Winter 2019 Platforms – Carleton Student Association

Signatures: Disability Services, Title IX, Office of International & Intercultural Life (OIIL), Center for Community & Civic Engagement (CCCE), Office of Health Promotion (OHP)

Dear Carleton students,

My name’s Anesu Masakura. I’m a junior Economics major and Public Policy minor from Mutare, Zimbabwe. I am writing to thank you for inspiring me daily with your principled intelligence, warmth, and dogged commitment to close gaps in our community. In ways small and great, you have made me feel validated at an institution that, not so long ago, held investments in apartheid South Africa. Through casual conversations on campus, class discussions, and activism projects, you have opened my eyes to how our Administration remains reluctant to actively address the oppressions and challenges we experience as a result of our ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, genders, sexual orientations, disabilities, political affiliations, and religions. I realize that while Carleton is “home” to plural and multifaceted identities, some of which I hold, it still has a long way to go as far as fostering a truly inclusive community is concerned. We are too often treated as a monolith and the College’s blanket policies/initiatives have not been as helpful for some groups on campus.

This is why, over the past three years, I have devoted my time to push for the reforms and policy objectives I believe make us better, first on the Budget Committee and then in Senate. In Student Government, I have always found a chance to give back to our community and merge my passion for social justice with practice through advocacy and representation.

However, I have also come to realize that CSA, whose foundation was premised on the fact that every student voice matters, has remained structurally limited to effect lasting changing on and beyond campus. This is not meant to diminish the incredible work done my predecessors. Thanks to their leadership, CSA has become more visible and relevant. Presidents Walter Paul ’18 and Apoorva Handigol ’19, for instance, both initiated policies that I’d like to continue implementing and refining for the betterment of this student body. But it remains a sad fact that the way CSA is designed stifles student interest and participation. The organization still is relatively inaccessible, bureaucratic, and inefficient. But, now, more than ever, there’s need for every Carl to participate in Senate’s decision-making process and contribute to the various policy initiatives it champions. There’s need for Senate to promote organic change on campus and make this place home to everyone. This is why I’m running for CSA President. I believe that our Student Government exists not to only efficiently allocate funds to student organizations and clubs, but to promote student agency and enrich the life of every Carleton student.

Goals and priorities

I do not wish to make unrealistic promises I cannot keep. Rather, I propose three practical, if banal, ways to promote organic change on campus and rebrand CSA into a more efficient, easily accessible, and transparent/congruent locus of student ideas, concerns, and aspirations.

Strengthen CSA’s organizational infrastructure and effectiveness.

I strongly believe that a more efficient CSA makes things happen for students, clubs, and organizations. Senators should be pushing for stronger sexual assault prevention (on and off campus, particularly, on OCS programs), mental health support, accessibility/accommodations for students with disabilities, and college-wide diversity initiatives. Senators should be working with different communities on campus to make Carleton a national model for intersectional understandings of gender and sexuality, or improve the school’s retention rate of students of color. But that’s not happening as effectively as it should be. We need to streamline the current system to allow for efficient representation and advocacy. This entails, among other things:

Enhancing the management of CSA’s various committees, which continue to work independently of Senate and are consequently unaccountable. Appointing chairs (from current members) who are directly answerable to the Executive, and by extension, the student body, is one specific thing I’d do to make the committees more effective and accountable.
Creating a public Senate/Committee Action tracking system so that students are always abreast of what Senate or its working groups are doing on their behalf.
Re-proposing Executive Pay to the Student Projects Committee so that Executives work full time on CSA’s initiatives—your initiatives. This will also help attract a diverse group of student leaders, especially, from low-income backgrounds.
Implementing termly self-assessment strategies (e.g. surveys) to optimize the organization’s performance and identify areas of improvement or emphasis.
Connecting the work of the Executives, who, for the most part, work independently of each other.

Promote organic change on campus.

CSA needs to start (effectively) fostering student engagement on campus to amplify students’ voices. Promoting organic change on campus starts with determining areas of reform through discussions with student groups/communities and utilizing CSA’s resources to support these groups/communities in their own efforts. CSA’s priority areas should be dictated by what students actually want, not what Senators think students want. Instead of creating more CSA committees, the current ones need to start working on new, specific, and measurable initiatives that address pressing challenges on campus. I also want to create a Disability Services (DS) working group that works with the DS office and students to improve housing, academic, meal, and employment accommodations. (I have also talked to different offices on campus (my “signatures”) to see what we can do differently to streamline our collaborations.)

Reclaim CSA’s role as an engine for advocacy and radical student activism.

I recognize CSA’s role in promoting student empowerment and agency. Through Town Hall meetings with administrators of specific offices, I will make CSA a conduit through which students can express their concerns and grievances to the College. Additionally, I intend to leverage/collaborate with existing infrastructures (the Carletonian, for example, or CSA’s own media and publicity arm, COMP) to conscientize students about the different ways Senate can have a reckonable effect on their day-to-day lives. CSA has a wide array of resources that activists, organizations, and students can take advantage of. But all these stakeholders, sadly, lack substantial knowledge about how we can better help them optimize their performance on campus.

Thanks to past CSA administrations, students now have a voice on the Board of Trustees in the person of the President. This, I believe, is a perfect opportunity to push for the reforms and policies we’d like to see at Carleton. I intend to widely collate students’ aspirations and grievances before each meeting and present them before the College for consideration and redress.

This, of course, is not an exhaustive list of what I will do to revamp/streamline CSA, promote community-born change on campus, and advocate for students. And I’m not under the illusion that it will all happen during my term as President. But if we are to make Carleton home for everyone and leave a better place for future generations of Carls, then we need to start now.

Leadership experience (and more objectives!)

ThinkBIG Initiative Africa, Founder and CEO. Nothing makes me happier than giving back to those around me. Whether it is by nature or by nurture, I do not know. But I know that my actions are dictated by what I believe in—reciprocity, advocacy, and social justice. Early last year, I started ThinkBIG Initiative Africa, a nonprofit that assists underprivileged children in underserved communities in Africa to stay in school. Since then, my team and I have helped more than 200 low-income students in Zimbabwe to finish school through self-sustainable entrepreneurial projects. (I’m happy to talk about it more it via email, Facebook or in person! You can also read about how it all started here.) While this is not directly relevant to my work as a student representative at Carleton, this position has helped me to effectively execute set goals and build a winning team. Equally important, it has taught me about the importance of promoting community-born solutions to local problems (organic change) and building grassroots agency.

