ACT: Acting in the Community Together

Joe Marren

What’s happening Carleton,

I’m Joe Marren, a junior political science major, and I’m running for ACT Center Liaison. I believe that my experience as a volunteer and Student Coordinator through the ACT Center, as well as my interest in CSA makes me uniquely qualified for this position.

I have volunteered with numerous ACT programs during my three years at Carleton, including Special Olympics and Habitat for Humanity, and last year I was chosen to lead a Habitat for Humanity trip over spring break. This year I have served as an ACT Center Student Coordinator, and as such, I brought you many one time volunteer events, moderated a Careers in Social Justice panel, contributed to the ACT self-study review, worked to bring the new white board to the ACT Center, and many other things! I have also served as ACT’s liaison to the Dean of Students Office, and I have a positive relationship with the administration, which is crucial for getting things done on campus. Currently I am working on a car wash fundraiser, Scrub for HOPE, that will benefit the HOPE Center.

This past fall I worked extensively with the CSA senate on the first Carls in the Community, providing essential support and guidance from the ACT Center. For this day of service project I served as the link between the ACT Center and senate, which is exactly what the ACT liaison will do next year. In addition to this experience with senate, I have also kept a close eye on CSA over the past three years, having attended upwards of fifteen meetings, and I am very closely familiar with how senate works and I understand exactly what is required of me as a senator.

As the ACT liaison, I will work to improve Carls in the Community, making it a more accessible, more effective service opportunity than it already is. As a Student Coordinator again next year, I will keep the dialogue open between CSA and the ACT Center, ensuring the free flow of information so that both groups can work effectively together. As a senator I will work and vote for and toward anything and everything that will make Carleton a happier, more exciting, more amazing place! I am also a cross country and track athlete and am extensively involved in Ebony, so I bring a variety of viewpoints to the table. I hope that you’re having an awesome spring term, and I look forward to serving you next year as CSA’s ACT liaison.

Patrick Nalepka

Hello, my name is Patrick Nalepka and I am running to serve as the ACT Center Liaison for the next academic year. My primary role will be to report the actions and needs of the ACT office to the Senate and in return, give the ACT center recommendations on how they should proceed.

I am currently a tutor for the ACT center and have experience in coordinating people and listening to voter concerns as a Canvass Manager for a local political campaign in 2008. In the next academic year, I was chosen to serve as a Student Coordinator for the ACT office allowing me to have a closer relationship with the staff and gain insider knowledge on the needs of the ACT center.

Serving as the ACT Center Liaison, I will focus my energy on ensuring that the needs of the ACT center are met while still focusing on what is best for Carleton as a whole. While promoting their needs, I also plan on pushing for methods to increase participation in the programs that ACT provides. I hope to achieve this by making ACT a more visible aspect of Carleton life by helping the Center publicize their achievements and make volunteering more attractive.

I believe the ACT Center is an amazing aspect of Carleton life and I am committed to serve the needs of both the ACT Center and Carleton.

AFAC: Admissions and Financial Aid

Jonathan Hillis

I have served as the Secretary of Student Senate as well as the Secretary of Budget Committee. I am a Resident Assistant and active member of the CSA and Carleton community. I created my high school’s bell schedule and honor code. I am currently serving as the Vice-Chief for the Boy Scouts of America’s national honor society for the section that comprises most of the state of Texas.

Here are some of my beliefs that are pertinent to my role in Carleton Senate:

Alcohol Policy: I fundamentally believe in the college’s philosophical statement in the alcohol policy, which says: “Carleton College is committed to promoting responsible behavior regarding the use of alcoholic beverages. As an educational institution, the College provides resources through which students are empowered to inform themselves about the physiological, psychological, and sociological effects of alcohol and other drugs upon the individual and the community.”

My goals will be to limit cases of hospitalization resulting from alcohol use while maintaining the college’s empowering method of student driven self-moderation. In short, I would stand for a continuation of the college’s current enforcement practices.

Environment: I support the college’s continued efforts to produce a more sustainable campus. I believe that we are doing great things as a campus to maintain sensible environmental practices, and I will fight to keep these practices around and improve upon them.

