Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE) Liaison

Dan Bollinger ’16

My name is Dan Bollinger; I am a freshman from Baltimore, MD. I am new to the CSA but I work hard and will continue to work hard in order to streamline communications between the CCCE and the CSA. While I have not worked directly with the CCCE thus far, I have plenty of experience with service and education, having worked on service trips and volunteered throughout high school. I will bring a fresh perspective to the CSA and will always keep CCCE needs in mind during meetings.

My plan for the upcoming year is to spread the word of CCCE programs beyond just the few at CSA; instead, I hope to use that platform as a way to reach the broader Carleton community.

I am already active at Carleton due to my involvement with the rugby team, KRLX, alpine ski club (the one thats not cross-country skiing), and CSPC, but I would like to gain more experience in the administrative side of things. If elected feel free to pass on any concerns as well: I’m very friendly I promise I’ll listen! Please vote for me, but if not thats okay I’m not angry just disappointed. that just makes you feel worse doesn’t it 🙂

In short, I am just a regular student who wants to try to keep the CSA grounded: Please vote!

College Council Liaison (2)

Aun Hussain ’14

I am a Junior majoring in Political Science. Please read the following anecdote. 

The other day, I overheard President Poskanzer describe how his role as President has changed over the last 3 years. He noted that during his first year or so on the job, he mainly listened. He listened to students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the college. He wanted to learn about Carleton and all the inner workings and quirks of the school so he could get a real feel for what Carleton was all about, and what needed to be done to improve it based on the opinions of people who knew the school for years before he arrived. Over the last year or so, President Poskanzer discussed how he has shifted his approach and started to take action. He operationalized all the knowledge and expertise he developed to make the change he realized the school needed. 

I by no means am trying to say my role is the same as President Poskanzer. However, I see many parallels between his approaches and my own that I have done the past year as the Class of 2014 Representative. CSA is a complicated organization. There are a number of different rules you have to navigate through and a long history of decisions that people reference when voting on issues. At first it took me a while to adjust, and I know anyone in my position would have the same problems. I realized I had much to learn in order to fully be able to utilize Senate and help Carleton become a better place. I sat back and listened to older Senators and students with more experience. I soaked in information and developed a strong understanding of the way Senate works in order to understand the most effective way to make change. I am confident that because of this, I became one of the most seasoned and well-informed members of Senate. That has translated into me helping students with issues regarding Bon Appetit, Residential Life, the Printing Quota and navigating Budget Committee guidelines, amongst many other things.

While I am will always be willing to listen and learn. I am ready to act. There are a number of key issues I want to address if I am given an opportunity to serve as the College Council liaison that have serious ramifications for the rest of this year and our Senior year. These include:

  1. Continue putting pressure on Residential Life and the Dean’s Office to slow the reduction of Northfield Option
  2. Increase revenue for CSA to allow for more events and a consistently awesome Spring Concern.
  3. Ensure that PaperCut does not reduce the quality of learning on campus. Look for ways to help out COMPSing seniors or those in reading intensive seminars to receive extra funds.
  4. Working with Auxiliary Services so students have an active role in Bon Appetit’s new contract and in shaping future dining policies.
  5. Ensure the Senate is held accountable for their actions, and that the students know their Senators and are able to lobby for what they want to see done.
  6. Open dialogue when Educational Curriculum Committee comes with changes to academic policies, so that changes like night classes and earlier 1As do not pass without extensive student input.

There are many more things issues I hope to work on beyond the ones I listed above. I am confident that my experience and knowledge of how Senate works, diverse background and desire to improve the College I love will allow me to serve in your best interests.

Marielle Foster ’16

“STAND UP WITH MARIELLE, SHE’LL MAKE SURE WE ALL DO WELL!”

(Thanks to my friend Jake Kramer for that slogan.)

