Haddock Pledges To Listen

Last week, when Kevin C. He ’09 told John S. Haddock ‘07 his idea for making Lamont Library an “all-media” center—with DVDs, movies, videos, and CDs all in one place—the Undergraduate Council (UC) presidential candidate took out a pad of paper to write it down.

“That’s not a bad idea,” Haddock told the freshman.

Haddock has made his campaign for UC president all about exactly this kind of exchange. He says that his responsiveness to student ideas and ability to implement them, as he did with extending Lamont hours, is what will set him apart as a UC president.

Meanwhile, Haddock’s running mate, fellow social studies concentrator Annie R. Riley ’07, was confiding that she “loves going door to door” in a laughing whisper to freshman girls in Canaday as she campaigned in the Yard.

Wearing a pink scarf and an omnipresent smile, Riley says that she wants to hear their opinions about improving freshman social life since the issue is often not “overwhelmingly represented on the council.”

“I got to see what kind of person she is—a very friendly, outgoing, bubbly, excitable person who really enjoys spending time with people,” says William M. Skinner ’09, who met Riley on the campaign trail.

Haddock-Riley supporters have brought this energy to the Science Center lawn each day as they give away fish stickers (in honor of Haddock’s last name) and carry a giant yellow sign that took three days to make.

Numerous student organizations have endorsed the Haddock-Riley ticket, including Fuerza Latina, the Harvard College Democrats, the Executive Board of the South Asian Association, and the Society of Arab Students.

After interviewing all the candidates, “it was pretty clear that John Haddock and Annie Riley not only were the most qualified, but also had the clearest vision of what they wanted to do once they became president and vice president,” says Eric P. Lesser ’07, president of the Harvard College Democrats.

BLENDING EXPERIENCE

Haddock and Riley say that one of their ticket’s biggest strengths is their diversity of experience.

Haddock, now in his second year on the UC, has served two terms as vice-chair of the Student Affairs Committee (SAC). Riley, a former council member who says she became “disillusioned with the UC and its process,” says that she now brings a “critical perspective of what the UC could do differently.”

UC Treasurer Matthew R. Greenfield ’08 says that Haddock is able to recognize the UC’s faults even while holding a central position within it.

“John Haddock is proving that you can be honest and down to earth and still be a candidate,” says Greenfield, who is supporting the Haddock-Riley ticket.

Supporters say that Haddock’s record confirms that as UC president, he could successfully implement reforms to address student needs.

“They really are the only ticket with real accomplishment. They’re the only ticket that has worked effectively with the administration and because of that experience they’re the only ticket that can accomplish change,” says Ryan A. Petersen ’08, a UC member who is working for the Haddock-Riley campaign.

One of the campaign’s major focuses, Haddock says, is to rectify UC detachment by allowing more options for student feedback in the form of polling, surveys, and outreach programs, and to promote greater interaction between the UC and the administration.

Haddock conducted a poll of 270 students for his report on a 24-hour Lamont and conceived of and advanced the idea of “House neighborhoods” which allow freshman blocking groups to request to be lotteried into nearby Houses. Both proposals have been implemented this year.

Former SAC chair Aaron D. Chadbourne ’06, who has not officially endorsed any candidate, says that Haddock’s greatest strengths are his work ethic and his ability to get results.

“He is really ambitious with big ideas,” Chadbourne says. “He earned the respect of the [SAC] committee and administration.”

According to Greenfield, 12 out of SAC’s 16 members support Haddock-Riley—in a committee vice-chaired by Haddock and chaired by competing vice-presidential candidate Tara Gadgil ’07.

Haddock serves as vice-chair of the Committee on Undergraduate Education and contributed an essay to a book of student commentary on the Curricular Review. He says his next step on the committee will be to tackle teaching fellow standards.

Haddock-Riley campaign manager Josh Patashnik ’07 describes Haddock, who is also a First-Year Outdoor Program leader and was active in Harvard Model Congress, as a persuasive influence on the council.