Student Involvement: I will continue the trend of Town Hall Meetings and other ways of soliciting student input in major college issues, and will work to make sure that these discussions are heard by the administration.

Issues You Care About: While I have highlighted a few important issues that are sure to face the Senate in the next year, it is important to note that the areas of focus of the Senate are yet to be determined, and I would love to have your input on what we, as a campus, should be talking about. I will always be open to hear what you would like to change or not change on campus and how you think we should be doing it. Email me at hillisj with any thoughts or concerns.

Admissions and Financial Aid: Increase selectivity: I believe in Carleton as a top-tier academic institution. Carleton needs to get its name out in the public sphere more openly in an effort to increase the application pool and allow for the best possible admitted students.

Decrease cost: Carleton is one of the most expensive academic institutions in the country. In exchange for the high price tag, we receive a fantastic education, but we need to focus on keeping the year-to-year cost-percentage from rising so much, so that we can maintain a diverse, smart group of students, regardless of financial situation.

Will Ladner

My name is Will Ladner and I am a sophomore biology major from Minnesota. I am running for the Senator/Admissions and Financial Aid Liaison position, and I really think you should help me out by voting. Here’s why:

  • I’ve spent two terms this year faithfully serving the campus on the CSA Budget Committee. Through my experience on Budget Committee I have learned to balance my urge to distribute as much money as possible to deserving student groups with a firm understanding of CSA’s by-laws and guidelines. I have developed the tendency to question our policies that is necessary to ensure that we continue to act responsibly and proactively.
  • I am extremely open and receptive to other’s ideas. When working with senate, I will not be representing myself, but hopefully many others.

I feel I have a lot to contribute to the Admissions and Financial Aid committee, and through collaboration with the administration, I will work hard in this area that is so essential to Carleton. Thanks for your time and email me if you have any questions!

CEDI (Equity and Diversity Initiative Liaison)

Samir S. Bhala

I stand for fairness and equitable treatment. I stick to my ideals and will fight, fight, fight, until my last day on campus, to do what I can to introduce fair and equitable governing on campus.

As someone who has devoted his young life to politics and political action, I have held various positions of active leadership and feel that I am qualified to fight for equality on campus in CEDI. I have worked before in local, state, and federal government, and have helped enact change at every step.

For me, political involvement is the key to responsible citizenship. When I was four, my father defined responsibility for me as “knowing what you need to do and doing it unasked.” His message to me was that, despite all the hardships in the world, nobody can take away what one earns through principled, hard work. My participation in the “Model United Nations” program allowed this mantra to come alive for me. I learned that to accomplish anything, I would not only have to persuade others on my agenda, I would have to exercise self-control and responsibility on theirs. In that medium, I learned that passion and polemics, my natural strengths, would not help further my goals by themselves. I learned the art of compromise, when to hold my tongue, and how passive irresponsibility (for example, not supporting anything) is as unproductive as the active kind. In four years, spanning from high school to college, I learned that a responsible individual tries to bridge gaps, not widen them.

At Carleton, I have also instituted my father’s advice, devoting whatever spare time I have to work with student government to ensure the student voice is heard on campus. As an intercultural peer leader, I am charged with the task of mentoring young students through their transition to Carleton. As a disabled student, I know how tough it is to finagle the smallest of accommodations from the College. As a student of color, I can recognize that the College is in dire need of help in attaining its goal of becoming a collaborative place of learning for all. In my own way, I have taken it upon myself to work for change. I stood on the Committee for Student Life last year, and helped alter Bon Appetit’s backpack policy. I also worked on the Discrimination Policy, which was finalized this year. Finally, I have privately met with students in order to bring into fruition an updated form of the campus documents.

My experience in politics so far has come in the form of microcosms – involvement with a local city committee, Model UN, and internships. However, it is experience that I think allowed me to grow as a person and as a leader. I am ready to do the work, not just go through the motions, to make Carleton a hospitable place for all. I feel as though I am the right person to represent students on CEDI. Thank you for this opportunity.

Kelsey Han

Dear Carls:

My name is Kelsey Han, and I am currently serving on your behalf as a CSA Senator and also as a member of the Governance/Chartering Committee.

