '01, Scott A. Resnick '01, Jared S. White '00, Angela A. Wu '01, Christian P. Quilici '01 and Kamil E. Redmond '00.

Neither current council President Beth A. Stewart '00 nor current vice president Samuel C. Cohen '00 will seek either office.

Even before their candidacy petitions were in, running mates King and Driskell kicked off their campaign with a performance by the Opportunes at a reception in Leverett House a week and a half ao

Around 60 supporters attended the event, where King and Driskell discussed their ideas for improving Harvard's sense of community.

"The essence of our campaign is how you build a healthier community at Harvard," King said. "It's not about the U.C., it's about the health of the campus."

"We can win or we can lose this election, but what we're talking about is so substantive that it can't lose," he added.

King is co-chair of the Campus Life Committee (CLC) and has been a delegation chair for both Leverett House and his first-year Yard area.

He stressed his "very deep and very real" friendship with Driskell, who has served as vice chair of the CLC and chair of services for the CLC.

King was not the only candidate partying for the presidency: Blake, a five-semester council member, launched his presidential campaign with a cocktail party for student leaders last week.

"Our main goal is to get the U.C. more in touch with the student body and to use the U.C. as a liaison between different student groups," he said. "We don't really have an overly political viewpoint," said Blake, who was co-chair of the CLC last year and who has been a delegation chair from Eliot House for two years.

"The council needs to focus on the things it can effectively change," added Stone, Blake's running-mate, who is serving his second year on the council.

When John Burton plans strategy with his running-mate, he doesn't need to leave his dorm room.

He will seek the presidency on a ticket with his roommate, Scott Resnick, who is also a Crimson editor.

Burton is currently serving his second term as treasurer of the council and is also head of a council taskforce to investigate the Administrative Board.

Burton said the council should focus on programs with the potential to have a meaningful impact on the community.

"My greatest fear is that the U.C. is well on its way to becoming nothing more than a glorified eatery, where we pride ourselves on the quality of our flyby and fro-yo but are incapable of providing anything more substantive or filling," he said.

Burton said the council should pressure the administration for smaller section sizes, advising and counseling reform, ethnic studies programs and additional funding for house life.

Resnick, who is also secretary of the Campus Life Committee, said that he and Burton also advocate reducing the total number of representatives on the council in order to make them more responsive to theirconstituents.

Burton and Resnick are not the only roommateteam running for the office: Swasey is seeking thepresidency on a ticket with White, his KirklandHouse roommate.

Swasey, who is not a council member, said hewants to change the way the council operates.

"I consider myself not quite as politicky" ascouncil members, Swasey said. "I consider myselfmore of a person that would try to get thingsdone."

Swasey, who has served as president of HarvardYearbook, said the council should focus on studentgroups, serving as a clearinghouse forinformation.

Quillen said he is also running for presidentto reform the council.

He said he decided to run when he heard aboutlow voter turnout in council elections.

"I think the council should be more responsiveto the students," said Quillen, who does not havea running-mate.

Quillen also proposes an interclub council tocoordinate activities between student groups.

Dominguez of Cabot House and his running mate,Angela Wu, also said they wanted the council toinvolve more of the community.

"Most students don't know what happens behindthose closed doors," said Dominguez, who served onthe council last year.

Dominguez said he advocates putting leaders ofstudent groups on the council to serve alongsidethe elected representatives. He also advocatedusing the council to host forums and debates.

"I want the U.C. to be the center for thediscussion of student politics, like the Instituteof Politics is for real-life politics," he said.

Levy said he wanted to limit the role of thepresident to dealing with council matters.

"If the council pretends it's electing astudent body president, they're completely off themark," he said. "The council needs to be theleader of a specific group and not worry about thegreater Harvard population."

Levy does not have a running-mate.

While Swasey, White, Quillen, Dominguez andLevy all said they want to shake up the council,Seton and Redmond emphasized their provenleadership abilities.

"I'm a council member who has produced resultsin the past," Seton said.

Seton chaired the dining services committeethat brought about the creation of the fly-bylunch program in Loker.

He is entering his third year on the council,where he is vice chair of the Student ActivitiesCommittee (SAC).

Redmond is a veteran campaigner as well as atwo-year council member: she sought the vicepresidency last year as well.

