Council Leaders Take Helm

In spite of several transportation mishaps, Matthew L. Sundquist ’09 and Randall S. Sarafa ’09 were inaugurated as Undergraduate Council (UC) president and vice president last night.

Outgoing UC President Ryan A. Petersen ’08, who was supposed to swear in his successor, was stranded in New York after his car was towed.

Partway through Sundquist’s inaugural speech, outgoing UC secretary Kyle A. Krahel ’08 arrived, after being delayed by a bike accident.

Still acting as vice president, Sundquist swore his running mate in, and Sarafa gave a speech thanking supporters and emphasizing transparency and communication.

Sarafa said that he and Sundquist would work to establish accountability, as faculty members and students conduct the first review of the UC in its twenty-five-year existence.

Election Commission Chair Michael L. Taylor ’08 swore in Sundquist, who quipped at the start of his speech, “So, my few minutes out of office were relaxing.”

Sundquist said he was excited that his experience on the UC would enable him to have a substantial effect on the undergraduate body.

“I think the coolest thing about college is that we become educated as a whole person,” Sundquist said, as he expressed the hope that he and Sarafa could affect other students’ education through their time as president and vice president.

Having temporarily traded in his characteristic scruffy look, Sundquist—wearing a pink pinstriped button-down shirt—discussed mental health initiatives and Administrative Board reform—some of the issues that made up his campaign platform.

The UC passed a motion to inform the University that the UC’s Ad Hoc Ad Board Committee is currently reviewing the way students are affected by the board’s decisions.

“The main issue that we’re trying to point out is that we want students to be on it,” Sundquist said, referring to the way the two committees may work together in the future.

Last night was also the time for elections to other positions on the council. During the general meeting Maia Usui ’11 was elected in an unopposed bid for UC secretary.

Following the general meeting, the Student Affairs Committee held its own elections. Mallika Khandelwal ’11 was elected SAC vice chair for the Committee on Undergraduate Education. Joyce Y. Zhang ’09 was elected in an unopposed bid for vice chair for House Life. Tamar Holoshitz ’10 was elected in an unopposed bid for vice chair of College Life. Jennifer L. Thompson ’09 was also elected unopposed to the position of SAC secretary.

Finance Committee elections will be held on Wednesday.

—Staff writer Chelsea L. Shover can be reached at clshover@fas.harvard.edu.