Before I have been unexpectedly appointed as a Senator to fill in a vacancy, I did not have a clear understanding of how it worked, what the Senate did, or what I could do as a member of the CSA. Once I joined the CSA Senate, however, I was instantly fascinated by the things that were being done by the Senate. I also found a great deal of passion and interest among Senators, and I saw how they were actually making differences.

One recent change that the Senate has made is to increase the number of representatives of the CEDI, or Community, Equity and Diversity Initiative, previously from one to two. CEDI is a committee that deals with improving the learning environment for diverse groups of students both inside and outside the classroom. The Senate’s decision to expand representation of CEDI is extremely significant because no other committee (other than College Council, an umbrella organization for CSA) has been allowed to have more than one liaison serving on the Senate. This action to make an exceptional case for CEDI reflects the Senate’s acknowledgment for the importance of CEDI’s initiatives in promoting diversity and equity within our student body.

In my opinion, diversity cannot be achieved simply through admitting an additional number of students with an international background. The key, I believe, is the continuous interaction between international students and the rest of the student body. As a minority student, I often felt like there was a lack of integration in many school activities. My goal is to make sure that major school events are mindful of a much more diverse and large portion of the student body and that they encourage active interactions among different groups of students.

Although I am confident that the Senate can make changes and has done so before, I also recognize that it is not always easy to see what the Senate is doing. Thus, I feel the need to improve the publicity and approachability of the CSA Senate. To that end, I am currently working on:

  • Posting weekly updates on bathroom stalls on what the Senate is up to.
  • Posting informative posters on how the CSA or the CSA Senate is structured, what kind of issues it deals with, and how to participate.

If I am re-elected, I am planning to pursue these measures consistently, as well as encouraging fellow Senators to visit study breaks to provide updates, in order to reach the general student body without too much effort on their part.

Although publicizing Senate and promoting diversity are my top two priorities, I am continuously learning more about diverse interests and demands of our student body. I hope to be able to continue to serve as your Senator in the coming year so that I can keep listening to our community’s needs and respond to them. I would appreciate your support for my election to this important position.

Sincerely,

Kelsey Han, Class of 2013

Noé Hernández

Why?

I am currently the liaison for the Community, Equity, and Diversity Initiative (CEDI) and have been asked to return for another year by the CEDI Leadership Board. My membership and established involvement in CEDI will help me communicate efficiently between CSA and CEDI. I have a working knowledge of what is currently going on in CEDI and would help catch up the other CEDI liaison.

Choose me for:

  • Experience: Currently the CEDI Liaison to CSA and one of the task forces: Learning Environment – Outside the Classroom. I am also the Co-Chair of the Latin American Student Organization (LASO).
  • Leadership: I have been a senator in CSA for the last year. I have also been in the leadership board of CEDI and in a task force. In being an active member in different groups and also a tutor/grader/lab assistant in physics, I think I have learned a lot of leadership skills and know how to accomplish tasks efficiently.

Goals:

  • Perspective: Through my involvement in LASO, CEDI, OIIL, and CSA I will bring a perspective that will help the Carleton Community. Knowing what the problems are, as shown in the Campus Climate, and actually going about changing them is my main goal.
  • Voice: I will represent everyone’s voice and, to the best of my ability, I will try to make the changes done known not only to CSA but also to everyone at Carleton.
  • Vision: To look at the Campus Climate issues found in the Campus Climate survey and address them. I would love to be someone in CSA whom people feel comfortable talking to.
  • Change: By looking at the campus climate survey and being involved with CEDI for the past year I will bring to CSA the perspective of the Carleton Community voiced in the campus climate survey and be an advocate for diversity, equity, and community in CSA.

Vote Noé!

College Council

Emily Cogsdill

Basically I am a pretty legit person – a rising senior who is involved in lots of random things and stuff all over campus who is committed to being Reasonable and Assertive (as opposed to crazy and assertive).

Okay, so let’s be serious. If you have to actually decide between more than two candidates for these two seats (and, historically speaking, this is somewhat unlikely), you’re probably going to vote for whoever you already know, you already like, or who you already know you like. This might or might not be me and that is fine. In the face of competition, things like this tend to just end up being campus-wide popularity contests anyway, and I am prepared to accept the outcome if it comes to that.