CSA, OIIL Liaison and CCCE Liaison. As an OIIL liaison (and, simultaneously, OPL), I was at the helm of college-wide diversity and cultural competency initiatives. In this position, I helped foster dialogue on racial prejudice, gender, diversity, ableism, and equity issues through OIIL Talks and the Political Engagement and Activism Committee. As President, I intend to continue promoting these (often uncomfortable, but productive) dialogues and encourage student participation in them. Additionally, I hope to collaborate more with OIIL, GSC, and Trio to increase attendance to their events, where, unfortunately, the same minority folks attend. Where’s everyone else?

Until last term, I also served as a liaison for the Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE) to Senate. In this position (and my current job as a CCCE Fellow), I helped promote civic engagement programs both at and beyond Carleton. Our campus is not immune to the systems of oppression we see beyond its confines. We need to start building reciprocal and collaborative relationships with the Northfield community and figure out how we can best support its marginalized identities (low-income folks, undocumented students, and immigrant communities.)

Relatedly, in my capacity as the first Campus Representative of the Clinton Global Initiative at Carleton, I also work with fellow Carls to develop projects (called “Commitments to Action”) that address pressing challenges in local communities and around the world.

Budget Committee, Member. Being a member of the Budget Committee grew my institutional knowledge of the rules, bylaws, and policies that will help me successfully lead Senate.

African and Caribbean Students Association (ACA), Treasurer. As treasurer of ACA, I helped organize events geared towards conscientizing people about the diverse cultures of Africa and the Caribbean. This position also equipped me with a club leader’s perspective, which will serve me well in working with clubs and organizations to successfully implement their policy initiatives. I vow to make club leaders equal partners in our decision-making process.

Mock Trial, Member. My participation in Mock Trial refined my communication and public speaking skills, which, I believe, are important for this position. I believe I will be articulate enough to air your opinions and concerns to the Board of Trustees, administrators, and other key stakeholders on campus.

Closing Remarks

I’d like to thank you for reading my platform! Should you consider me, I’d be honored to serve as your next CSA President. I look forward to receiving your questions, concerns, or opinions via masakuraa@carleton.edu, Facebook, or in person. Let’s #MakeCarletonHome.

Maita basa,

Anesu Masakura

John Mullan

Introduction

Hey there! I’m a junior from outside of Minneapolis, and I’m majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Chinese. As someone from Minnesota, I’ve come to genuinely enjoy winter, although I’ve not yet managed to embrace polar vortexes! I love chatting with and getting to know new people, and I think community outreach is critical to serve as an effective CSA President.

Experience

Nearly 6 terms of CSA Senate experience, nearly 3 of which have been as an Executive working closely with the President and Vice President as outlined below, and other relevant experience:

CSA Treasurer (Spring 2018-present—2+ terms)

Class of 2020 Representative (Spring 2017 – Winter 2018—3 terms)

CSA Budget Committee Student-At-Large Member (Fall 2016-Winter 2018—5 terms)

Resident Assistant (2017-2018 academic year)

Policy Researcher for Dean Phillips for Congress (Summer 2017)

Since Spring 2018 I have served as one of the officers of CSA (namely the CSA Treasurer), and have worked closely with both of the other officers: the CSA President and CSA Vice-President. As such, I have gained valuable experience in that I am already quite familiar with the responsibilities of the CSA President, and the logistical framework that is required to accomplish required tasks. Such familiarly would allow me to spend considerably less time acclimating to the new role and therefore work more effectively right from the start.

Additionally, after having served my first term in office as CSA Treasurer while also working as an RA, I realized that I could have a greater impact in CSA if I devoted all of my extra-curricular time and energy to my work in CSA, and thus elected to not work as an RA the following year. If elected CSA President, I would continue to make my work in CSA my only extra-curricular activity as to maximize my effectiveness.

INITIATIVES: Overview & Framework

CSA Senate and the various CSA committees that exist under the same umbrella are charged with affecting change on campus. CSA’s ultimate goal is to improve the experience of every Carl. I should clarify that when I refer to a “Carl” or to “Carls” throughout my platform—I’m referring to us: students. In order to make great strides in pursuit of this directive, a number of preconditions must be satisfied. I believe it is essential that the fundamental structure of CSA Senate and the roles in which senators play be re-evaluated from time to time.

CSA was founded over 8 decades ago in 1930, yet one of the most central elements of CSA Senate today—working groups—were only started in 2016. It is hard to imagine CSA Senate today without working groups; I believe further such innovative reforms to CSA Senate’s structure would prove immensely valuable in CSA’s continued efforts to make Carleton a better place for all Carls. In the remainder of my platform, I will outline the specific areas of reform that I envision being most central, and will culminate with a discussion on how I believe current pressing campus issues may be addressed. I would like to thank in particular all those involved in the CSA Senate Reforms Working Group for the excellent thoughts that have been raised in our discussions. It is with some of those ideas that I derived my thoughts that follow.

INITIATIVES: Efficiency

Standardized Information Collection

In Senate much time is spent, and rightfully so, on the exchange of information between senators. Updates on certain projects, committee meetings, and other campus events are often shared within Senate. Many of these announcements are just that: announcements, not dialogue. Of that information, while certainly interesting, only part of it is relevant to the specific campus climate issues that any given senator is working on. I believe a better system would be to create a centralized and standardized database (in the form of a Google Sheet, for example), where senators would input information from their meetings and work outside of Senate (input could be in the form of a Google Form). This would allow sufficient detail to be collected, and this information could easily be searched, condensed, or visualized such that other senators would have access to any information that was valuable for their efforts, and not have their time taken up receiving other less relevant information.

Collecting information in this matter would serve another purpose: the information could serve as the metrics upon which Senate’s progress could be measured. I believe it is critical to have a way to articulate in measurable terms the goals that we have as a collective student body. These terms could then be compared to the metrics contained in the database, and analysis of progress could then be made. This would allow Senate to course-correct if desired progress on a particular project was not being made.

Ultimately, this would free time in Senate to devote to discussion topics that require in-person and immediate feedback and conversation. There is a finite amount of time that senators can spend together in the same physical space, and I believe that time should be used to discuss items that can not be as effectively discussed in smaller groups, over email, or via other means of communication.

Admin Collaboration

The concept of governance I believe is fundamentally two-fold: (1) the realization of a problem and the creation of a solution, and (2) the implementation of that solution. Enshrined in the preamble of the CSA Constitution, it is said that “CSA…[shall] allow active participation in the governance of the College.” I believe CSA participates in conversation with the administration more than it does joint-collaboration. CSA Senate and all of its committees make up a sizeable group of dedicated people. I believe CSA has room to improve in the process of governance that calls for implementing solutions, or what I believe the pre-amble refers to as “active participation.” Setting up meetings to delegate tasks between admins and members of the CSA Senate and other CSA committees I believe would prove incredibly valuable in terms of the amount that CSA is able to accomplish.

