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Student Senate Candidate Statements

Megan Willits | Angela Migally | Samuel Taylor | Dan Persky
Aaron M. Slodounik | Caroline Sorgen | Nathaniel Stankard | Joshua Kaye | Laura Iverson
Sarah Stein Greenberg | Barbara "Bobbi" Lopez | Chapin Benninghoff | Amy Marquardt

Megan Willits

I am running for Senate primarily because I think I will represent the student body well. For the past few semesters, I have been observing the relationship between the students and the administration at Oberlin, and the political scene on the campus in general. Though I feel like some aspects remain confusing, one has become more clear to me: that I should become more involved.

The nature of this involvement would be different than my involvement with other student groups that I have been a member of and held elected positions in, because we are at a critical time in terms of what our student government can and should do. At this moment, each senator has the ability to not just work within the system, but to help change it. I will use whatever resources are necessary to make sure that the needs and wants of the students are addressed.

Endorsements: OPIRG, OSCA

Angela Migally

My name is Angela Migally and when I started Oberlin last fall I decided that I was going to run for student government. Well, as everyone has experienced, one gets busy and soon you realize that you missed your chance. So obviously I did not run last semester. This semester I decided I was not going to miss my chance again.

Oberlin is a great school but not perfect. Having a diverse student body addressing diverse issues, conflicts are bound to arise. I feel Student Senate should be at the core of resolving these issues. I want students to come to Sudent Senate with their problems, problems with fellow students, problems with professors, problems with the administration and problems with the Oberlin community. I want Student Senate to offer a place for the students.

I may just be a lowly first-year with naiive visions of student government, but I truly believe that everyone has a voice and every voice counts. As a member of the African-American Students Assocation (ASA) and a part of the committee to draft a charter for Women of Color Alliance (WOCA), I have obtained experience in listening to other students' ideas, planning for the future and the art of compromise. These three things are essential for any student representative. I feel I have these attributes and would love to use them as a student representative.

True, I have never been a "representative" in student government, but would greatly appreciate this wonderful learning experience. With a new student government I believe next year will be a new start of student representation by students.

Samuel Taylor

We are starting from scratch, we have a new constitution and hopefully a newfound drive to push forward. This was my first semester on Student Senate and I felt that the things we were doing, including the constitution, were not that connected with the student body.

We are supposed to be the leaders, instead it seems we are hidden away. We can't be effective leaders till we make ourselves visible to the student body. Not just through the Review but also through making ourselves more visible. The student body might see us as individuals tabling, but if they see us as a body, discussing issues pertaining to them, then I think they will be more inclined to be involved. That is why I will be pushing for public meetings. Also, I will push Student Senate to just deal with a few big issues and push them, not a bunch of small ones that don't rewally effect the student body. The problem is that students are content with the system, thus it is hard to mobilize them to change the system for the better. We must push to make the system work for them and us also be more enjoyable. Finally I think I would be an excellent candidate because I have a more conservative stance than most senators, thus through discussion we will be able to make proposals better, and I also would give a strong minority view of Oberlin that most of the other mainly white senators don't see.

Dan Persky

Hi, my name is Dan Persky and I am a junior in the college of Arts and Sciences. I am a politics major and a Law and Society minor. I have served on Student Senate for each of my three years here and have served as a member or chair of many different Student Senate and faculty committtees. In addition to Student Senate I also work for the Admissions Ofifice and am a member of the local Amnesty International group. I have been endorsed by many campus organizations. In my senior year here at Oberlin I hope to work to reduce the waste of paper on campus, continue the long-range planning process and improve relations between Student Senate and student organizations. I plan to continue working with the Winter Term committee and sponsor such events as the student-initiated Winter Term fair. I promise to be an accessible student senator. I am always willing, and desire, to talk with student organizations, co-ops or hall councils. I promise to be a leader in making Student Senate more accessible to the student body. If you have any questions or just want to chat please feel free to call me at x5297 or e-mail me at sdp9426. I am your Student Senator!

Endorsements: SOBIE, OPIRG, OMTA

Aaron M. Slodounik

Aaron Mitchell Slodounik is my name, and I would like to represent you in Student Senate. Foremost, the opinions of the entire campus community concern me, but my focus will be representing issues of concern to OSCA and the Jewish community.

As a 1997-8 CRO and member of OSCA, I would like to serve on Residential Life, seeking ways to enhance campus life. I am also concerned with the entire Jewish community, comprising 25 percent of the student body. I feel that the Jewish student community is fragmented, and I seek to find solutions to enrich the needs of all Jewish students. The Religious Life committee interests me.

I have strong leadership and organizational skills, most recently as a leader of an Outing Club trip and, before college, a chair of a regional convention for 100 Jewish youth. I look forward to an active role on campus this coming year.

Endorsements: Kosher-Halal Co-op, Hillel

Caroline Sorgen

I feel that not enough students know how the administration is run and how its decisions affect us. I am one of those students. I would like to run and not only learn these ins and outs, but also the word to other students so that we can have a say in how our college is shaped.

Nathaniel Stankard

Here's yet another dry candidate statement for you to read. If you have any questions or wish to discuss anything here, feel free to e-mail or call me.