However, if you care enough to be looking at this platform, maybe you want something else – something to assure you that everything is going to be okay, and specifically that I have the power to make everything okay. So here we go with the official stuff.

EXPERIENCE:

None really. I’ve never done student politix at Carleton or anywhere ever. Whether you decide to view this as an asset or a liability is up to you. I tend to think it doesn’t matter a whole heck of a lot, but if you have Opinions to the contrary then there’s not much I can tell you.

QUALIFICATIONS

I’ve got good ideas and am not afraid to speak my mind. You want me to bring up an issue, ask some uncomfortable questions, whatever – I’ll do it. I am in favor of healthy debates about anything and everything ever and I am ready and willing to fight for whatever you the student body wants me to. And, in the case where you the student body don’t particularly want me to “fight” for anything (and let’s face it this is probably the most likely scenario), I will be committed to Asking Questions and Making Reasonable Decisions and will work towards fulfilling my (admittedly scant) policy objectives outlined below.

POLICY OBJECTIVES:

What the world (read: Carleton) needs more of is candy machines. I don’t mean the big vending machines with candy bars – those are making America’s youth overweight and lazy. What I’m talking about are those little things where you put in a quarter and get a handful of Mike and Ikes or gumballs or M&Ms or whatever the heck candy you choose. They’re amazing and completely underrated as sources of a) affordable joy and b) funds for student orgs. A vote for me = a vote for more candy AND more money. What is the hold up?

Café Fast should absolutely be used to fund Rotblatt. Email me if you want my full schpiel about this, but if you are pro-Rotblatt, then you should be pro-me because I will work to reverse this year’s decisions to make arbitrary judgments about how Café Fast should be used.

CSA’s web site is absurdly difficult to navigate. People tell me they’re working on this but I’m inclined not to believe them because it’s still in an abysmal state of affairs. If you care enough about CSA to be this far into my platform, you probably wouldn’t mind if their website were easier to navigate, eh? I’ve helped re-vamp the Music Department’s website into something vaguely navigable, so I’ve got some relevant “experience” and can/will totes make this happen if elected. Boom, baby.

So yeah. Vote for me if you want to, or don’t if you don’t. That is how Democracy works.

Justin A. Jack

My name is Justin Jack and I am a sophomore Political Science major from New Orleans, LA. I’m writing to ask you for your support during spring election in my campaign for Senator/ College Council Liaison. I have worked with a variety of organizations on campus and held a number of leadership positions. In addition, I’m running as a 3-term Budget Committee member. If elected, my primary goal is to increase the transparency between the college and the student body. There are a number of ways that I plan on enacting this goal:

  1. distributing monthly newsletters via email that also will be made available on the CSA website that will detail each meeting and the resolutions that are produced
  2. working with CSA to ensure that the policies that mean the most to students are reflected in the Council’s proceedings
  3. creating a space where students can make suggestions that pertain to the student policies that are on the Council’s agenda.

Simply put, my previous leadership experiences have given me the tools necessary to perform the duties of this position. As a liaison between CSA and College Council, I will make it my duty to meet, consult, and produce policy recommendations that reflect the interests and thoughts of the entire student body. Thanks for your time! Please email me any questions or suggestions (jackj).

Charlotte Turovsky

My name is Charlotte Turovsky and I am a member of the class of 2011. I am running for a position as your College Council Liaison to CSA Senate for the 2010-2011 school year. As your elected representative on both College Council and Senate, I will strive to voice your opinions and make sure you are fully aware of decisions and actions being made by both bodies. I am confident, thoughtful and I believe that I have gained the skills and made the connections over the past three years which will make me a successful and productive College Council Liaison.

During my time at Carleton, I have served as:

  • A College Council Student-at-Large for one term
  • A CSA Senator-at-Large for five terms
  • A member of the Committee on Student Life (CSL) for five terms
  • A Member of the Wellness Center Internal Review Committee
  • A Member of the Residence Hall Project Advisory Committee
  • A CAASHA Advocate
  • An RA

I admire the recent work of College Council towards the implementation of the changes recommended by the Sexual Misconduct Process Review Committee. I also applaud their work to affirm the importance of the Posse program on Carleton’s campus and to find creative solutions to increase the college’s revenue while still maintaining the character of the school. If I am elected, I hope to work to further these initiatives, as well as to re-introduce the topic of improving the Wellness Center and health services on campus (as per recommendations made by the Wellness Center Internal Review Committee) and to increase the prominence and institutional support of civic engagement and service learning at Carleton. I look forward to the opportunity to working for you next year!