Benchmarking

As people say, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Governance structures and parliamentary procedures are difficult to optimize. There are a variety of structures that our peer institutions use that I believe we could learn a lot from. While I believe it is important to consider within CSA how we can improve, I think it is also quite valuable to look at other schools for inspiration.

Culture Shift

CSA Senate and the committees of CSA are in a unique position in that there is an opportunity for considerable work to be done, but the built-in accountability mechanisms are, at present, sparse. As CSA President, I believe it is essential to discover people’s reasons for joining Senate, and to continue to motivate and encourage them throughout their term. It is easy to become complacent when clear objectives, motivations, and timelines are not set. As CSA President, I would work closely with each and every senator to assure that they stay as excited about the work they hope to do on day 1 as they do on their final day in office. Together, I believe members of senate can help everyone raise the bar, and as CSA President, I would encourage and help people to do their best work.

INITIATIVES: Outreach

Input

The CSA committee COMP (Media, Publicity, and Outreach Committee) was founded just about two years ago to help tackle the difficulties CSA has faced with transparency and effectively communicating the actions that have been taken within CSA to the larger student body. I believe COMP has made great strides, and I also believe there is considerable room for more direct collaboration between COMP and Senate that would engage more students in the governance process. Thus far, I believe COMP has done commendable work with disseminating information; I believe there is room for COMP and Senate to collectively improve the ways in which students are able to voice their concerns, ideas, and feedback for Senate to put on the table.

There are a variety of input opportunities that I believe would be successful. I think it is first important to consider the ways (both in time and space) in which we as students regularly communicate with one another. Perhaps the most frequent and predictable time in which we often converse is during a meal, whether that be in one of the dining halls or in Sayles. Language departments have found great success engaging with students outside of the classroom with lunch tables. I propose that CSA do the same thing. Senate and other CSA committees could set up tables in one of the dining halls from time to time and talk with fellow students about their ideas and concerns over a meal. While I think tabling in Sayles can be an effective method, I think having a table in which people can all sit down to have a meal together would allow for more meaningful conversation. To that end, I would propose that CSA set up a lunch table in Sayles in which people can all eat together and talk about ways in which we can improve our experiences as Carls.

Other possible ways to receive input would be via iPads or other touch-based interfaces placed around campus that people could use to answer a simple question as they are walking by. Finally, I believe working with RAs to disseminate and collect feedback would prove quite valuable.

Output

Collectively, members of CSA Senate have a massive body of knowledge about the current projects the college is working on, what progress has been made, what obstacles have been encountered, etc. A significant challenge in communicating that information to the larger student body is first having all of that information accessible to use in a news letter, or another form of communication. I believe that is where my previously discussed database (see standardized information collection) would be quite useful. It would allow members of COMP to relay important information to students that they otherwise would likely not obtain.

Outreach I believe should also be fun and engaging. Fun videos and captivating visualizations of collected data could be distributed. By making people eager to learn about what’s happening in CSA, I believe the bidirectional communication that is fundamental to successful governance could be improved.

INITIATIVES: Changing Our Experience

Understanding Each Other

Members of marginalized and underrepresented identities continue to face day to day challenges that other Carls don’t. I believe it is critical that all of us become more educated on the challenges that our fellow Carls face. Many of the resources to obtain more information already exist at Carleton: among others, OIIL, GSC, and TRiO all have talks open to all of the student body. I believe more of us need attend these and other events to better educate ourselves, and collectively work towards making progress in all of our lived experiences.

Mental Health & SHAC

SHAC continues to be plagued by short-staffing meaning Carls have to wait longer than reasonable to get an appointment. This is particularly true for those seeking to receive counseling at SHAC. The administration has said they believe a viable solution is to construct a new building to house SHAC, although that conversation has not made significant traction. I believe working more directly with the administration in planning this project would greatly condense the timeline. Also, by sharing our experiences more directly with administrators, I believe we could give them continual reminders of just how important this is to so many of us.

Title IX

There continue to be problematic double standards in place for how misconduct complaints are handled between student to student cases vs student to faculty/staff cases. While much progress has been made with the advent of the title IX lead team, I believe there is more work to be done.

CSA Textbook Library

As the CSA Textbook Library continues to grow, internal reports have indicated that the inventory is lacking in a sufficient number of books that are commonly needed by students. Short of paying to stock the library ourselves (which I believe is certainly an option to consider), I believe there is a lot of opportunity to work with admins, the bookstore, and departments to help make the program more successful. The library currently contains books that not too long ago were relevant, but have since been replaced by newer versions. By working with department chairs and asking them to be conscious of when a new version is selected, the CSA Textbook library’s existing collection could prove more valuable over a longer period of time.

Closing Remarks

Thanks for taking the time to read through my platform! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at mullanj2@carleton.edu!

Thank you so much for your consideration!

All the best,

John

VICE PRESIDENT

Hibo Abdi

Salaam!

My name is Hibo Abdi and I hope to be your next Vice President! I’m a junior Political Science/International Relations and Art History major and I use she/her pronouns. I grew up mostly in Portland, ME but my family recently moved to Minneapolis.

I have participated in many organizations on campus, such as SEED (Students Engaging in Essential Dialogue), African and Caribbean Students Association, Muslim Students Association, and I am a CCCE volunteer with several organizations such as HealthFinders and Volunteer Interpreter Services. Previously, I have worked as a Sayles Dining Assistant, Language Center Associate, Chaplain’s Associate, and Alumni Annual Fund Caller. I am currently a CCCE Health & Wellbeing Fellow. Each of these opportunities has shaped my experience at Carleton, and through my unwavering commitment to all students, I believe that I am more than capable to become your next CSA Vice President.

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The rise and fall of laughter so dear it resonates in my bones. The munching of dreary eyed students as they stroll through the halls each off to the next item on their schedule. The smell of sweet Friday flowers familiarly colors the very walls that bind us all. This is my home. A home I had never wanted to bestow my heart upon, but have learned to use the power of my own will to succeed and to cultivate an atmosphere of inclusivity for my peers. It was not until this year that I realized this home I created for myself at Carleton was founded on the dedication I have for each and every student on this campus, my hope that we all find our home here despite its challenges.

When I arrived at Carleton, the thought of living in one place for four entire years daunted me. This was my first worry. I was scared by the idea that because I came here primarily for the immense financial aid, I am wedded to a place that I didn’t even know how to name. I was afraid that Carleton would change the way my mother carefully stitched the wandering soul within me, and I would soon forget my roots. I found that joining organizations like the African and Caribbean Students Association reminded me of who I am and where I come from. It was so much more than about the home that I missed, but about the home I could create. It reminded me of my own search of home that landed me halfway across the world.

