Presidential Candidates

Ben Barclay
Caitlin Fleming
Marshall MacDonald

Vice Presidential Candidates

Pablo Kenney
Alex Popper

Treasurer Candidate

Sam Ritter

Senator at Large Candidates

Hilary Adams
Nimo Ali
Jinai Bharucha
Jack Boller
Broderick Dressen
Chase Kimball
Whittney Smith
Charlotte Turovsky

CSA President

Ben Barclay

Though the CSA Constitution’s definition of the CSA President remains rather relegated to within the context of Senate meetings, I understand the Presidential role to be much more. First and foremost, the CSA President serves as the prime spokesperson for the student body. The nature of such a role requires a candidate who believes leadership is more than just stubborn decisiveness, who possesses the right experience in both campus governance and greater involvement and engagement in the campus, and who is fully attuned to the needs and values of the Carleton student body. I’m running for CSA President because I believe that I can best fulfill these demands of the position, but at the same time offer direction and ideas which the school and student body can adopt. I also believe that I have the requisite amount and proper type of experience needed for such a formidable position.

Experience:

I became involved in Carleton student government the fall term of my freshman year, and I’ve been active since. During this three-year period, I’ve served on the Committee for Student Life, College Council, and CSA Senate, working on initiatives as varied as bringing the crepe maker service to campus, investigating allegations of employee abuse in the LDC, and reviewing the CSA Constitution. Experiences such as these will be instrumental to draw upon as CSA President, in addition to my experiences as a RA and Sustainability Assistant, as well as my involvement with KRLX, the Carleton Progressive, and Model UN.

Ideas:

As President, my primary concerns will be the issues which members of the student body feel most strongly about, and will tirelessly work with the college administration, faculty and staff, student organizations, the Senate, and the greater Northfield community to continually strengthen Carleton student life. However, after talking with many Carleton students, I offer five areas as a starting point for where the CSA Senate can implement actual change on the campus.

  • Make Students Voices’ Heard in College Planning:
    • Though Carleton students are given some opportunities to participate in the college planning process, students are still routinely underutilized while some college decisions and committees remain inaccessible to them. To remedy this, I propose establishing an official and permanent student body liaison to the Board of Trustees. I also will strive to increase student-led development for the Arts Union, a building that will drastically shift the geographic balance of campus, as well as augment student input to current Residential Life policy, particularly the plan to reduce Northfield Option. In addition, I will begin a student-administration dialogue that will examine the feasible options for academic credit for club sports and other student leadership positions on campus, as well as consider the attainable options for reforming New Student Week, a week that should be complemented by an off-campus excursion. Though the CSA has traditionally had little purview in these areas, I believe that its increased participation in campus decision-making will increase transparency and result in a Carleton that everyone will appreciate more.
  • Sustainability:
    • President Oden has signed a commitment requiring Carleton to be carbon neutral by 2050, believing that sustainability is a strong Carleton value. In this spirit, I possess a few actual ideas for making Carleton an even more environmentally sustainable campus, especially from my experience as an ENTS concentrator and Sustainability Assistant. As President, I will work with the administration and Board of Trustees to voice the student opinion of Carleton’s renewable energy options and green buildings initiative. I also propose restarting the Carleton Responsible Investment Committee to ensure that the college’s endowment is invested in socially responsible options. After discussions with Facilities, I believe CSA can also coordinate to bring composting services to the dorms. Finally, if not already enacted by the Constitutional Review Board, I will designate a portion of the student budget specifically for “green” options for student groups wishing to be more environmentally friendly.
  • Dining:
    • Though the campus is unsure if Sodexho is here to stay, much still can be improved with food on campus, including 1) resuming former Senators’ work on establishing full-time, student-run coffeehouse on campus, 2) reducing unnecessary lines at the dining halls, and making certain that they open on-time, 3) making small renovations at the Cave to increase the dining and beverage options it can offer, and 4) ensuring that, once the new dining contract is signed, the service provider upholds the food quality and offerings it promised.
  • Financial Aid:
    • Many of Carleton’s competitors are beginning to phase out student loans for certain income groups, and I support Carleton’s efforts to follow. I also believe that the CSA, under appropriate leadership, can play an instrumental role in coordinating with the administration to explore options to make Carleton more accessible to all.
  • Making CSA Senate More Accessible:
    • As the student decision-making body on campus, I believe that every student merits the attention of the Senate. As President, I will encourage students-at-large to present to the Senate about any issue of concern, and will also hold weekly Officer hours so students and faculty can meet to discuss any ideas or issues. With the ear of the CSA President, Carleton students will thus be more in control of the Senate agenda, allowing the Senate to be more representative of their interests.