My primary reasons for running:

1. Continue the reforms in student government and give real power to the student body

2. Work on issues for low-income students

3. Continue to push student issues in Residential Life, including partial meal plans, dorm renovation, etc.

4. Push for curriculum innovation

5. Reform the Rules and Regulations (Fussers), making them intelligible

6. Act as a resource for student power on campus

Joshua Kaye

Over the past two years I've fought hard for personal liberties and student empowerment. I've been a watchdog on and off Senate, and I've been there for you every time. Elect me to the new Senate and see how broad based initiatives can result in real change. Pet projects: student bill of rights, organizational funding, dress code, co-ed rooms, ethnic studies.

Endorsements: Oberlin ACLU

Laura Iverson

We all have things that we need to get done. We now have the senate structure to facilitate activism on campus between individuals and groups. Now we need senators who have the want and the ability to work for getting things accomplished on campus. I am one of those senators.

In my experience this past semester as SOBIE's (Students Overcoming Barriers In Education) organization senator, I have seen what can happen when people who are passionate about an issue work together. I will continue to work with SOBIE as a memer, and as a SOBIE-sponsored senator.

As a junior sociology major and a transfer student, I have been on this campus for a year. In that time I have begun to see what needs to be changed and improved on this campus. I have been working toward an improved college with SOBIE, now I want to improve the college for you.

Endorsements: SOBIE

Sarah Stein Greenberg

The possibility for great change in Student Senate beckons to us, and we as a student body must push the Senate into a position of power.

Our greatest avenue to power lies in shaping curriculums, giving input on the hiring of new professors and advocating for classes and majors we want available to us. For inlives.

The primary reason why I think I should serve on Student Senate is because I believe in the vailidity and importance of student government at Oberlin. We as students have so much power, POWER TO MAKE OUR LIVES AND EDUCATIONS BETTER.

I have served as the Student Senate assistant for several months, since the position was created. In this capacity I have had the unique opportunity to be integrated into the inner workings of Senate, and yet still observe it as a partial outsider. I have seen both the flaws and the positive aspects of the way Senate runs. I want to be an agent of change towards a more effective system of organization.

I have had major leadership roles in two other areas of Oberlin life, organizational and residential. I have served as co-chair of the Oerlin Musical Theater Association, and as co-chair of Talcott's Hall council. These positions have helped me to expand my leadership skills and deepend my knowledge of the college and the way it is run. Help me make the future Senate a strong advocate of students' rights. Please give me the opportunity to encourage students to take advantage of the power that is at our fingertips.

Endorsements: OMTA

Barbara "Bobbi" Lopez

At Oberlin I have been extensively involved with various organizations, including La Alianza and OSCA. With La Alianza, I worked on the conference that was held two weeks ago and am an active memer of the Latino studies committee working to ensure that the curriculum is representative of all peoples. With OSCA, I was on the accessibilities committee first semester which had the aim of making OSCA more accessible to low-income individuals and students of color. I was also president of OSCA during Winter Term. I feel like I've had the organizational experience to represent student concerns on campus through Senate as I have also worked within the institution hoping to make the student voice heard on the Educational Plans and Policies Committee. My goals as senator are these:

1. to ensure that the curriculum is inclusive of all people's histories and work toward creating a cross-cultural studies program

2. to make sure that the campus is aware and informed about happenings within the administration and faculty and staff decisions made about them. If a student has a concern that he or she is knowledgeable about what committee to approach to get a grievance heard.

3. Though the new constitution is a step in the right direction, it is flawed and I would work toward eliminating those flaws so to make Student Senate more efficient.

4. work on the meal plan options

Chapin Benninghoff

For six years I've been in and around Oberlin, and I've been involved in Senate from the beginning, through ups and downs. I'd like to point to even one revolutionary change that I've been a part of, but I can't. Student government isn't about rallies and bombing the president's house. It's about incremental improvements and being a watch-dog for student interests. As one person, I can't claim to have changed the world. I have, however, fought for the hiring, against the wishes of the dean of Student Life, of a student friendly assistant dean. At present, I'm working on a proposal to reform the registration-hold system to allow more low-income students to pre-register. Many of your classmates never get a first crack at classes through the register program: they have to beg profs to hold spots for them. These kind of changes don't get headlines in the Review, but they make a difference. That's what student government is all about.

Amy Marquardt

I see myself as a first-year as more positive than negative. I am still new and do not have one interest or motivation that I am supporting. As a growing member of the Asian-American Alliance, Oberlin Korean Student Association, Oberlin Christian Fellowship, an athlete in intercollegiate women's soccer, swimming, volleyball and as a member of Third World Co-op and a future member of Third World House, I feel I could represent several students at Oberlin College. When I lived in Barrows, one recurring statement that I heard was 'there's nothing to do here.' I find that false. But are people who are saying that know about the six pages of student groups in Fussers alone? Do they know about the speakers, movies, concerts that take place daily? If they do not, then that is sad. If students do not know about what is offered, then how are we going to inform staff, faculty, other non-students or, better yet, protect these organizations? Through Senate, I want to give the student body a voice, protection. Addressing things like financial aid, classes offered, rules and regulations, dining and housing and study abroad are just a few ways I would like to help the student body. So help me inform.

Endorsements: OKSA, OCF

Oberlin

Copyright © 1997, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 125, Number 24, May 9, 1997

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