College Council Students-At-Large

David Heifetz

Qualifications:

I have held numerous positions throughout the school that I believe have given me a unique perspective and ability to represent different aspects of the student body.

  • As a Senator for the past four terms, I am intimately familiar with the workings of Senate and the school’s administration in general.
  • As a Career Advisor in the Career Center I have had the privilege of working with all types of Carls throughout the school in helping them achieve their goals for the future. This position has given me a greater understanding of the student body as a whole as well as a view of the various aspirations that make up our student body.
  • As a member of the Varsity Baseball team, I can effectively represent the points of view and interests of much of the athlete community on campus.

Having experienced these three positions, I have gotten to know diverse swaths of the student population and would cherish the opportunity to continue to represent the diverse set of needs that you, the students, have.

Experience:

As a senator for the past 4 terms I have had the opportunity to influence Senate and make it a more effective body. Working with the senators on the following initiatives, we have made great strides, but there is still much work to be done.

  • New Class Representative Structure -In the fall I introduced bylaw reforms that have fundamentally changed the way senate is structured. Moving from an at-large system to class representation we now have many new ways for senators to reach out to students. This term, with the new system in place, I have held weekly meetings with the class reps, creating an atmosphere where we are all brainstorming and working together to improve the school on a weekly basis.
  • Among the new initiatives I have worked to start this past term have been:
    • Senators visiting study break meetings
    • Senators attending student organization meetings
    • Carletonian covering CSA more closely
    • Senators writing weekly updates that are published on what they have been doing
  • Also, I am currently in the process of putting together the first General CSA Survey. This will be a survey put out to students later in the term that asks you for your opinions on current Senate initiatives, what you would like us to do better, and what other issues you would like Senate to work for. I hope this will happen every term in the future and that it can become a great way to give Senate a mandate on certain issues as well as open more lines of communication between Senate and the rest of CSA (you, the students).

Plans:

  • Regarding issues of diversity in this school, the problems are multi-faceted. Our faculty lacks sufficient ethnic and intellectual diversity, our classrooms often lack diversity of thought, and our campus culture is often segregated along various lines that can make students feel uncomfortable, out of place, and misunderstood. In addition, these social separations severely hurt the school’s mandate to graduate well-rounded and educated citizens of the world. For all of these issues, I believe continued dialogue is key and I will work with CEDI (Community, Equity, and Diversity Initiative), the Office of Intercultural Life, the Faculty and Administration, and of course the student body to continue moving to make this a campus that always feels like home.
  • I also feel strongly that there needs to be a thorough course and professor evaluation process that increases faculty accountability by making the results available to both the administration and student body. The caucus system for student-to-student reviews is outdated, unorganized, and not very scientific. A formal and uniform way, therefore, for students to provide feedback on classes to both the faculty and administration is a huge opportunity before us in the ongoing process of improving courses and teaching.

Henry Rownd

Hi, I’m Henry Rownd and I don’t want your vote. The College Council and CSA Senate are both important committees at Carleton–critical to the functioning of the college and I believe that my election to either would be a travesty. Though my name may appear on the ballot please don’t mistake that minor fact for any comment on my part about the competency of any other candidates. As evidently caring Carleton students I am sure my so called “opponents” are exuberant and virile and would be able to fulfill the responsibilities of a Senator or Liaison with enthusiasm and verve if they were elected.

In fact, I heartily endorse whomever stands against me in this race. If elected I imagine I would quickly fall prey to special interests, voting favorably for my friends’ favored causes or groups and allocating funds to suit my own personal wants. Further, as an integral cog in the bureaucracy of the faux government at this college I would contribute to the inability of the Senate to accomplish anything of consequence by pontificating at length about issues I know little to nothing about and seizing upon inconsequential matters of protocol to distract the ignorant masses of the CSA who elected me.