In the summer of 2014, my family visited Somalia for the first time in over twenty years. It was cathartic, watching my mother rejoice in her family and fall back into a rhythm only unique to her. I would watch my grandmother meet grandchildren she had never seen become adults and who fawned over me for being the “American.” What I enjoyed the most was listening to the voices of elders and cousins who only knew my name, but gave me more love than I had ever experienced. At first, I wanted to characterize their love for me as blind, but I realized that it was anything but blind. It was a love for culture, for people, for language, for everything that made us Somali and connected us far beyond the land that we originated from. Their sense of home was physical, emotional and intangible. Witnessing the way my people defined home allowed me to produce my own definition of the word. I found my home in not just my people and culture, but in my interests and pursuits here at Carleton. Home is and was ever changing and it is through my exploration of this word that I found a home serving the Carleton community.

My love for home spanned not just my people but permeated into my everyday life at Carleton. I created a home for myself in the classes I took and the professors who fostered my passion. I took international relations, anthropology, and language, and those classes acted as a gateway to fulfilling the dream of most low-income, first-generation students; make your parents proud. My dream was not just finding my home, but giving a home to the American dream my parents have for me, the very dream they are still trying to achieve. It was at this prestigious institution that I realized home was reciprocal; it was given to me through what I loved, but also a gift I am more than dedicated to giving to the two people who crossed unknown oceans just to promise me a world much better than their own.

I want to make Carleton home for us all, and as your Vice President, I hope to do whatever it takes to make that possible. I believe that the restructuring Budget Committee is impertinent to the survival of CSA. I have been to Budget Committee for my own organizations and I found it to be unapproachable and intimidating. I want to make the process of applying for funding much less stressful for students. I want to make Budget Committee a friendly atmosphere by encouraging members to look at the students petitioning rather than focusing on their electronic devices. I hope Budget Committee members can hold office hours or training sessions on how to fill out requests. I want to see more dialogue between those requesting and members of Budget Committee to foster an atmosphere of understanding. In the end, I want Budget Committee to be an approachable and transparent environment for all.

Although students are welcome to come to CSA meetings, many students do not actually observe meetings. I want to encourage students to come to CSA meetings by hosting regular social events that bring the Carleton community and CSA together. I want to cultivate more discourse between the student body and CSA by incorporating all-campus events such as bringing speakers and playful activities each term that are outside of the current bureaucratic arrangement. Especially, I want to incorporate the voices of organizations that are specifically fighting back against the administration so that CSA is more open to criticism than previous years. I plan to make CSA truly a home for us all and that starts with changes to the structure, governance, and impact of this organization. Together, we can make CSA a much more lively organization through targeted outreach, advocacy, and inclusion.

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I am someone who cares deeply about who you are, where you are from and how we can create a new path for CSA. In the end, you will be voting for a person who wrote a platform, not just a platform. This is me. I want to emulate exactly what I hope CSA will be; more transparent and approachable, a powerful voice that challenges the administration and one that helps each student find a home at Carleton and in all the wonderful things we do to make this place what it is. I believe in the potential of Carleton students, who are all so dedicated to their classes, friends and clubs, and who are changing Carleton for the better and for generations to come.

I sincerely thank you for making it this far, so if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach to me at abdih2@carleton.edu or say hello to me in the halls.

Mahadsanid,

Hibo

TREASURER

Brandon Moy

Dear Carleton, my name is Brandon Moy, and I hope to serve as your CSA Treasurer for the 2019-2020 school year. I’m a junior computer science major from the Chicagoland area, and I currently reside in FISH House (feel free to stop by and say hi!). Carleton has provided a lot of wonderful opportunities for me to grow over the past three years and I hope to use the Treasurer position to create and improve opportunities for all Carls.

Here are some of the things that I would like to work on as Treasurer:

Inclusivity and accessibility

I want Senate and its committees to be environments such that CSA listens to all Carls, and all Carls feel served by CSA. This includes

Working with the different representatives and liaisons to ensure that different CSA policies and decisions reflect the views and needs of all Carls.
Better publicizing the funds available to Carleton students, such as the CSA Scholarship and the Alt-Bev fund, so that students can access the funds they’re entitled to.
Ensuring that Budget Committee is an approachable place for student organizations to request for funding from their money, with a clear, easy-to-follow instructions for funding requests.

Initiatives

As chair of the Student Projects Committee and a member of Senate, the Treasurer is in a great position to create meaningful, long-term improvements at Carleton. I hope to bring some new initiatives to CSA, as well as continue to bring old ones to fruition. A non-exhaustive list of initiatives I want to work on is given below.

CSA Textbook Library: The CSA Textbook Library currently relies on donations to grow, even though there is a financial disincentive for students to donate (they could sell their books instead). Because of this, the CSA Textbook Library is incomplete, and I’d like to investigate ways we can use CSA funds to purchase more textbooks so they can be available to more students, especially those from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Hub: I’ve heard from current CSA Treasurer John Mullan that many leaders of student organizations ask him how to use the Hub because they find it to be confusing and unnecessarily complex. As a CS major, I’d like to work with ITS and classmates from the CS Department to make the system more intuitive, accessible, and easier for all to use.
Expanding CSA’s funding sources: CSA’s current funding comes entirely from students’ pockets, either through the Student Activity Fee or money collected from laundry and vending machines. I believe there is a powerful third source of income for CSA to consider: investing. I hope to work with the Investment Office to explore ways CSA can invest leftover money that isn’t needed one year to better serve Carleton students with even greater impact in the next, and beyond.

I am well-qualified to lead CSA in tackling these initiatives. As a CS major, I am a detail-oriented, quantitative problem solver, but as a philosophy minor, I also take time to step back, reflect, and think about the big picture. I am goal- and action-oriented and enjoy finding creative solutions to different issues. During my breaks at Carleton, I have worked in internships and externships in finance and consulting, where I managed and allocated large amounts of money and saw projects through to the end. I also have CSA experience from serving on Budget Committee.

Thank you for reading my platform! I hope to have the opportunity to serve you in the best way I can, and if you have any questions, comments, or feedback please reach out to me at moyb@carleton.edu.

Thanks again,

Brandon

PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

Saraswati Vadnais

Hi everyone! I’m Saraswati, and I’m a first-year student from Sudbury, Ontario intending on majoring in Environmental Studies and English. You may have seen me in the Weitz dancing with KRUSH or playing flute in band, or at the language center, ready to answer your burning questions about French conjugation or to help you find a functional stapler. You may have also heard of me from the emails that you’ve been receiving this term about the CSA Senate and its activities.