Experience and Connections

  • I’ve organized awesome events and workshops as part of an arts council at the Walker Art Center (WACTAC), in the process working with administrators, world famous artists, local musicians and professional scavenger hunt makers.
  • I’ve worked in administration at the Guthrie Theatre,
  • I’ve tutored students in Minneapolis through various local programs and taught English and Tae Kwon Do in the Himalayan mountain jungles last year for three months.
  • As a future RA who is a part of groups as diverse (i.e. random) as the Latin American Student Organization, Carleton Slam Poetry Collective, Knightlife, Ebony II and Nova Frisbee, I run into very different people on a day to day basis, and will bring a willingness to learn from these perspectives to the Liaison position.
  • My passions at Carleton are Physics, Computer Science, and Math, majors which are not well represented on CSA. Making sure the sciences have a say in academic matters is important, particularly in a world that increasingly relies on the creative blending of art and science.

Ideas

  • As a crazy busy person who digs her extracurriculars, I am NOT pushing an academic only agenda. Helping students find their work-life balance, whether academically or unconventionally will be my priority.
  • Online learning is one of the ideas Carleton is currently flirting with. I am all about open source education and making classroom learning more effective and worthwhile, and believe that online classes, implemented tastefully, can bring an extra edge to our learning experience here.
  • Same goes for night classes, another possibility in the mix. Bringing extra classes and flexible times to the table will open the door to more interdepartmental collaboration, and I would like to increase the number of courses which dabble across subject boundaries, particularly in a science/arts way.

Baseline Pitch

I’m enthusiastic, I deliver on time, I think unconventionally and can work well with all types of people.

Community, Equity, and Diversity Initiative Liaison

Hi! My name is Worthy Cho and I am running for the position of CEDI liaison to the CSA.  Just so you guys know a little about me, I’m from Derwood Maryland, I am currently planning on being an Economics and Mathematics double major, but more importantly I am extremely passionate about being an active member in the Carleton College community.

Past/ Current Relevant Experience:

High School

  • Vice President of Key Club – High school
  • Board member on Youth United Way of Washington County Maryland – High school

Carleton

  • Secretary of Pennies for Peace – Freshman year
  • Vice President Pennies for Peace – Fall 2012
  • Firebellies Treasurer – spring 2013
  • Young Northfield Chef (Northfield Middle School cooking program) – Winter 2013
  • CEDI Liaison – spring 2013

Objectives:

This year I was appointed as the CEDI liaison for spring term. My current experience as CEDI liaison has taught me a lot about the ways in which the committees, and committees similar to CEDI, operate and what CEDI can accomplish and wishes to accomplish. If elected, I would work to inform the senate of the ways in which CEDI can work with the student body to bring about change within the Carleton community. I will also work to ensure that CEDI is aware of the changes that Carleton students would like to see on their campus.

I feel that I am hardworking, organized, and devoted. If elected, I would work diligently to ensure that I am fulfilling my duties to the best of my ability.

Best,

Worthy ‘15

Admissions and Financial Aid Committee Liaison

Hey everyone, my name is Danny Geiger and I am a sophomore Economics major from New Prague, Minnesota. I am running for the position of Admissions and Financial Aid Committee Liaison.

The Knights that make up the diverse student population define Carleton. They define the level of intellect and knowledge prevalent in the classroom, the social life (Rotblatt), and many other aspects that make Carleton unique. In order to continue to make Carleton great, it is important that any student that exhibits the qualities that define Carleton has the opportunity to attend Carleton. As Admissions and Financial Aid Committee Liaison, it is my goal to assist the college in understanding the qualities that define Carleton students and on top of that, push to find ways to help these students have the opportunity to attend Carleton, regardless of financial background

Thus far, I have had such an intellectually and socially fulfilling experience at Carleton and I want it to be the same for all other Carleton students, now and in the future, and I will do my best to make sure that happens. Thanks for your time.

Danny Geiger

Committee on Student Life Liaison

Hiyanthi Peiris ’15

Hey everyone,

I am a Sri Lankan Sophomore with an unpronounceable name and I love smiling at random people on campus. My name is Hiyanthi Peiris (Class of 2015) and I am running for the position of Committee Liaison for Student Life. I am very enthusiastic about being more involved in the Carleton student body and in the student government.

Student life is an integral part of the college experience for everyone- especially for those who some to Carleton from places far away from campus. Going to campus events like movies, discussions, dances and even floor study breaks makes life at Carleton more enjoyable and helps foster lasting friendships and relationships. While Carleton does a great job of hosting ad promoting a wide variety of campus events, I wish to contribute towards making the student life experience better for all.

