Spring 2018 Platforms

Disability Services Liaison

Zene Finch

The Disability Services Office offers accommodations to those among us who have come to DSO with diagnosed disabilities. Though these accommodations –which include but are not limited to flexibility in regards to class attendance, deadline extensions, quiet testing arrangements with additional time—are quite helpful, they themselves are not widely accessible. This is because one’s ability to obtain a diagnosis is contingent upon numerous factors which are related to privilege, e.g. financial stability, familial support, identities wherein trauma is non-normalized.

As a Disability Services Peer Leader I know there is much more our office could be doing to assist those of us who do not hold the privileges which are conducive to receiving medical and psychological support.

As a Disability Services Liaison I would be able to advocate for those who would greatly benefit from not only receiving academic accommodations but also developing skills which are necessary for processing trauma and coping with psychological disorders. I know of numerous tools and resources–both within and outside the scope of the Disability Services Office–which would greatly benefit all students but most especially those who have been neglected by our administration.

I have spent the last year doing outreach to students as well as peer leaders from various departments. I have compiled a comprehensive catalog of the issues Carleton students are facing, e.g. academic burnout, unnamed and unaddressed discrimination, social media fixations, social anxiety, self-medication, codependency, etc; I have insights as well as resources to offer our peers in response. This position would offer me a farther reach in accomplishing the task of campus uplift; a cause to which I am wholeheartedly committed.

Offer me your support and I’ll offer you mine.

TRiO/Student Support Services Liaison

Jean La Fontaine

Hi fellow Carles!

My name’s  Jean La Fontaine (He/Him/His). I’m a junior Latin American Studies major and Spanish minor from Carolina Puerto Rico, and I hope to have your support in electing me as your new TRIO/SSS Liaison. CSA is for platform social change on this campus, and TRIO is an office on campus that prides itself on helping low-income and/or first generation college students succeed on campus. I’ve been on Senate this year as a member of college council and I’ve been a member of TRIO all my three years at Carleton. TRIO has meant a lot to me personally over these past years, and I would not be the student and human being that I am today without the advice and assistance of Trey, Melanie, Kathy, and everyone else who has worked for this office over that timespan. As such, it my sincere hope that I am able to act collaborate with this office next year as its Senate liaison and to be able to serve as a voice for TRIO students like me on CSA Senate. Below are the GOALS and Issue Areas of my Campaign!Constant Collaboration With TRIO As your TRIO/SSS liaison, I would propose to meet with the different the staff of TRIO on a regular basis to discuss the current goals of this office and to communicate with them the weekly happenings at CSA Senate. I also would aim to attend and promote the various events promoted by TRIO such as their termly Class-Act talks, their Salsa/Comfort food Fridays, their retreats, and the various other events that they organize TRIO and non-TRIO students. My goal here is to not only be informed about what TRIO is up to, but also to be able to increase the visibility and the representation of this wonderful organization on campus and in CSA Senate. Making Information About the CSA Activities Fee Waiver as Transparent as Possible Ranging slightly above $300 dollars, the CSA student activities fee, that appears as a part of Carleton’s Comprehensive Fee, guarantees students free admission to most athletic contests, concerts, plays, movies, and other campus events. However, a lesser known fact about the activities fee is that any financial aid can apply to waive two-thirds of it. Each October, the CSA President sends an email to the campus with a link to the application; however, speaking from personal experience, I believe that there is not enough information out there as to what the activity fee waiver process is, specifically as it regards those low-income students who most need a fee reduction. As your TRIO Liaison, I would work to change this by collaborating with the TRIO staff in order to figure out effective ways to distribute information about the activities fee waiver process to those students on campus who most need it. Improve The Diversity of CSA Senate and make CSA Senate More Accessible to TRIO StudentsI have two strong beliefs about diversity. First, diversity makes every organization better. And second, diversity does not just mean getting people of color or other minorities into CSA Senate. Diversity means leveling extant power structures through facilitating communication among equals, thereby increasing the opportunities for people to make their own voices be heard and respected. As your TRIO Liaison, I would aim to create and maintain an environment at Senate where everyone feels comfortable speaking. In addition to this, I will encourage TRIO students to run for or apply for positions in CSA Senate and to contribute to Senate’s weekly agenda by, for example, directly proposing items for our discussions or by bringing up their suggestions to me.

Other Goals:

• Increasing the transparency of CSA to TRIO and non-TRIO Students
• Continue to organize events as a member of the Political Engagement Working Group on CSA Senate
• Push for Carleton to hire a full-time Survivors Advocate for those affected by incidents of sexual misconduct
• Publicize current Senate and Administration working groups to the student body via email and social media

Qualifications

• Carleton CSA College Council Liaison, Fall 2017-Spring 2018: As a CSA senator I have performed senator duties including the writing of resolutions, policies, etc., moreover, I have served on the College Council, which develops policies in areas having to do with matters other than educational policy or curriculum. This means that I am familiar with how CSA senate works and with what kinds of decisions are being made by the administration with respect to the Carleton student body.
• Co-President, Treasurer, and Freshman Representative of Men of Color (MOC), Winter 2016-Now: have served in a variety of leadership positions for this student organization, support network, and resource for the encouragement of campus-wide discussions as well as actions on multicultural and gender issues pertaining to male identifying students of color
• Spanish Teaching Assistant, Fall 2017-Now: As a Spanish TA, I have worked with students from a variety of backgrounds. My job has allowed me to acquire experience (1) leading discussions; (2) and creating a learning environment that is safe and welcoming to others.
• Mellon Mays Scholar, Winter 2018-Now: as a member of Mellon Mays on campus I have been engaged in conversations about how to diversify the academy, and I have been learning effective research skills in preparation for an independent research project which I will be conducting this upcoming summer. I hope to bring these thoughts on diversity to CSA Senate next year and to use my research skills to help come up with innovative future initiatives.
• TRIO McNair Scholar, Winter 2017-Now: a graduate school preparatory program for Carleton and St. Olaf students sponsored by St. Olaf College. Worked collaboratively and conducted research with associate professor of Political Science, Devashree Gupta on social movements.
• Carleton College Men’s Club Rugby, Community Outreach Captain Fall 2016-Fall 2017: Organized a partnership between Carleton College Men’s Club Rugby and Carleton’s Food Recovery initiative, September 2016-September 2017

Closing

As your next TRIO Liaison, I hope to increase CSA Senate’s capacity to advocate for the TRIO Students, while at the same time providing mechanisms for  general student population to participate in the political processes of Carleton. I will also work to make CSA Senate more transparent and more friendly to TRIO students. Finally, I will strive with my fellow Senators and Senate’s Executive Officers to bring make the concerns of TRIO students and the general student body to Carleton’s administration. Keep it steezy, Jean