Seton and Redmond said they advocate a varietyof proposals, from increased student group fundingand involving more student groups in campus-wideevents to equalizing House facilities.

Michelle Robinson of Leverett House said shewants to use the presidency to expand programsdealing with sexual harassment.

"Freshmen receive the balance of those kind ofprograms, and I wish that upperclassmen couldreceive an equal balance," she said.

Robinson, who does not have a running-mate,said she also wants to make students more aware ofthe services that the council already provides andto improve Springfest.

Lubens declined to comment on her candidacy forpresident last night, and Quilici chose not tocomment on her vice-presidential candidacy.

Gruenhut could not be reached for comment.

Bowing Out

All of these candidates face a more open field,thanks to the current council president's andvice-president's decisions not to run forre-election.

Stewart will be abroad in Hong Kong nextsemester, and Cohen said he has had enough ofhigher office on the council.

"One year is enough," he said. "It takes a tollon you. It's a big time commitment and a big partof your life."

Cohen said he will remain active on the counciland will endorse a slate of candidates for theelection.

The Black Students Association, which hasmultiple members running for each office, electednot to endorse a slate for this year at a meetingseveral weeks ago

Burton and Resnick are not the only roommateteam running for the office: Swasey is seeking thepresidency on a ticket with White, his KirklandHouse roommate.

Swasey, who is not a council member, said hewants to change the way the council operates.

"I consider myself not quite as politicky" ascouncil members, Swasey said. "I consider myselfmore of a person that would try to get thingsdone."

Swasey, who has served as president of HarvardYearbook, said the council should focus on studentgroups, serving as a clearinghouse forinformation.

Quillen said he is also running for presidentto reform the council.

He said he decided to run when he heard aboutlow voter turnout in council elections.

"I think the council should be more responsiveto the students," said Quillen, who does not havea running-mate.

Quillen also proposes an interclub council tocoordinate activities between student groups.

Dominguez of Cabot House and his running mate,Angela Wu, also said they wanted the council toinvolve more of the community.

"Most students don't know what happens behindthose closed doors," said Dominguez, who served onthe council last year.

Dominguez said he advocates putting leaders ofstudent groups on the council to serve alongsidethe elected representatives. He also advocatedusing the council to host forums and debates.

"I want the U.C. to be the center for thediscussion of student politics, like the Instituteof Politics is for real-life politics," he said.

Levy said he wanted to limit the role of thepresident to dealing with council matters.

"If the council pretends it's electing astudent body president, they're completely off themark," he said. "The council needs to be theleader of a specific group and not worry about thegreater Harvard population."

Levy does not have a running-mate.

While Swasey, White, Quillen, Dominguez andLevy all said they want to shake up the council,Seton and Redmond emphasized their provenleadership abilities.

"I'm a council member who has produced resultsin the past," Seton said.

Seton chaired the dining services committeethat brought about the creation of the fly-bylunch program in Loker.

He is entering his third year on the council,where he is vice chair of the Student ActivitiesCommittee (SAC).

Redmond is a veteran campaigner as well as atwo-year council member: she sought the vicepresidency last year as well.

Seton and Redmond said they advocate a varietyof proposals, from increased student group fundingand involving more student groups in campus-wideevents to equalizing House facilities.

Michelle Robinson of Leverett House said shewants to use the presidency to expand programsdealing with sexual harassment.

"Freshmen receive the balance of those kind ofprograms, and I wish that upperclassmen couldreceive an equal balance," she said.

Robinson, who does not have a running-mate,said she also wants to make students more aware ofthe services that the council already provides andto improve Springfest.

Lubens declined to comment on her candidacy forpresident last night, and Quilici chose not tocomment on her vice-presidential candidacy.

Gruenhut could not be reached for comment.

Bowing Out

All of these candidates face a more open field,thanks to the current council president's andvice-president's decisions not to run forre-election.

Stewart will be abroad in Hong Kong nextsemester, and Cohen said he has had enough ofhigher office on the council.

"One year is enough," he said. "It takes a tollon you. It's a big time commitment and a big partof your life."

Cohen said he will remain active on the counciland will endorse a slate of candidates for theelection.

The Black Students Association, which hasmultiple members running for each office, electednot to endorse a slate for this year at a meetingseveral weeks ago