Recounting Haddock’s presentation on the blocking neighborhood idea to a group of House masters and administrators, Patashnik says, “all the House masters were skeptical. But after he went in there and made his report, everyone went for it. He did such an amazing job convincing the committee.”

Supporters say that Riley, who is the director of Harvard Best Buddies, a nonprofit organization that serves individuals with intellectual disabilities, also has a reputation for being a strong leader.

“Annie activates people. I never doubt Annie’s sincerity and earnestness. Whether it be disability issues or the UC, Annie means every word she says,” says Lauren N. Westbrook ’07, director of another Phillips Brooks House program and Haddock-Riley supporter. “That truthfulness comes through in the way she speaks and connects with her audiences. Plus, the girl can tell a good story.”

In addition to Best Buddies, Riley is also the development chair of CityStep and a prefect in Canaday A. She served on the UC for two years and last year worked on position papers to improve peer advising and inter-house transfers.

“You can basically approach her about anything, which is exactly what a prefect should be like,” says Randall S. Sarafa ’09, who lives in Canaday A and is secretary-treasurer of the UC’s Finance Committee (FiCom).

Patashnik says Riley’s commitment to her activities reflect her desire to help people.

“Annie is all about really having a tangible impact...improving lives of other students or people outside of Harvard,” says Patashnik.

BRINGING DOWN THE IVORY TOWER

As indicated by the name of their campaign website, fixtheuc.com, Haddock says the main emphasis of the campaign is to “fundamentally change the way the UC operates and stop wasting students’ money.”

In response to this year’s failed Wyclef Jean concert, which cost the UC between $25,000 and $30,000, Haddock and Riley say that they plan to “get the UC out of the social programming business” by eliminating the Campus Life Committee (CLC).

Riley says that “the student body has a right to be angry” about several of the UC’s large-scale social events, such as the concert and the sparsely-attended Springfest Afterparty and Havana on the Harbor events.

In the UC candidate debate last Wednesday, Haddock portrayed the CLC as being “unable to have successful parties” and criticized opposing candidate John F. Voith ’07, current chair of the CLC, for his role in the failed events.

Haddock and Riley support forming a completely independent committee that would have greater communication with and financial assistance from the administration to plan large social events. They say that the Social Events Committee proposed under an amendment currently being considered by the UC would still be too closely tied to the council.

“John’s been incredibly successful working with administration, and he’s going with a model that works. [The] UC’s [current] model is one that apparently is not working,” says Lauren P.S. Epstein ’07, former Campus Life Committee (CLC) chair, who endorses the Haddock-Riley ticket.

But others doubt the effectiveness of such a radical change.

“I am very concerned with their plan to completely dump social programming from the UC’s purview,” says Financial Committee Chair Jane J. Fang ’08, who is supporting Voith-Gadgil. “If we were to dissolve the Campus Life Committee on the UC, we need appropriate leadership for this transition. Haddock lacks experience in social programming.”

Riley has also faced criticism that her departure from the UC, in choosing not to run for a representative position this fall, revealed an unwillingness to work through the system.

Riley, who worked on SAC last year, says that she decided not to run again because she “got fed up with the Ivory Tower” and the “politicking” on the UC.

She adds that her time away from the UC has given her a unique perspective as “just a student” on what needs to be changed and how best to work with the clubs to improve the social community.

The key to improving UC receptiveness, Haddock says, is through supporting House Committees and student organizations, calling these groups the “heartbeat of campus.”

Their campaign proposes to increase the amount of money available to clubs through UC grants, which last year distributed $210,000 to student groups.

Riley says that empowering students will take candidates who are approachable and open.

“It will take the kind of leadership that’s willing to talk to the kid sitting alone in the dining hall,” Riley says.

Petersen says that Haddock and Riley have the characteristics that will help them act as a bridge between students and the UC and College leadership.

“John’s a teddy bear. Annie Riley has so much vivacity. They have the personality types that really connect with students,” Petersen says.