  • If incompetent and arrogant governance do not top your list of desirable qualities for a candidate–please do not vote for me.
  • If you believe that CSA Senate is actually an institution that represents students’ interests well–please do not vote for me.
  • If you want the College Council to address serious issues that face Carleton at a pace faster than a slug on salted ice–please do not vote for me.

I realize that if elected I would have little trouble fulfilling my campaign promises–like Reagan, by promising government will not work I need only do nothing–but I trust that my even my gullible comrades in the CSA would not be so foolish as to support a candidate as unelectable as me. If I have not been able to persuade you of my incompetency yet, I leave you with these testimonials:

“I heard that Henry Rownd doesn’t even go to Carleton–he just sleeps in Sayles at night and lives on single pieces of hand fruit and bagels his ‘friends’ take out of the dining halls for him.” Alan Mendelson

“If I wanted a Senator who represented my interests, I could trust and who made things happen, I would vote for Ronald Reagan. Even a senile old man–even a dead senile old man–would be better than Henry Rownd.” Bentley Saunders Harrison Matthews

“If Henry is elected I am moving to Oberlin.” Kevin Shapiro

CSL: Committee on Student Life

Asim Manizada

Hello, I am Asim Manizada ’13, an international student from Azerbaijan. I plan to tackle several Student Life-related issues simultaneously, addressing the most pressing concerns. In addition to my objectives listed below, I welcome all suggestions and ideas – feel free to contact me by email or in person.

Objectives targeted:

  1. Promoting diversity, dialogue, and understanding between different demographic groups (a.k.a. “inter-cultural” does not mean “not-white”)
    • Though Carleton is diverse in many respects, it is of utmost importance that we benefit from that diversity to grow as a community. I plan to collaborate with the Community, Equity, and Diversity Initiative and OIIL/TRIO/GSC Liaison Senators to work towards a more integrated student body.
  2. A better sexual misconduct policy, with an emphasis on prevention of sexual assaults
    • There have recently been a number of concerns raised about the current policy on sexual misconduct. I intend to make sure that college takes appropriate action regarding all of the complaints and that there are no incidences of “cover-ups.” I will also work on a better prevention system for any kind of sexual abuse. CSA Senate Class of 2013 Representative Sana Rafiq has already started working on this issue and I will cooperate with her on this.
  3. Improvement in quality of food, sanitation levels of utensils, dishes, trays, etc.
    • As a student worker at LDC I have often encountered blatant violations of basic sanitation norms, as well as excessive usage of left-over products potentially hazardous to our health. I will negotiate with the college administration and Bon Appetit management to make sure that stricter control measures are put down. It’s critical for us to be getting healthy food, especially considering how much we are paying for it.
  4. Minor comfort-related issues
    • I would like to make sure that minor issues that can easily be dealt with are, in fact, dealt with. They include, but are not limited to: wi-fi coverage across the campus, bike racks outside of Burton, adjustable heaters, (sometimes) inefficient auto-flushers, One Cards working at all vending machines, and printer/copier/scanner in Goodhue.
  5. Getting YOU involved with the Senate!
    • The lack of active student involvement with the CSA has been raised on various occasions. Lack of interest seems to stem from the fact that many students deem Senate unimportant. I will actively involve students in the process of governance, and make sure that our voices are heard by the administration!

Thank you for your time and vote for Asim Manizada!

True Overholt

I have decided to run for the Senator position as a liaison with the Student Life Committee. I decided to run for this committee because of the perception that rules and regulations concerning student life are changing, and students neither know why these rules are changing, nor do they feel completely comfortable with the changes that are being made. The Student Life Committee is described as thus: “The Committee shall advise the Dean of Students on issues specifically concerning student life and shall help implement policies passed by the College Council and the Board of Trustees.”

I feel that as Carleton students, it is our right to be THE integral part of the decision making process as it pertains to us, the students. What is needed is open discussion from all parties involved to build compromises that make our (the students’) voices and thoughts heard, and that the decision that is made is the best decision for the students of Carleton.

I promise to offer an open ear to the students that I represent, and relentless creativity and originality in finding the best solutions for campus-wide problems. I promise that I will be an effective communicator, one that is responsive to the people that I represent, and that is passionate in carrying their point of view across to the Senate. I want to improve the Senate’s image as an open forum where any problem can be confronted, and I want to encourage participation from as many different students and student groups as possible.