I am currently serving as the CSA’s Public Relations Officer during this winter term. This position has enabled me to see the various issues that the CSA has to work through regarding communication with the rest of the campus, and I know how to work with the Committee for Outreach, Media and Publicity (COMP) to improve this.

I am running to continue representing you in this position. I am a first-year student, and, prior to getting involved with Senate, I had little knowledge of what my representatives were working toward and the goals they were trying to accomplish, much less who exactly to reach out to if I wanted to learn more. Many students, like me, do not know what Senate does and tries to accomplish for the Carleton community, and do not understand the function of the different committees and working groups, if they have heard of them at all. As Public Relations Officer and chair of COMP, I aim to eliminate this gap between the student body and the actions of their representatives.

GOALS

My objectives focus on increasing transparency between Senate and the Carleton community:

Improving communication between CSA Senate and the student body: Throughout this term, I have worked effectively with COMP to send a biweekly newsletter to the student body. This newsletter does not aim to overwhelm you with information, but to inform you concisely and clearly about what you should be aware of as members of the CSA. As Carleton students, all of you are members of the Carleton Student Association, and therefore all of you have a voice to make a change at Carleton. I aim to continue the publishing of this newsletter, and to highlight the different working groups and committees within Senate to ensure that you know how to make your voice heard.

Remodeling the CSA website: I want to improve the navigability of the CSA page on the Carleton website, so that you can more easily and efficiently find the resources that you need, whether it be for questions about a new club you are founding or who to contact with questions about what that student activity fee on your student account is used for.

Boosting the CSA Senate’s online presence: As a turn-of-the-century-born Gen-Z/millennial, I know that social media presence is vital to an organization’s success and outreach. I aim to use various social media platforms to reach the largest number of students possible and communicate the projects that the CSA Senate is undertaking in a manner that is easily accessible.

TL/DR: As Public Relations Officer, I want to make CSA Senate more approachable for all students, enable an easier method of communication between the student body and senators, and ensure that the initiatives that CSA is taking are clearly conveyed to the Carleton community.

Thank you for reading!

Best,

Saraswati Vadnais

CLASS OF 2019 REPRESENTATIVE

Eliot Ayala

Hey class of 2019!

My name is Eliot Ayala (he/him/his), and I am delighted to be running for your class representative for spring term 2019!

In case y’all don’t know me too well, here’s some fan facts about ya boy: I am a religion major with a French and Francophone studies minor. I was born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico but now live in one of Chicago’s northernmost suburbs (Park City, Illinois). I don’t claim Chicago, ok? Let’s get that clear. On campus I work as both a Spanish teaching assistant and a Spanish tutor. However, my career goals lie in education. As someone who values the vital role that future generations play in the world, I want to someday teach and help build that better tomorrow. After almost four years at Carleton, it is safe to say that I was shaped by but also helped shape Carleton. I want to ensure that future generations of Carls are left with a better Carleton after we graduate.

Almost four years of Carleton has showed me that although Carleton is a great school with wonderfully caring and passionate students, faculty, and staff, there’s a lot of work to be done to improve our school (I’m looking at you Reslife and Bonapp). I think that accountability is a main point of focus for students to get behind in order for substantial change to take place. I have served in CSA budget committee for five consecutive terms and I have seen accountability and collaboration work through student organizations and budget committee members.

With my last term at Carleton, I want to assure that I make my last term memorable and fun but that I also give back to the school that made these dreams possible. I want to run as someone who has experience with CSA but not with CSA senate and hope that my insight, knowledge, and experience serves Senate and the student body. As a low-income, first-generation queer Latino on campus, I believe that I can give a voice to typically underrepresented students on this campus. As a representative, I will ensure that all voices must be heard and taken seriously. I want to ensure that I am a representative for ALL class members of 2019 and that I may serve them through our last bittersweet term at Carleton.

Finally, I want to thank Carleton College and CSA for this great opportunity to represent the amazing class of 2019.

Un beso,

Eliot Ayala (Bad-E)

Emerson Herrera

¡Buenas tardes, chicos!

My name is Emerson, I am part of the class of 2019, and I want to represent you! I was originally born in Guatemala but at the tender age of two, I moved to the foggy city— the place I currently call home, San Francisco. I am a Political Science/International Relations major with a minor in Latin-American Studies. I have been at Carleton for the past three years and a half, and I have come to appreciate and understand this campus like many other seniors.

Although I may be leaving in just one term, I have a fervent drive and enthusiastic desire to improve the campus we call home. I am running as a fresh face and mind to CSA Senate hoping to bring new and efficient ideas. Every candidate speaks about making CSA more “transparent and accessible” to the overall student body. Except, what does this actually mean and how can we execute it? In my frank opinion, it starts with the representatives themselves and not necessarily CSA as a whole. As a representative, we must do our job to remind the student body to attend CSA meetings and to make their voices heard. As I began to write this platform, I asked a few students whether they knew about Rep office hours and unsurprisingly many never knew this opportunity to voice their concerns and opinions existed. As Rep, I hope to create spaces where people can feel comfortable enough to bring their worries and interests—for them to feel like I am just a megaphone that will project and accomplish what they most need.

In addition to thinking about the class of 2019, it is also important to keep in mind how bureaucratic both CSA and the college administration can be. Often times, students are either misinformed or unaware of how either authorities work. Hopefully, my future job in CSA is to alleviate these misunderstandings and to make the way Senate runs a lot more efficient in ways that will help both the Senators and the overall student body. This includes the school’s administration. Too often, they overlook and make decisions without taking into account our needs. For example, when CSA effectively created and sent a resolution to cancel classes during the polar vortex to the Tuesday Group, the administration did not take either the student body or the college employees in mind when they singlehandedly decided to keep the college open. They did not hear us because they did not want to. Instead, as representative of our class, I will effectively communicate concerns directly to those with power because they must know our concerns. I understand the bureaucracy can be frustrating but through representatives that care about the well-being of their constituents, these hardships and protocols can be competently targeted.

I am not here to dictate what the class of 2019 wants. Instead, I am here to voice your concerns and anything else that needs to be brought to light. I hope to be the conductor that brings the student body and CSA together to make a more effective and smooth-running campus. This begins with your vote and continues after we all have left.

I leave you with a quote by the wise Ralph Waldo Emerson, who once said, “Do not go where the path may go; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Thank you so much for this incredible opportunity to share an incredible future celebration of our Carleton community and progress together.