Caitlin Fleming

I am running for CSA President to ensure that the diverse voices of Carleton students have a platform on which to make changes in their community.

As a Political Science and Studio Art double major, CSA Senator, member of the Women’s Rugby team, former Resident Assistant, and Committee on Student Life member, I have had the opportunity to listen to and engage with individuals with varied and enlightening perspectives. I want to ensure that all students are heard and make the changes necessary to feel comfortable in the Carleton environment.

It would do us well to re-evaluate how Senate is run. I believe that we can make it into a more dynamic, open, and responsive body. More student voices should be brought into the Senate process – not just to receive funding, but to engage in discussions about the emerging face of Carleton. There are a lot of changes on the horizon for the school, and it is essential that the student voices of today have an impact on the decisions for the future. I will listen to these voices.

After discussion with students and experience in the CSA Senate, I think that the most effective way for the CSA Senate to affect the change students need to succeed at Carleton is to focus its efforts on a few salient issues at a time, so as to leave room for student opinion and new issues as they arise. It would be easy to fill this platform with promises, but if we want to get things done we must focus. It is important to make promises we can keep.

As student views and desires change, so should the focus of the Senate. In order for this to happen, the Senate needs to become more accessible and visible to students. I will create the opportunity for students to make comments and suggestions on the CSA website in direct response to each week’s discussion, release a CSA Senate Fact of the Week in the NNB, institute Officer Hours twice per week, and proactively contact campus groups to ascertain what issues were important to them. In addition, I think it would serve student groups well to have a meeting of student leaders at least once a month to discuss on-campus activities and ideas.

In addition to the permanent committee liaison positions, which are delineated to address questions of Admissions and Financial Aid, Education and Curriculum, Environmental Policies, College Council activities, and St. Olaf-Carleton relations, these are the topics upon which I would like to begin action in the spring:

  1. Conducting a Student Wellness Center Review
  2. Improving the Effectiveness of Career Center
  3. Providing rewarding orientation opportunities for incoming Freshmen
  4. Obtaining P.E. Credit for Club Sports
  5. Investing in fiscally responsible efforts towards a Sustainable Carleton

How would these changes take place?

  1. The Wellness Center Review will take a similar course as the Dining Review. In conjunction with the Committee on Student Life, the Wellness Center, the Dean of Students, the student-body, the Senate, and perhaps an outside consultant, we will create a campus-wide questionnaire to generate student opinion on the services and function of the Wellness Center. The services addressed could include free STI testing, subsidized birth control, and increased hours and staffing, among others. In addition to the questionnaire, the administration and consultants will examine the ability of the Wellness Center to address the needs of students and make staffing and program adjustments based on available resources.
  2. The Career Center has undergone some important changes within the past year and has taken important steps in improving the professional opportunities available to students during and after their Carleton careers. More progress can be made, however. In working with the newly instituted committee assigned to advise the Career Center, we will draft a Career Interest form that students will complete during Fall term advising sessions and connect them with internship, externship, and job opportunities specific to their preferences. With forthcoming staffing increases at the Center, we will organize more Scholar trips, Alumni-Student events, and visibility of Career Center opportunities.
  3. With the rising costs of all-inclusive Pre-Frosh Trips and an ongoing re-evaluation of the functionality of New Student Week, we will propose a solution that incorporated both opportunities. As a part of New Student Week events, each freshman will have the opportunity to take a mini retreat with peer leaders. These retreats could take them on camping adventures in the middle of the Arb, canoeing trips down the Cannon, or service days in the local Northfield Community. The funding will be supplied from the combination of resources allocated to Pre-Frosh Trips and New Student Week.
  4. Currently, over 600 Carleton students participate in Club Sports. Many of these athletes spend long hours, sometimes as many at ten or more per week, dedicating themselves to their activity. At this time, however, Club Sports Participants can receive only two of their four P.E. credits required to graduate. We will create the opportunity for captains of Club Sports to petition for P.E. credit for their athletes for one term each year. The captains must prove the viability of their sport by practicing at least twice per week, as is the case with most P.E. classes, and keep attendance records. Their participants will be able to enroll in their Club Sport and receive the four P.E. credits required for graduation.
  5. This year, Carleton has taken significant strides in becoming more sustainable with environmentally-friendly building supplies, energy-saving light use, and the composting program. In October alone, we produced 60 tons of recyclables, compostables, and trash, all of which would be destined for a were it not for the composting program. We will continue supporting these efforts by appropriating a portion of the student activity fee to “green-specific” projects, as determined by the Budget Committee and the CSA Bylaws.

