Miscellany News Editor in Chief Molly Turpin is introducing the debates.
8:10 | Candidate for President Mat Leonard cites his experience as Cushing President in explaining the need for input from constituents.
8:12 | Candidate for President Stephanie Damon-Moore echos Leonard’s views on student input but also underlines the importance of the President’s responsibility to moderate that conversation.
8:13 | Candidate for President Ben Reichman feels the VSA should echo the moral principles the College was founded upon.
8:15 | Candidate for Vice President for Operations Ruby Cramer is asked how she’d bring the somewhat invisible tasks of the position into the view of the student body.
8:18 | Cramer: “The connection between student body and alumni community is one of the campus’ biggest untapped resources.”
8:20 | Candidate for Vice President for Academics Laura Riker stresses the importance of Majors’ Committees.
8:20 | Candidate for Vice President for Activities Michael Longue is asked to describe the efficacy of the strengths noted in his candidate statement.
8:21 | Longue: “I’m going to vomit on your behalf.”
8:22 | Candidate for Vice President for Activities Tanay Tatum stresses the importance of an alumni connection for student organizations.
8:24 | Leonard cites Free Weezy and other events in describing unresolved campus controversy. He wants to “increase the VSA’s self-governance” and student voice. He wants to increase communication between the Executive Board and the student body, in an effort to bring more relevant student comments to the College’s administration.
8:29 | Damon-Moore is asked about community engagement and says there is lack of communication and collaboration between Vassar’s community groups. She notes the difficulty of the creation of a new community-based learning office at this time, but desires a central hub for students and alumni.
8:30 | Reichman is asked how his previous student activism will affect his relationship with the administration as VSA president. “A lot can be gained from the admission of our intolerance.” He would redirect campus debate towards a more “progressive conversation.”
8:32 | Anderson describes the VSA’s review of the JYA office this year as a learning experience benefiting her goal to improve inter-office communication.
8:36 | Turpin asks Vice President for Student Life candidates how they’d approach recent social conflicts involving race and gender arising at Vassar.
8:37 | Daryl Duran wants to develop a program to address these issues on campus.
8:40 | Samin Shehab would like to begin conversations with dorms and among student groups. “The passiveness of the VSA has to change.”
8:43 | Erin Clarke would like to see specific events where speakers would hold discussions on social conflicts.
8:46 | Candidate for Vice President for Finance Louise Connor stresses the importance of fundraising by student groups.
8:48 | Candidate for Vice President for Finance Liz Boateng echos Connor’s feelings on fundraising and collaboration between groups.
8:50 | Candidate for Vice President for Finance Travis Edwards notes the difficulties of allocating funds. Fundraising is “somewhat inconvenient” and wants to increase use of technology to streamline the financial aspect of organizations.
8:53 | Turpin asks Presidential candidates of their mot ambitious goal for the college’s 150th year.
8:54 | Leonard: Ensure students are engaged with the administration and the community and restructure funds to encourage organizations to reach out to Poughkeepsie.
8:56 | Anderson wants to make students as comfortable approaching the Executive Board as they are approaching their House Team. She desires further dialog between Security, Residential Life and students.
8:58 | Damon-Moore wants to establish joint task forces between elected students and non-elected students to ensure the most knowledgeable voices are heard.
9:00 | Reichman feels the way students of color are treated on campus is “reprehensible” and wants to ensure viewpoints on campus are not marginalized.
9:01 | Questions taken from the audience.
9:02 | Chair of Judicial Board Dan Salton: “How would you balance increasing campus security while encouraging community engagement?”
9:03 | Leonard: Move security outside of the dorms while creating desk attendants inside to act as first responders to noise and other complaints.
9:04 | Reichman: it is important to know why security incidences are occuring.
9:05 | Damon-Moore: Give security guards first-responder training.
9:06 | Anderson points out that guards do have first aid training and says it is “unacceptable” that guards are patrolling dorms instead of the grounds.
9:08 | Natalie Allen, Lathrop freshman representative, asks Leonard about his posters referencing delays in Lathrop renovations. Leonard notes the current financial situation of the College but says small things, such as replacement of bathrooms and doors, can be accomplished. Suggests the use of the Great Works fund for renovations.
9:11 | Shehab references increasing efforts by Buildings and Grounds to improve transparency via new programs and meetings.
9:13 | Damon-Moore sees the VSA as unable to tackle issues as large as dorm renovations but says the VSA can act as an intermediary between House Teams and the administration.
9:15 | A rising senior asks about the possibility of seniors being forced to buy a meal plan and asks the Presidential candidates what they’d be willing to do to prevent it.
9:16 | Leonard would send the issue to the Judicial Board, claims it is an infringement of students’ rights.
9:17 | Damon-Moore would ask students to petition the administration. If the administration wants to bring seniors back to ACDC, Anderson calls for reduced meal prices as incentives.
9:18 | Cramer is asked about the fairness shown toward Tasty Tuesday vendors and says that the event often sees more vendors than it can accommodate.
9:25 | Current Vice President for Activities Aaron Grober asks how candidates will balance personal involvement in organizations with being a representative for all organizations. Longue: “I want to see chickens dancing down the street.”
Voting opens tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.
This is some great blogging!