Why should you consider voting for me?

  1. As a future RA, I will be playing an active and hands on role in promoting student life, and this puts me in an ideal position to communicate the needs of the student population to the CSA.
  2. I have had past experience with communicating the needs of the student body to upper level authorities as Head Prefect (equivalent of Student Council Leader) in my high school.
  3. I will work hard towards ensuring that cultural and racial diversity is promoted as this is an important part of student life. As an international student, I am in an ideal position to promote diversity through the organization of campus events that appreciate and foster cultural awareness and diversity.
  4. I will work towards bridging the gap between CSA and the student body– as a program director for Kids for Conservation (2013), organization leader for Mosaic of South Asian Interests at Carleton (2013), Head of Organizing Committee for International Festival in 2013, student employee of the Alumni Annual Fund (2011-2013), Member of the Carleton Model UN team (2011-2012), among other activities and interests, I am quite involved in campus life. A common concern I have heard voiced by students from diverse groups is that there is a lack of communication between the CSA and the student body. Organization leaders are unsure of the budgeting process, students are unsure of how the CSA works or how they can be more involved, and this is something that I wish to work towards rectifying.
  5. I will work towards making campus life at Carleton more comfortable for students. Need a printer in Goodhue? More laundry machines in Watson? More funding for your organization? Increased dining hall hours for lunch and during the weekends? I promise to make your ideas heard.
  6. I will ensure that there are more opportunities for intercollegiate bonding/ activities. We all know how Carleton sometimes feels like a bubble. If elected, I will make sure that there are more opportunities for us to interact with students from other nearby colleges- mostly St. Olaf.
  7. Student life, in my opinion, is not limited to life at Carleton and Northfield. If elected, I will work towards providing more information about opportunities outside of Carleton: I will work towards raising awareness about opportunities that exist outside the Carleton bubble, such as study abroad programs, internship and job opportunities and post college opportunities.

Thank you for reading my platform. Please email me if you have any concerns or require more information about my platform and other specific issues. Have a wonderful day!

Yours truly,

Hiyanthi Peiris

Education and Curriculum Committee Liaison

John Cannon ’15

Hello, my name is John Cannon and I’m running for re-election to the Senate Liaison to the Education and Curriculum Committee (ECC). I’m a sophomore Biology major and I’m running for re-election because I want to help make our collective voices heard when Carleton is making decisions concerning our academic experiences. After having served as the CSA liaison to the ECC for the last year, I’ve learned what a senator can and cannot do. I cannot promise to add new majors or drastically overhaul our grading systems. What I can promise, however, is that I will make your voices heard on the ECC. I promise that, when a decision by the ECC has the potential to affect Carleton students at large, I will get your input. 

As your representative on the Education and Curriculum Committee I would work to address the following issues that I feel are important to the general student body.

  1. Double Majors and Concentrations
    • Carleton is a busy place and every year, more and more students apply for double majors. I will work to maintain and hopefully increase the feasibility of double-majors to ensure that every Carleton student can complete the major(s) he or she wishes to complete
  2. Changes to the Daily Class Grid
    • I have been working with the ECC to assess whether there are any changes we as a student body would like to make to the class grid. Because this is a complex issue, I have hosted discussions on this topic and will continue to seek student input on this matter.
  3. Discussions on Credentialing and Grade Inflation
    • Grade inflation and credentialism is a nation-wide problem and although Carleton has remained largely unaffected, we as a campus will need to address these issues in the future. I will ensure that students are well represented in these discussions.

Thank you for taking the time to read my platform, if you choose to elect me to CSA Senate, I promise to do my best to better the already awesome nature of academics at Carleton! As well, if elected I will always remain open to communication and if you are passionate about an idea, I will help you fight to make it happen.

Sincerely,

John Cannon

Reid Whitaker ’14

Hi, I am Reid Whitaker and I am running for the Educational and Curriculum Committee Liaison, because Academic affairs are central to our lives at Carleton as students and thus I strongly believe in the importance of student involvement in relevant decision making. I also seek to foster dialogue between students, faculty, and staff on academic affairs at Carleton. I am personally very interested in these issues, informed by reading the minutes for the ECC and CSA, and committed to representing the student body fairly as the ECC moves forward on several very important topics.