Vote for Caitlin Fleming for CSA President.

Marshall McDonald

First off, I would like to thank everyone who ends up reading my platform. I think it’s awesome that Carleton has a functional Student Association that is truly committed to improving and sustaining the welfare of our student body. I’m also happy about where we are headed in regards to this election. The CSA has 3 strong candidates bidding for the presidency. Regardless of who wins, we will have a sound leader for the near future.

Our CSA President should be:
  • The voice of our student body
  • A leader who is willing to listen to any and every student
  • Focused
  • Honest
  • A figure who can motivate others to work on the student’s behalf
Prior CSA Involvement:
  • CSA Senator: 3 terms
  • Chair of Governance Committee: 3 terms
These are the topics that I believe in:
  • Accessibility
    • Students will know who I am and how to contact me. I will always be open to take questions or concerns of any student. The CSA acts as a medium between students and staff. I will establish presidential office hours every week, where any student can come to me with questions, comments, or concerns.
  • Fiscal Responsibility
    • We are the guardians of the student interest. I will encourage the CSA to do its best to spend our money where students need it most. The Budget Committee must continue to act within its means while being as allocatively efficient as possible.
  • Establishing a Sustainability Committee
    • Carleton has done a wonderful job of making our campus greener. I will create a sustainability committee comprised of students willing to research, prioritize, coordinate, and recommend ways for Carleton to become even more sustainable.
  • Defending the CSA Constitution
    • I live by a personal mission statement. So does the CSA. I will enact the Rights and Responsibilities of the CSA because I believe in them.

I am not naive enough to believe that I have every answer. I know these topics above don’t solve every concern. I will not set unattainable goals and will not promise you the world. What I promise is hard work, sound judgment, and an open heart.

CSA Vice President

Pablo Kenney

Bullet-point platform:

As Vice-President I wish to work to improve specific problems being faced by Carleton Students. Too often CSA elections are dominated by candidates who battle to promise more than the other candidate. This results in many promises and few achievements. Carleton has real problems and needs real solutions.

Problems:
  1. The Wellness Center is not providing necessary care.
  2. The Career Center does not meet students’ standards.
  3. The CSA Budget is not being spent proportionally to the students’s interests.
  4. PE Credit is not fairly allocated
  5. The Senate is not nearly as open as it could be.
Solutions
  1. Students (via the CSA) need to be involved in the Wellness Center review. The Wellness center needs to improve hours, expand services, review the athletic trainer policy, and facilitate scheduling. This can be done if the CSA focuses squarely on this issue and shows that Student Wellness is a priority to the Student Association.
  2. The Career Center needs significant student input. Student’s need to be able to turn to the Career Center as the first source when looking for internships, fellowships, grants, and careers. Through improved college budgeting, non-worker student input, and a review of the Career Center’s priorities, it can easily become an organization that improves the quality of life for every Carleton student. Again, this can only be achieved if CSA as an organization focuses on improving the Career Center.
  3. Balancing the CSA budget requires a balancing act that is learned through experience and good judgment. Every year 200 dollars of your tuition goes to the activities fee which pays for CSA’s budget. Unfortunately, things that are popular student activities are often not able to be funded at their ideal level because of irresponsible funding earlier in the year. As Vice-President, I would use my three years of experience on Budget Committee to balance the needs of individual groups, with the desires of the college.
  4. As it stands students who participate in a very high level of competition against both peer institutions and in some cases against Division 1 teams cannot earn 4 PE Credits. This ought to be changed. While various arguments can be made, I do not believe that the system as it stands is fair. This will require focus and persistence, but dedication to this issue will assure that the situation is rectified.
  5. CSA can be more open. I propose that the CSA secretary provide a “CSA fact of the day” for the NNB. I also propose that each officer offer 2 hours meeting with students, both to listen to problems and create solutions. This would provide 6 hours of CSA office hours. Lastly, I propose that the CSA website provide specific links to Budget Committee recommendations, the minutes for each recommendation and a space for the reader to comment.