With warm regards,

Emerson Herrera

CLASS OF 2020 REPRESENTATIVE

Erica Cagliero

Hello Class of 2020! I’m excited to be running for a Class of 2020 Representative position on the CSA Senate.

A little about myself: I am a junior International Relations major and Public Policy minor from Lexington, Massachusetts. At Carleton I work as a Resident Assistant, compete on the Mock Trial team, and play for the women’s club lacrosse team.

During my time at Carleton I have taken on various roles that have allowed me to hear what my peers think of Carleton as an institution — what Carleton is doing well and what people wish was different. Most notably my position as a Resident Assistant for the past two years has allowed me to interact with peers from various class years. This role requires me to be in the loop regarding how my community feels and what they would benefit from. I believe that my experience as an RA would allow me to carry over my knowledge of the student body, in addition to my communication and listening skills, to make a meaningful impact on the Carleton student body from the role of CSA 2020 Class Representative.

As a Class of 2020 Representative I would work to keep my peers informed regarding CSA’s agenda. A characteristic of Carleton students that I admire is their tenacity to advocate for important changes. However it can be frustrating at times to communicate and work with the Carleton administration to have students voices be heard. I believe the CSA provides an essential platform for students to voice their opinions. As a class representative I would work to have students be increasingly aware of CSA as a resource and help them advocate their concerns or visions for change in a productive way to insight meaningful change.

Elizabeth Sachs

Hi Class of 2020!

My name is Elizabeth Sachs and I am running to be a CSA Representative for the ~biggest class in Carleton history~!

A little bit about me:

I use she/her/hers pronouns, and grew up in Maine (my favorite place in the whole world). I am a French & Francophone Studies major, with a double minor in WGST and Music Performance. I’m also pre-health and pre-law.

Catch me in the LDC or the libe as a French TA! I love working with people, and I believe my communication skills and extraverted personality would come in handy in the Senate. I am passionate about combatting sexual violence and have been active in organizations both on and off campus that work toward this goal. I am also a tour guide, and I sing in the choir and chamber choir.

I have served as a Co-Chair for the Carleton Democratic Socialists of America for the past two years, wherein I have worked tirelessly to create a space of education and discussion with a focus on grassroots activism. I also created a new structure for the way leadership and meetings were organized, streamlining the process and creating a more sustainable future for the club.

As your representative, I have several goals:

Communication

My primary goal is to be here for you. As your representative I would prioritize open and honest communication between the CSA and the student body. This include making myself available to you all in order to address your questions and concern.

Diversity and Inclusion

I understand that my position as a white cis woman grants me certain privileges on this campus. I hope to advocate for policies and positions that aid in the process of increasing inclusion and equity across the social, economic, racial, and religious spectrums. This includes encouraging the college to support the cancellation of classes on major religious holidays.

Title IX

I am concerned by the way that the complaint process differs in student/student versus student/faculty cases, and believe that reforms are both necessary and feasible within a reasonable timeline.

I thank you for your consideration, and look forward to working with you! Please don’t hesitate to contact me at

sachse@carleton.edu, or literally just wave to me as we try not to freeze outside!

CLASS OF 2021 REPRESENTATIVE

Cole DiIanni

Why burn coal when you can vote for him?

Hey. Thanks for electing me as your class rep last year. When I ran, my platform was to get health services for students over the weekend. After talking with the head of SHAC, I learned that to keep staff over the weekend would require hiring two new people and would cost too much money. The alternative was to set up a dial-up-nurse system to reduce costs. My first year ended with a presentation of the survey results (thanks for doing that) to SHAC and Stevie P arguing for implementing the over the phone health care system.

This year, I’ve passed the baton on to the mental health working group and will be moving on to help the CSA Textbook Library because it’s a relatively new service which will help many students save money. It’s no $15/hr minimum wage, but it’s realistic.

Besides joining the CSA Textbook Library working group, I’m looking to work through CSA to establish a new program focused on introducing students to life skills such as credit, job benefits, buying/renting a house, insurance, etc. I believe that such a program will help any Carleton student after graduation, as some of the information is not taught in schools and not adequately covered here at Carleton, yet will undoubtedly be used while in or immediately exiting college. The program would most likely meet around four times per term, every other week starting second week. If you have any suggestions as to what you would like to be taught in the program, what day the meetings should take place, or concerns in general, feel free to email me at diiannic@carleton.edu. Have a great rest of winter term!

Daniel Zin

Hey Class of 2021,

My name is Daniel Zin (he/him) and I am running to once again be your Class of 2021 Representative on the CSA Senate next year.

Prior to this year, I was a student athlete on the Varsity Men’s Soccer team. However, I have since then made the very difficult decision to step away from the sport that I have been competing in since I was 10 years old to focus on my studies and pursue other endeavors at Carleton. One such endeavor to accomplish at Carleton was to become an active and contributing member of CSA.

This year I have had the privilege of filling the position of Class of 2021 Representative during the Winter term as well as be a part of the Commencement and Honorary Degree Committee and have worked to become an engaged member of the senate. This term, I have worked to keep our class updated with recent information as well as distribute any resources that students may need. In addition, I am also a part of the transportation working group which helps contribute to making all forms of transportation to and from Carleton as easily accessible as possible.

I am an outgoing, friendly and personable individual with past leadership in student government. I have served in various positions in the past that range from class representative to committee member. I have worked effectively in the past to represent my fellow students and understand the importance of mitigating potential conflict. I am also able to effectively communicate to schools and community administrators. I have enjoyed meeting my fellow students with varying interests on our campus and would find it an honor to be able to represent my class as part of the CSA and also enrich my experience as a student at Carleton.

As a class representative, I will continue to work diligently to promote open communication about the needs and concerns of our class and to facilitate a cohesive and positive relationship between students, faculty, and administrators among our Carleton community. I hope to do this through occasional tabling, open office hours, and casual conversations.

I would like to focus on increasing student representation and having events that can promote our strong connection as a school. I believe our sports teams can be one such opportunity to bring our students and community together. By promoting school pride and fan participation, I truly believe that students will grow closer together and will make our Carleton community become even stronger than it already is.

In addition, I would like to increase Carleton’s involvement with the Northfield community. I believe that both Northfield and Carleton have so many resources that can prove to be mutually beneficial for each other. While there are current programs that have a relationship between Carleton and Northfield’s community, I strongly believe there is still plenty of room to grow.

I would also like to increase the accessibility of every possible resource that Carleton has. As an elite college, Carleton provides so many different opportunities and resources that many people are not aware of. From applying to fellowships to requesting to create your own club, as your class representative, I hope to make all these different options and features as accessible and apparent as possible.

