Hayward-Zhang Tout Results

As Brian T. Ru ’11—campaign manager of the Hayward-Zhang bid for leadership of the Undergraduate Council—strolled around the Quad Sunday morning on his iPhone, he said his interview with The Crimson wouldn’t have been possible without the leadership initiatives of George J.J. Hayward ’11.

Improved cell phone service in the Quad and the continuation of late-night shuttles shape the ticket’s proven track record in the area of student advocacy, according to the campaign’s supporters.

“We are a campaign that is driven by results,” said Ru, adding that he backed Hayward on the basis of the candidate’s persistence and efficiency in achieving tangible changes for his classmates.

Hayward and Felix M. Zhang ’11 “really have the pulse of the student groups” and they “can channel that into a concrete change,” said Senan Ebrahim ’12, chair of the UC Student Life Committee.

“There is not much convincing to do once you show someone what [they have] done,” Ru said.

GIVING RESULTS

Hayward’s supporters said his commitment to result-driven leadership and improving student life on campus qualify him to lead the UC.

“I have always known who George Hayward was and knew the work he was doing because he was always out there and always giving results,” Zhang said.

While Zhang acknowledged that “there are a lot of students that say that the UC doesn’t matter,” he noted that many Quad residents were better off as a result of Hayward’s advocacy on the UC.

In response to the College administration’s proposal to cut late night shuttle services to the Quad last spring, Hayward said he immediately solicited students’ input.

After sending out e-mail surveys and inviting classmates to call him with their concerns, Hayward said he received hundreds of replies that he compiled into a 75-page document and sent to House Masters.

“George Hayward, above all candidates, is the type of leader who will support student initiatives,” said Mallika Khandelwal ’11, chair of the UC Student Initiatives Committee. “His record points in that direction.”

In addition to highlighting Hayward’s immediate responsiveness to the needs of Quad residents, Hayward’s backers emphasized his persistence.

“He’s the type of person that will ask a question and he will ask it again and again and he will be persistent to the point of annoyance,” Khandelwal said. “He is not the type of person to say ‘I tried and it didn’t work—good effort George’ and pat himself on the back.”

APPROACHING THE ADMINISTRATION

Beyond improving undergraduate life through the UC, supporters say Hayward’s approach has been effective in drawing the attention of the College administration to student issues.

Hayward noted that when he attempted to address the problem of cell phone coverage in the Quad, he initially faced the administration’s skepticism, which at one point, questioned the necessity of cell phones at all.

But because he was able to make “clear the issue was a security problem,” Hayward said he was able to successfully enact a cell phone service tower in the Quad for AT&T—one of the most popular service carriers on campus.

“George Hayward is an innovative thinker,” Ebrahim said, noting that Hayward’s plan to improve cell phone service in the Quad was a “solution no one else would have thought of.”

But staffers note that Hayward’s successes are not limited to the Quad, as the candidate plans to extend his advocacy across campus.

Specifically, Ru pointed to Hayward’s proposal to subsidize the cost of hiring a Harvard University Police Department officer at large-scale student events, currently a requirement when groups host more than 100 students.

Ru said that this change would provide a compromise between the administration and students regarding safety and the associated financial costs.

“It is a major concern for us and evidence of outside of the box thinking,” Hayward said. “We can protest all we want, but we have to offer new solutions, new ways to pitch to the administration in order to get things done.”

AN OUTSIDER’S PERSPECTIVE

Hayward’s running mate Zhang said he had significant outside experience that would complement Hayward’s work within the UC system.

While Hayward has had a notable presence on the UC, he has only led committees consisting of nine to 15 students.

“It is a challenge to mobilize upwards of 50 people effectively,” Ebrahim said.

Zhang said that his experience as a student group leader of larger organizations may mitigate concerns about Hayward’s ability to manage an organization the size of the UC.

In addition to his heavy involvement in the Chinese Students Association as vice president, Zhang also has experience working as a member of the Veritas Financial Group.

“He adds very valuable insight into what organizations have to go through to organize events,” Ru said, noting Zhang’s ability to handle publicity, funding and support for large events.