Focusing on these issues will result in real solutions to real problems.

By sticking to these five points in the beginning of Spring Term we will be able achieve the current goals of the Student Body and also have time and space to listen to and solve problems as they arise.

“Essay” Platform

Real Solutions to Real Problems:

The Carleton Student Association has three officer positions. Two of the positions are rather obvious. The President is in charge of Senate as a whole, while the Treasurer takes care of the money. What about Vice-President? What does the Vice-President do and why would anyone want to be Vice-President?

I want to run for Vice-President because it is the one position in the CSA that brings together the goals of the students for a better student life with the monetary needs individual student groups manifest. CSA has the ability to better students’ lives by negotiating with the administration and to provide the funds necessary for individual groups to pursue their goals. A good Vice-President should be able to operate on both the administrative and financial levels that are required of him or her.

I have worked to improve student life for the past three years in a variety of ways, but my efforts are best encapsulated by my time on senate. As a senator I have actively participated in work to provide student positive solutions to the problems faced by Carls everyday, specifically looking at campus infrastructure, the Wellness Center, the Career Center, and Club Sport PE Credit. On these issues, it is important that the student position is negotiated with as much knowledge and tenacity as the faculty, staff, or administrators on the other side of the table. We should be able to create cooperative agreements through knowledge and USEFUL solutions.

As Vice-President, I would push for real solutions to the problems that we have worked on this year. If I am Vice-President, “we will work on it” will never be uttered at senate. Instead, we will tell you what we specifically plan to do about the problems that arise. Many candidates will tell you that they will “fix” different problems; you ought to ask how they plan to do that. Too often, the Senate relies on toothless resolutions and occasional discussions as the medium of change. We can do more. We will do more.
The second aspect of the Vice-President’s job is financial. The Vice-President serves as the presiding officer of the CSA budget committee and as a member of the college budget committee. These organizations require individuals who are familiar with the College and CSA budgets. The Vice-President ought have experience running organizations and dealing with financial operations. Because the CSA budget committee deals with individual student organizations of all sorts, it would also be good for the Vice-President to have experience running student organizations and learning about the difficulties and needs that lie in running a student organization.

I have the financial experience required of the Vice-President. During the past three years, I have been an active member of the CSA budget committee serving both as a senator and as a student-at-large. Additionally, I served as the President of the Carleton Democrats. As the president of the Carleton Democrats, I have seen first hand the difficulties with running a student organization. I have the CSA experience necessary to run Budget Committee and I have real life experience to understand the difficulties that arise in running a Carleton Student Organization.

Real Solutions to Real Problems

Alex Popper

Cell# 1(310) 428-3535
Email: poppera@carleton.edu

The Most Important Part:

I think that contact information is how every CSA representative’s platform should start. Both as your senator and as your future vice president, it will always be the most important part of mine. The truth is, the next few months mark a period of phenomenal change for Carleton. Whether you ultimately agree with them or not, decisions such as terminating the pre-frosh trips (in at least their current reiteration) have a critical flaw; they are made in the absence of student dialogue, behind closed doors, and without direct and open student input. The next vice president will play an important role in such critical developments as future commitment to need blind admissions and reworking of the wellness/career centers, the integration of a new dining provider, the planning/construction of new residence halls, and the curriculum review. At least in the immediate future, what I fear most is a president or vice president, no matter how good his/her intentions may be, who is willing to oversee change in the absence of student opinion. Especially in a time of such tremendous change the greatest service I can provide Carleton College as Vice President is simply to assert your voice into its greater decision making process.