  1. Carleton Class Schedule and Night Classes
    • The Education and Curriculum Committee is currently considering changes to the daily Carleton class schedule, including adding night classes. I am against the addition to night classes, without very careful consideration of how to minimize disruption to extracurricular activities. Any proposal to add night classes should only proceed if we are assured that it will not detrimentally affect extracurriculars, including Orchestra and athletics, as well as the ability for Carleton students to meet for group assignments. In addition, I will propose more variety in the options being considered by the ECC, such as varying the time and length of new proposed class options. Other changes being proposed to the Carleton course schedule would potentially affect students involved in athletics, and these too need to be carefully considered in light of the needs of the student body. As your representative I will create discussion on campus about these changes and poll the Carleton study body so that we can be fully represented and heard in these discussions.
  2. Flexibility in Scheduling Music Lessons
    • Music lessons can be difficult to schedule and enroll in because of how they count towards the credit limit. I will work towards increasing the number of music lessons allowed within the credit limit to ease these concerns.
  3. An Experimental College at Carleton
    • Many peer colleges have student run courses that do not fit into a traditional department in an experimental college. I would work to continue efforts to have such an experimental college established here are Carleton and to have such courses appear on student transcripts. Courses would be approved by a committee of students, staff, and faculty and would expand academic offerings at Carleton.
  4. Establishing a Campus Policy towards Course Audits
    • Many students are interested in auditing classes at Carleton, and many professors allow students to do so. However, currently auditing a class does not result in any recognition. I will work to have auditing a close be noted on a transcript and to have a policy in place by the College to allow students to take advantage of great academic opportunities available here that they would not otherwise be able to.
  5. Educational Technologies
    • Technology is rapidly changing traditional approaches to academic affairs, and as your representative I will ensure that technological change only serves to facilitate stronger academics here at Carleton. I will work towards ensuring that if Carleton begins to participate in in Massive Open Online Courses that this will not take away from the education of students on campus. Online course materials should supplement current infrastructure, and should never be allowed to replace it.
  6. Responsiveness and Transparency
    • As your representative on the CSA senate and the Education and Curriculum Committee my foremost goal will be to represent your wishes and bring them to attention in the appropriate fora. I will work to address all the concerns that I brought forward to me. Do not hesitate to contact me with any suggestions or concerns you might have. Additionally, I will work to raise awareness in the student body about the current issues up for discussion in the ECC, and to foster dialogue about these topics. Currently, the use of all campus publications to keep the students informed about academic affairs is inadequate, and I will expand the use of senate town hall meetings, postings in the NNC, and email communications to keep you informed and solicit direct feedback.

Best, Reid

Environmental Advisory Committee Liaison

Zander Deetz ’15

My name is Zander Deetz and I’m a Chemistry major from the class of 2015. I consider myself a devoted environmentalist and believe making environmental sustainability decisions must be a top priority, which is why I hope to continue serving the Carleton community on CSA Senate as the Environmental Advisory Committee Liaison.

I have served in this position for the past year, and have enjoyed working with both the CSA Senate and the Environmental Advisory Committee. I think my past experience holding this position is beneficial, as I am very familiar with the way meetings are run and the people involved.

I am also involved in other environmental efforts at Carleton. For instance, I am a member of Students Organized to Protect the Environment, also known as SOPE. Thus, I am familiar with the environmental discussions that take place in and around campus.

I hope I am given the opportunity to continue representing the Carleton student body through my environmental perspective next year.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Zander Deetz ‘15

TRiO/OIIL/GSC Liaison

Noah Laack-Veeder ’15

Hello Carleton!

My name is Noah Laack-Veeder, a sophomore Economics major, and I would love to be your new GSC/OILL/TRiO Senate Liaison.

As a current active member of TRiO, I have first-hand knowledge about how the organization works and where it needs support. It seems as though TRiO is often under represented on Senate and becoming the Senate Liaison would give me the opportunity to represent TRiO at each meeting.