Thank you and I hope to represent you once again as your Class of 2021 Representative!

Best,

Daniel Zin

CLASS OF 2022 REPRESENTATIVE

Edgar Aguirre

Signature: CCCE

Hello, class of 2022. My name is Edgar Aguirre(He/Him/His) and I am running to be the Class of 2022 representative on CSA Senate. Even though our time at Carleton has barely been 2 trimesters, I’m sure that as students, you’ve noticed that problems exist. Although, I’m currently not on CSA Senate, I have already begun to look into methods of improving our school and have asked some students for their suggestions. Listed below are some changes I wish to advocate for as class representative, but of course, my understanding of the issues at Carleton are limited. I am always looking for more feedback about what changes need to occur, and as students, if there is something you feel needs to be addressed, don’t hesitate to contact me.

What I hope to improve revolves around some issues that people may not notice. I wish to improve the resources for mental health within the school, since living in an academic challenging environment such as Carleton, mental health stability is essential for day to day life. Speaking from personal experience coming into Carleton, throughout fall trimester, I had some issues concerning my own mental well being. Although, they were concentrated on issues facing sleep deprivation, the resources at Carleton such as the sleep coaches at OHP helped me out. However, this isn’t always the case for some students here, for more severe issues that require resources such as counseling, the resources are limited considering the demand. To quote a friend of mine, “I have to wait 3 weeks for my appointment with a psychologist.” The lack of mental health resources at Carleton is serious and needs to be improved. At the moment SHAC has too few counselors to schedule enough appointments with all the students that desire counseling. Issues such as mental health are serious and need to be addressed as soon as possible, not a few weeks from now. After all, during that wait time, the issue can worsen with the stress of additional workload, added along with the lack of focus and distraction brought from handling these mental health issues. I hope to work with administration and find a solution that will satisfy the student body, where students no longer have to wait so long to receive the aid they deserve.

After speaking with the current EAC liaison, Andrew Farias, I became more informed with the process of “Swipe for Hunger” and how it functions. From this new information I would like to advocate for a diversification of the program, and work to help create a program in which students have the option to donate their unused Sayles dollars at the end of the trimester towards a fund that would be used to donate to a local charity cause or added to the fund for food-insecure students.

Another improvement I would like work on is an improvement to the CSA textbook library. I don’t know how many of you have seen it in person, but speaking from personal experience having volunteered a few times in the past, it is very disorganized. However, it remains to be a potentially large resource for the students. Afterall, why spend $60 buying a used textbook on Amazon for a class you’ll only need for one trimester, when it could potentially be available to you from the CSA textbook library for free. The issue that remains is that due to there being so many uncatalogued books due to disorganization in such a small space, it is difficult to take account of all the books available by the time a new term starts. What I desire to do like so many others is fix that issue, I am more than willing to spend my weekend mornings working to organize the textbook library. In order for the textbook library to serve at its full potential and alleviate some financial costs for the students. I have the ambition and the coffee to work and make this come true.

In terms of experience and qualifications I would like to focus on the present. I currently have a position on both the CSA governance and Budget committee since the beginning of fall trimester. In all honesty, starting off I had no clue in exactly how the student government here at Carleton worked and as relatively new students at Carleton, I’m sure many of you can admit to feeling the same way. The person our class needs in senate is someone that understands the multiple layers of Carleon’s student government. Which includes the bylaws for each specific committee, their limitations, and what aspects constitute things such as the overall budgets and allocations. I am proud to say that I am aware of many of these aspects and their importance to the general structure of CSA senate and their meetings. With the knowledge I’ve gained from my experience, I would be able to contribute in furthering more deeper discussion and questioning in terms of voting for decisions that affect the whole student body.

Besides my ideas and experience, the reason I believe you should vote for me as class representative is because I genuinely desire to better life here at Carleton and am open to the opinions of you, the student body. Whether it’s critiques or suggestions, feel free to contact me at any time, I know very well there is really no way I can fully explain my ideas and who I am in the limited amount of space I have. But, if you have any questions feel free to contact me by email or in person if you happen to see me. If you’re ever in Sayles and hear someone ordering a cold brew when it’s -22°, and the person has spiky, dark brown hair, odds are it’s me. Don’t hesitate to walk up to me and start a conversation, I’d love to hear your opinions and suggestions. Thank you for reading out my platform, I know it’s a bit long, but I appreciate the time taken, and I hope you’ll consider voting for me as your class representative, my fellow class of 2022.

Sincerely,

Edgar Aguirre

(aguirree@carleton.edu)

Oswaldo Cota

He/Him/His

Hey ’22!

My name is Oswaldo Cota, but if you really are about it you can call me Ozzy (as most do) and I would be honored to continue to serve as a representative for the class of 2022!

Quick bio on who I am: I am a born and raised Los Angeles (Virgo) baby.

My passion has belonged to the political field since my early childhood. The Law and Government magnet at my High school allowed for this passion to take hold. Although being a first-year, I plan on double majoring in both SO/AN and Latin American History. My dream goal is to become one of the best immigration attorneys on the west coast.

From my brief time serving on Senate I acquired the methods of navigating this space that involves learning through discussion about the social significance of equal representation here at Carleton.

I firsthand, understand the crippling effects of being silenced and underrepresented as a first-generation Latinx of undocumented immigrant parents and as an openly queer individual myself. And I want to prevent that from occurring here on campus.

Experience in leadership:

I was heavily involved with leadership positions throughout my high school career as well as have spoken at an international conference my senior year. I have actually shadowed my AP government teacher in writing “legislation” on policies he protested the district should change due to outdated or incorrect language.

Notably, I was invited to speak at the LAUSD Transforming Practice: Social Emotional Learning Conference on how to promote LGBT inclusivity through safe spaces in schools for expression and discussion. I was president of both Do-Something club (social activism club) and Gay-Straight Alliance my senior year where I personally organized multiple events and worked closely with staff from various other educational institutions.

From these few example activities I have gained the experience, the courage and the passion to be unapologetically loud for those silenced by fear and oppression.

Goals:

Although fall term was uneventful for me as class representative of 2022 (as it takes a bit to get the hang of the Senate process), winter break allowed me to reflect on why this ended up taking so long to get used to and why it wasn’t any easier. This self-reflection lead to me becoming active in the Reform Committee Working Group where I, along with fellow Senators, worked diligently in restructuring and simplifying the structure of the Senate to explicitly define roles. This meant having conversations with fellow Senators (which requires courage) and not being afraid of the pressure of having to “call-out” upperclassmen as a first-year.