Some of the Issues I Plan to Tackle Head-on Starting Day 1:
  • As head of the Club Sports Issues Committee I have and will continue to blaze the path towards the advancement of such goals as: Credits for club sports, more athletic trainer hours for both varsity and non-varsity athletes, more accessible trainer hours, increased funding for all athletics, and increased Rec. Center operating hours.
  • A coordinated and total reworking of the Wellness Center. Appointment scheduling will be an IMMEDIATE Online process (just like scheduling a tutor at the Write Place). The Wellness center will focus on late night and weekend hours, accessible staff, and increased publicity of services (like the ability to have prescriptions delivered to the wellness center). I WILL RESTRUCTURE health care at Carleton.
  • No more sweeping administrative decisions behind closed doors. This is entirely unacceptable and the only reason it happens is because we make it easy. Executive, top-down decision making is the path of least resistance and WILL continue unless somebody puts their foot down…hard.
  • Preservation of long standing Carleton traditions (Pre-Frosh Trips, Rotblatt tee-shirts, Mai Fete)
  • Blog directly on the CSA’s home page. As a senator serving on the Website Design Committee I am committed to facilitating direct and immediate student input both off and online.
  • Sustainability/Environmentalism. I am committed to developing the new Sustainability Revolving Fund into an ACTIVE vehicle for environment awareness. I will also fight for the new dorms to meet the highest environmental standards that they can.
  • As Chair of the CSA Budget committee I will design a Budget that MAKES SENSE
    • The CSA spends about $40,000 (that’s about 10% of our total operating budget) on a yearbook.
    • CSA turns down funding for perfectly legitimate programs that happen later in the term because of poor pacing.
    • Make funding readily available for awareness initiatives (Cultural, Ethnic, Religious, Sexual, Environmental, etc.) All too often, Budget Committee and the CSA prioritize program funding based on sheer number of participating students. This has a negative impact on programs that either don’t appeal to the Carleton majority or are intended for a minority group.
  • Helping Student Organizations become chartered, stay chartered, and get funding.
Why I’m Running:

Far more important than any single issue is the greater direction of Carleton College. The CSA Vice President is in a unique position to begin and facilitate a campus wide dialogue for productive change. As Vice President I will make sure that all of these changes are tied together to compliment each other. I promise to institute change where the student body feels the administration is out of touch. At the same time I will preserve the things that make Carleton great. In my function as a coordinator, I promise to ensure that these changes happen within the framework of communication and cohesion between different aspects of campus life, administration, and students.

Carleton is about students. Because all too often, Carleton’s leadership seems distant and remote, as Vice President, I aim to personally bridge the gap between your issues and your student government. In my opinion, the Vice President’s job is to ensure that every student has an avenue through which to become a part of decisions that affect them. Because I understand what it feels like to be left out of a conversation, if you elect me as your vice president, this simply will not happen. Have something to discuss? Feel something is important? Call Alex Popper. Voting for Alex Popper puts your views and concerns at the top of CSA’s to-do list every week.

CSA Treasurer

Sam Ritte

For the past five terms, I have served on the Budget Committee of the CSA Senate. In that capacity, I have witnessed firsthand the array of projects that the CSA funds throughout the course of a year. My experience has shown me that the Carleton student body is composed of creative students who want to bring everything from fondue to hockey to their fellow students. As treasurer, I will continue to, first and foremost, enable Carleton students to share programs and extracurricular with each other.

That being said, there are aspects where the CSA can better serve the Carleton student body. In my formulation, these fall under two broad categories:

  1. Increasing the institutional influence of the CSA through long-term and capital projects that involve multiple sources of funding.
  2. Making Budget Committee increasingly accessible and consistent.

Often, those involved in CSA are asked the question: “What exactly does the CSA do?” And while I believe that the CSA is already doing important work through its allocations to student organizations and its involvement with a broad range of senate initiatives, I also believe that there are ways in which the CSA can use its financial resources to increase its institutional influence.

A great example of this—and something that I foresee being a great success—is the Sustainability Revolving Fund, the SRF. The fund combines contributions from the EAC, the CSA, and the college to create a $40,000 fund that is to be used for student initiated, economically viable, sustainability projects. By combining the fiscal resources with those of different college departments, the CSA not only created something greater than any of the departments could create on their own, but also increased their influence within the power structures of the college by tying our interests in with that of the college.

I am proud to not only have sat on the Budget Committee that approved the allocation to create the fund, but also to sit on the Sustainability Revolving Fund committee itself.