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my platform, and thank you for considering my candidacy for Senate. If you have any questions, please do not to hesitate to contact me at overholt@carleton.edu.

ECC: Education and Curriculum Committee

Gabe Davis

Reelect Gabe Davis as ECC Liaison!

My Philosophy

Both on CSA and on ECC, I see myself as a mouthpiece for the student body. I have the know-how and the connections necessary to make change happen; but I will let students themselves guide what form that change will take.  Curricular policy at Carleton is at a turning point; next year will see the implementation of completely new graduation requirements f, and it is critical that students have an experienced, knowledgeable, and alert voice on ECC and CSA ready to hold the College accountable for how well those requirements are serving students.

Experience and Connections

During my year as ECC Liaison, I have earned the respect of the people who make education at Carleton happen. I am extremely well informed about Carleton’s curriculum and the procedures for making change. There are a diverse set of people and offices at Carleton with influence over curricular policy, including not only ECC but the Deans of the College, the Registrar, and most importantly, the faculty. My knowledge connections, established and cultivated over my yearlong investment in ECC, will allow me to hit the ground running advocating for issues I expect to come up next fall.

There is a right way and a wrong way to go about getting things done on ECC. Going about things the wrong way can lead to a loss of faculty respect for CSA and a lack of progress made on key issues. I know how to go about things the right way, addressing student concerns effectually and non-confrontationally.

A Record of Student Advocacy

I have supported causes important to students throughout my time on ECC.  I have been involved in:

  • Spearheading curricular responses to the Campus Climate Survey, including implementing the Peer-Led Inter-Group Dialogue program
  • Pushing for more flexibility in the college Writing Requirement
  • Getting students more flexibility in scheduling music lessons by increasing the number of music lessons allowed within the credit limit

Issues for Next Year

In the coming year I will take on the following key issues:

  • ExCo (Experimental College), a proposal spearheaded by Senator Sana Rafiq which would allow students to teach other students subjects of interest for credit
  • Change the Writing Portfolio to reflect student concerns with efficacy
  • Make sure that faculty are held accountable for for equity and diversity issues with students

John O’Neill

In my time at Carleton I have sought to improve campus life. I started the new Film Interest Floor (it will be located on Ground Evans next year) and made a few films (this one won 3rd Place and Audience Choice at DVDFest.)

I am well informed on issues facing Carleton and how to address them–in addition to talking with students, faculty and staff about their concerns I read the minutes for the CSA Senate and various Committees. These are some of the most pressing issues I will address as Liaison to the Education and Curriculum Committee:

Start an Experimental College at Carleton

In an experimental college, students, faculty members or visiting lecturers with knowledge of a subject that does not fit into an existing department can apply to teach a S/Cr/NC class on the topic for a few credits. Oberlin, University of Minnesota and Tufts are just of the few institutions that have such Experimental Colleges.

Courses will be approved by a committee consisting of students, staff and faculty. The Experimental College will expand the academic offerings here at Carleton by ensuring a place for innovative and interdisciplinary subjects to be taught and discussed.

I have already taken steps to implement this Experimental College, working with Class of 2013 CSA Senate Representative Sana Rafiq and other students researching the concept and determining how to best adapt it to fit the needs of Carleton students.