Furthermore, I have been the CSA Secretary for this academic year and have acquired knowledge about how the Senate operates and where I think I could add improvements. I write the minutes and am familiar with the Bylaws and Guidelines so I would be able to be an active and knowledgeable member at my first meeting.

Finally, I am a proactive person and would represent my fellow Carls concerns immediately. Patience is a virtue to some but when some issues need to be addressed immediately, I would be the person to act on them myself or to direct them to someone else who could help.

In Summary:

  1. First-hand knowledge of TRiO by being an active member
  2. Knowledge of how the Senate Works
  3. Pro-active and Can-Do attitude that will bring about change when needed
  4. Thank you and please keep me in mind when voting in the upcoming elections!

Yours Truly,

Noah Laack-Veeder

Sports (Club Sports/PEAR) Liaison

Dane Christensen ’15

Hello my name is Dane Christensen and I will be running for the Sports Liaison Position for this upcoming year. I am a rising junior majoring in economics and have been heavily involved in both club and varsity sports here at Carleton. I am currently on the varsity men’s football team, alpine skiing club, and men’s club rugby. These sports I believe have been crucial to my success as a student at Carleton. The success of all our teams I believe is a true reflection of the amazing student body we have here at Carleton.

Being involved in different teams here at Carleton I have had the pleasure of interacting with many different coaches and administrators involved in athletics.  I have a well versed knowledge of the interactions that take place between this administration and each individual team and would like to use that to continue positive interaction regarding participation requirements, funding, events, and any other issues brought up by individual teams. A goal of mine is to further promote club sports as a selling point for Carleton. I believe that working with admissions can help attract more prospects eager to participate in some form of college athletics. I would like to have them emphasize the competitiveness and integrated team dynamics that are not solely present in varsity athletics at Carleton. In my time at Carleton, multiple club sports teams have participated and won championships at the national level. What is even more exciting is that I know current and future students have the potential to perpetuate this success. I want to assure that all club sports teams are equipped with the tools they need to succeed, whether that entails equipment, training, coaching, etc.

At Carleton we currently have 27 registered club sports teams opposed to 25 at the University of Minnesota. As it stands there is a moratorium that prevents Carleton from adding any new club sports teams. This rule expires at the end of the year, and I would like to help form the future plan of action. My plan is to enable certain student athletic organizations to receive P.E. credit for their efforts. I believe we can find a solution that works for the Rec center and one which also promotes sustainable growth for our club sports program.

Sports liaison is a very new position and I am excited to see what we can accomplish if I were to uptake this role. Through my current involvement in Carleton athletics and dedication to serving the needs of our student athletes, no matter what they are, I believe that I am a well-qualified nominee for this position. As always I am very open to suggestions and will not let any suggestion or concern fall on closed ears. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Email: christed@carleton.edu

Lucinda Robinson ’14

My name is Lucinda Robinson, and I am running for the position of Sports Liaison. I am a junior math major and have been actively involved in club sports during my time at Carleton – I skied with the Nordic ski club freshman year and have played Frisbee with Eclipse the past two years. I also have worked in the PEAR department as a student assistant and have a working knowledge of how the athletic system works at Carleton. 

I am interested in improving several aspects of the athletic community at Carleton. First, I would like to continue the efforts that have been put forth this past year in increasing athletic trainer hours for club sports athletes. I would work with Dr. Koehler, a sports medicine specialist, along with trainers at Carleton to help make this happen. Second, I would like to see club sports become more affordable for those participating.  This would involve working with CSA and the club sports staff to develop creative, innovative ways to provide funding for these sports, and it would also include publicity to make club sports captains and members more aware of the steps they can take to make the sports less costly. Finally, I would like to work to revise the moratorium on new club sports and, in the meantime, work with the registrar to grant PE credit to students actively participating in sports that are designated not as club sports but as student organizations.

I am excited about these possibilities and more!  Please feel free to contact me at robinsol@carleton.edu with any other ideas!

College Council At-Large (non-Senate) Members (2)

Bailey Ulbricht ’15

My name is Bailey Ulbricht, and I am currently a sophomore here at Carleton. If elected to College Council, I hope to represent a variety of voices and perspectives from across campus, including: the Career Center as a Career Center Advisor, varsity athletics as a member of the women’s soccer team, and academic teams/extracurriculars, as a member of the Model UN team and board. Additionally, I hope to bring a touch of the everyday life at Carleton we all experience, and speak honestly when life on campus (rarely) is not really what we intended, nor wanted it to be.