But more importantly, after a fellow first-year came to Senate to talk about her difficulties she has had to face as a DACA student during fall-term, I decided to found a collaborative DACA working group. Our focus (and is currently on-going) is to create more transparency between Carleton Administration and DACA students. Although I am a TRIO student and have citizenship, I strongly believe that should not mean that DACA students should not have equal opportunity. more importantly, equal results. I would not want my own undocumented parents to have had to go through what she and fellow DACA students of low socioeconomic status have had to endure.

If you have any questions feel free to email me: Cotao@carleton.edu

Thank you for your consideration,

Oswaldo (Ozzy) Cota

Rahul Kirkhope

My name is Rahul (Thinks He’s Funnier Than He Is) Kirkhope (he/him/his) and I would be proud to represent the Class of 2022 in the Carleton Student Association Senate. Since arriving this past Fall, I have been incredibly lucky to be here at Carleton and to watch myself develop into someone better. In all my mistakes, in all my successes, in all my hope to improve, I must ask my fellow classmates to help me give back to the place that has already taught me so much. A place that has taught us so much.

I ask for your vote in this upcoming election for the following reasons:

I want to emphasize the accountability and accessibility of the Class Representatives here on campus. If elected, I will hold weekly meetings in Sayles to get to know my classmates and figure out ways in which we can improve Carleton. These meetings will double as public forums in which individuals can pose problems, allowing us to figure out solutions together. I want to hear your voice and what you think is best for our community here. If you would like to contact me, email me at kirkhoper@carleton.edu

I am intent on creating a safe environment for every student at Carleton and will work with the Title XI Coordinator to promote workshops geared towards combating toxic masculinity. I believe that the abhorrent rates of sexual assault on college campuses can be effectively fought by targeting the mindsets that allow such behavior to flourish.
As a person of color, I believe it is extremely important to promote diversity in a way that is inclusive to all and not simply for the sake of statistics. I will work with OIIL groups to promote campus events and to encourage learning and appreciation of various cultures.
With my work at the Northfield Public Library, I have built a rapport with many townies. I am confident I will be able to act as a liaison between the town and Carleton students, thereby strengthening Carleton’s relationship with the people whose town we share. By aligning the interests of the town and our school, I will be able to increase communication regarding events happening both on and off campus.

This will not be my first time working in an elected position. In high school, I served as a class representative for two years. In that time, I was active in organizing school dances and putting together fundraisers. Through these experiences, I found that I am able to work effectively with others. I am always intent on figuring out the perspectives and opinions of all involved and I hope to continue this as a Carleton Class of 2022 Representative.
I have buttons lol.

It is for these reasons that I ask for your support in the upcoming election. As a community, we must watch out for one another. Polls will open the Thursday of week seven at 9 PM and close 11:59 of the following Sunday. Thank you.

Work hard, bool harder.

Yours truly,

Rahul

Peter McCrea

About me:

My name is Peter McCrea, and I am from Bloomington, Minnesota. My favorite thing on the internet is xkcd. I have an amazing albino frog named Albin, who lives with me in my dorm.

Goals:

I have only one goal, and it is the sole reason I’m running for CSA Senate. I believe most of the decisions made in the Senate should instead be voted on by the student body. There has never been a time in history where direct democracy has been more accessible. An online polling system should be implemented in some way to ensure the student body has their voice heard. A direct democracy at Carleton would work exceptionally well considering our student body is small, politically involved, intelligent, and uniformly concerned with the well-being of fellow Carleton students. Especially considering the large amount of funding the CSA has access to each year (nearly $600,000), and that the source of the funding is largely derived from vending machines and student activity fees, I believe the current system is fundamentally flawed. A small group of representatives cannot accurately represent our diverse student body.

If I am elected I will fight for some sort of online polling system to be established to more accurately represent the wishes of the Carleton population. The end goal would be for all major CSA decisions to be decided by a binding poll, with each Carleton student having equal say. Due to the massive change this would entail, it may take time and effort to sort out the details. In the meantime, a nonbinding online voting system should be established, so every important issue the CSA votes on can first be voted on by all Carleton students, and then the Senate can use these results as guidance to shape how they think and decide on important issues. It is a travesty that as of now, the only way for the Senate to gauge what the student population thinks about issues is through person to person discussion, which will leave out massive groups of people, or through online comments, which can be completely ignored or dominated by a small vocal minority of people. Having a polling system is the only way to ensure all students have an equal say in making Carleton the best college it can possibly be.

Experience:

Student government in High School

Molly Zuckerman

Hey Class of 2022! My name is Molly Zuckerman, and I am running to be one of your CSA Class Reps. In the short time I have been at Carleton, I’ve learned a few things: For one, I should stop telling people I’m from New Jersey if I want to make a good first impression. I’ve learned that broth can prevent frostbite. But also, I’ve realized what an incredibly special place this is, and how lucky I am to be here. That’s why I want to be a part of CSA – I would love to be in a position from which I can advocate for the interests of fellow Carleton students. Because Carleton can always do better. I have been speaking with classmates, floormates, and friends, and several issues stand out to me as matters that need to be addressed. I will push for change in the following areas as your CSA Class Rep:

Mental health. SHACC is a great resource, but, with the number of counselors it currently employs, there are not enough available appointments for the number of students who need them. With few available appointments, and long waits in between, some students are not receiving the type of care and attention that they require. As CSA rep, I will work to expand SHACC services and hire more counselors so as to ensure that students can more easily and frequently schedule appointments.
Collaboration. As class rep, I will push for more joint events between the CSA and groups like the GSC, TRIO, and OIIL. Such interactions will hopefully encourage the type of inter community discourse that we need to foster diversity.
Connection with Northfield. We really are in a “Carleton bubble.” I think it’s really important to engage with the community in which we live, and hope to establish CSA sponsored opportunities to do so.
Communication. As your CSA rep, the majority of reforms I push for should come from you. Open communication is extremely important to me, and the best way to represent you is to listen to your ideas and concerns. That’s exactly what intend to do all through this campaign and if elected – listen to your ideas and push for reforms that are reflective of our class’s needs.

To tell you a little about myself, I’m a prospective political science and/or history major who is really, really excited for the 2020 election! My passion here at Carleton is Mock Trial, and I am a currently a team captain. Mock Trial has given me plenty of experience with public speaking and working with people whose opinions differ from mine, both of which are things I know would help make me an effective class representative. As captain of Mock Trial this winter, I am used to handling the large amounts of work and responsibility that I know will be present in CSA. I take my work really seriously, and I can promise you that, as your Class Rep, I will approach my job – representing you – with complete commitment and attention.

Thank you so much for your consideration, and I look forward to talking a lot more with you guys in the coming weeks!

Molly