  1. Protect Students’ Freedoms in Choosing Their Course of Study
    • The new Graduation Requirements for the Class of 2014 and beyond mandate a more restrictive curriculum than those for preceding classes. The ability (and responsibility) to select from a wide range of courses in choosing what to study is a crucial part of a Liberal Arts education. I will strive to protect the ability of students to select from a broad range of courses.
    • Another proposal that has been discussed in the Education and Curriculum Committee meetings is further reducing the number of credits students can take for S/Cr/NC from 30 to 18. I oppose this. Students are more likely to take risks and explore subjects outside of their areas of expertise if they know that they can take the course S/Cr/NC. This enabling of broad learning is central to a Liberal Arts education.
  2. Clarify Course Designations
    • The level designation of a course (100, 200, 300) is not a consistent indicator of the level of difficulty of the course, especially between disciplines. In some departments (History, English, Political Science) a 200 level course is often open to everyone, regardless of major, and first year students are welcome to enroll.
    • In others (Physics, Chemistry, Art) a 200 level course indicates a course which has a significant number of prerequisites, is rarely taken by first year students and may actually be primarily taken by majors. This is confusing for people with multi-disciplinary interests–one of the character traits a Liberal Arts education is supposed to instill–who are trying to make decisions during registration.
  3. Make Auditing More Generous
    • Some courses/professors do not allow you to take the class and do work but receive no credit. Many students would be willing to do this, but aren’t allowed. Auditing, like S/Cr/NC, is a good tool for letting people take risks and broaden their education in ways that they might not otherwise do.
  4. What Policies YOU Want Enacted
    • The position of CSA Senator/Education and Curriculum Committee Liaison is a representative one so as students bring new issues to my attention I will work to address those. Representative government is reliant on an actively engaged public so please do not hesitate to contact me with any suggestions or concerns you might have.

EAC: Environmental Advisory Committee

Rhys Lindmark

I believe that the Carleton student body should invest more resources in becoming environmentally sustainable. This is a multi-fronted attack. A couple key ways to make Carleton a more environmentally conscious school are:

  1. Change current appliances and other objects such as light bulbs into the more sustainable versions of the object. In many cases, this transition will give money back to the college over time so that more money can be spent making Carleton environmentally sustainable.
  2. Increase the amount of vegetarian options and decrease the amount of meat that Bon Appétit offers. Meat production is a huge factor in carbon and methane emissions.
  3. Increase awareness on campus of the growing threat to our Earth because of human’s actions. We cannot be selfish. We must help the future generations of the human race, and thus Carleton students, to have a better world to live in. We must act now.

TRIO/OIIL/GSC Liason

Semira Mohammed

My name is Semira Mohammed and I’m running for a seat as the TRIO/OIIL/GSC liaison. Though I have not had much experience in the CSA senate, I have had experience in coordinating events, communicating with different groups on campus and engaging in discussions on different social identities on campus.

Experience

  • Serving on the Environment Taskforce of Carleton MPIRG where I communicate with other environmental advocacy groups on campus and in the Northfield community
  • Serving on the Activities and Entertainment committees for the International Festival
  • A member of Carleton’s Intergroup Dialogue program that will launch next Fall as a peer lead discussion course on different social identities

Objectives

  1. Create a foreign language support system for TRIO students
    • I intend to work with TRIO staff and peer leaders to establish a support system aimed specifically at addressing issues of foreign language learning for TRIO students. At present, many TRIO members have expressed a frustration towards the lack of foreign language support and I hope to address this concern.
  2. Promote stronger action and prevention of sexual assault.
    • I hope to work with campus organizations such as MPIRG to address the lack of action taken by campus officials regarding cases of sexual assault on campus. If elected, I will help coordinate discussions and teach-ins surrounding the issue of sexual violence on campus, reexamine Carleton’s current policy and confront many of the blatantly dismissive actions of campus officials on the subject.
  3. Restart the Four-in-One Program
    • The Four-in-One program, which was dissolved in 2007, addresses the need for male support in advocacy in opposition to sexual violence against women as well as the overlooked aspect of violence against men. Many have expressed a desire to restart this program and, if elected, I will support the initiative.
  4. Increase participation in diversity initiatives
    • This is one of the most difficult and nebulous parts of my program, but I feel it also deserves our time and energy. OIIL events are attended almost exclusively by students of color; there is a lack of straight participation in GSC events as well. I hope to work with the Community, Equity, and Diversity Initiative senator, the Committee on Student Life Liaison as well as members of the respective organizations to promote a more diverse participation in these initiatives.

Vaishali Umrikar

Hello Carleton,

Unfortunately, I will not be able to run in this term’s CSA Elections anymore, as I recently found out that I will not be on-campus for any two consecutive terms next year to carry out my position to its fullest potential (I will be abroad in the winter). I am extremely sorry for any inconveniences that this may cause. However, I still look forward to working on the issues I care about with CSA in the future.

Thank You, Vaishali Umrikar