I care a lot about connecting students from diverse backgrounds in a variety of ways, and am interested in toying with the idea of a mandatory diversity course (perhaps just meeting once a week, not counting for credit or 2 credits, something along those lines) for all freshmen. Yet I recognize bridging gaps between students can and will come not simply from academics (though that is probably primarily why most of us are here) but from unique initiatives like the recent discrimination rally that aim to promote a more interconnected student body through stories. To extend it to expression, perhaps a monthly opportunity for reciting poetry, stories, and the like, thus exchanging our own experiences and ideas as Carleton students and beyond.

As a College Council member, I hope to consider these and other unmentioned initiatives that connect students with other faces, expressions, and ideas – including with faculty and staff! – because I believe firmly in the importance of a strong, cohesive, diverse social fabric, both during our experience at Carleton and beyond.

Phoebe Chastain ’14

Before Carleton, I served as a board member for a reproductive justice nonprofit my senior year. That experience taught me a lot about working on large scale planning projects and organizational structures. At Carleton, I wanted to stay involved in some capacity with this structural oversight type work, and have served on the Community Board on Sexual Misconduct (CBSM) for two years. I was involved with the Sayles dance review committee and have been involved with other community building initiatives as a campus RA and member of CAASHA. I would like to be involved with the College Council because I think I can represent the student body well, and have interests in helping Carleton continue to be a safe, fun, and insightful place for the students, staff, faculty, and greater community.

Zach Wood-Doughty ’14

I love Carleton, but I think there are a lot of ways to make it better.

My primary leadership experience here at Carleton has been as captain of the men’s hockey and volleyball club teams and as president of the karate club. I am extremely passionate about my role in these sports. My leadership roles have required me to learn how to manage large budgets, communicate with dozens of teammates, and find creative ways to address every member’s needs. Because of the diverse interests of my teammates, I am familiar with the difficult task of balancing varied interests; I hope to bring this experience to the larger scale of making college-wide decisions with input from all across the student body.

Currently, I direct my almost all my focus into my academics and my sports leadership. While these are the most important parts of my Carleton career, I want an opportunity to get involved with the more complex issues that face our school. I will take my role on College Council as a chance to delve into Carleton’s policy issues. Areas such as alumni fundraising, budget changes, and the Strategic Plan Initiative have a major effect on each student’s life at Carleton. I will be passionate about gathering input from you and your fellow students, as I believe that your opinions should have a more prominent place in resolving the issues that Carleton faces.

I want a chance to represent you on the College Council because I will bring a great deal of energy to the task of serving your interests and trying my best to help improve Carleton in the year to come.

Arts Liaison

Steph Lee ’15

Hey Carleton! My name is Steph Lee and I’m a sophomore Art History major. I want to represent you as your Arts Liaison next year.

PROJECTS:

  • 24 hour art sit-in. A marathon event where students can congregate to make art. As Arts Liaison I’d like to use CSA backing to fund supplies and a circus-y tent on the Baldspot for shelter (in hot heat or cold weather) It will be a great opportunity for students to have fun and express themselves!
  • More public exhibitions. I would like to see more works in campus buildings like Sayles, the Libe, Olin, and other academic buildings.  I’ll communicate between students interested in displaying their works and SAO to coordinate as such.
  • Journal club. A student-led discussion series on what individuals find interesting and worth sharing. It’ll be a forum to discover new ideas and new artists, while meeting those with similar interests. 

GOALS:

  • Provide students with comprehensive updates on the Arts, increasing awareness of campus events
  • Be available and

EXPERIENCE:

  • In high school I was on the executive committee for Asian Student Union, and planned and help coordinate events with ~500 people in attendance.
  • Next year, I’ll be working as the student library exhibitions worker, and this summer, I’ll be working as a program assistant for NSW. am prompt and thorough, and able to meet deadlines and get work done.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding my ideas, drop me a line at lees@carleton.edu. And of course, I would love to hear yours as well!