In addition, requesting money from Budget Committee can be a challenge. Recently, as an organizer of the campus-wide Pink Party, I sat in front of the committee and requested funds for an event. Even though some of the people on the committee were my close friends and I generally feel comfortable speaking in public, it was daunting to sit in front of the committee. Students should not feel dissuaded from requesting a share of their own money.

Thus, were I to co-chair the committee, I would insist that the entire allocation process be de-mystified. By reconfiguring the Budget Committee funding guidelines to be explicit and public, funding will be equally available to all students, not contingent upon an understanding of the committee’s idioms. And as a committee member myself, I believe that it is not the intention of Budget Committee members to be obscure. Therefore, by making clarity and consistency an initiative, I hope to enable an even wider range of students to come before Budget Committee with events and projects to share with their classmates.

Finally, I would love to answer any questions that you may have about any aspect of the CSA or the election. I would enjoy talking about specifics and hearing your ideas and critiques. Please feel free to contact me at ritters@carleton.edu. I would love to meet you for coffee and a cookie in Sayles.

Senator At Large

Hilary Adams ’11

Though new to the Carleton campus, I seek election to the CSA Senate out of my immediate connection to the Carleton community and intense desire to maintain and improve it. As an admirer of clubs, other organizations, and student devotion to the Carleton institution I am prepared and driven towards accurately and staunchly representing the student body. As a four-year veteran of my high school senate, I am well-versed in the problems that face student governments. Lack of participation, dissipation of energy and vigor, loss of drive and failure to communicate with the people senators are supposed to represent are constant temptations. I refuse to take a bite out of those apples. I am confident I can represent the students of Carleton and when elected to the CSA Senate am prepared to find every way of doing so. I’m a freshman with a fresh perspective free of the cynicism holding others back. Please contact me at adamshi@carleton.edu or x4630 if you have any questions.

Philosophy:
  • Accountability: I will ensure that the student population is represented accurately by spending the time it takes to gain an understanding of the views students have and the issues you feel are not being represented or brought to attention.
  • Transparency: Do you know what the CSA does? It is not the average student’s duty to find out about what the CSA is doing, it is the senators’ job to make sure students know. I will work tirelessly to make sure you know what is happening and give you an opportunity to give your opinion so I can make sure your voice is heard.
  • Innovation: I am excited and ready to implement new ideas to ensure I am representing the student body sincerely and work towards achieving goals that have yet to be realized. (This includes getting rid of the Christian Rock in the Wellness Center. We have a student radio station, if we can’t depend on the campus to listen, who can we depend on?)
  • Communication: A successful senator must be able to communicate not only with the students she represents but also other senators, officers, administrators, and students. As senator, I will immediately work to establish relationships with these groups and make every effort to be available, approachable and honest.
Platforms for Election:
  • CSA-Student Awareness: A student in Sayles asked me the other day what the CSA was. Nearly every student I talk to either has no idea what the CSA does or thinks nothing is accomplished by the CSA. This is unacceptable. As I stated previously, it is the CSA’s job to ensure students really know what is happening at these meetings and what views are being represented. As a senator, I would propose a program much like the SWA or STA program. Senators would attend study breaks, which occur the day before CSA meetings, and inform students of the goings-on of the CSA and ask for input. Even if students do not volunteer more content to bring up at meetings, it is your right as a student to make sure you are being represented accurately. The only way to do this is for senators to make every effort to gain an understanding of student opinion.
  • Trainers for Club Sports: One student on my floor told me he played rugby with a broken collar bone because he didn’t know where he could go. The pitiful opportunities for students who play club sports to get medical help for sports injuries pose as a danger to students who play sports not recognized as varsity sports by Carleton. Insurance and funding issues are no excuse for this hazardous problem and I will work to overcome any obstacles in the way of students who play club sports getting appropriate medical care for their sports injuries.
  • Re-Vamp the joke that is the Wellness Center: It shouldn’t be natural to laugh when one advises another to go to the Wellness Center. It turns out students do get sick on weekends and after 5 pm and we should be able to make appointments other ways besides calling. (Online appointments.) We are all frustrated and seem to be running low on ideas. In order to accomplish establishing a wellness center that is adequate I am prepared to find the solutions we need in order to gain funding, including letting alumni know about the situation. Without proper medical care students are staying sicker for longer which directly affects their performance in school. We can’t afford not to make a wellness center that meets our needs.
  • Sustainability: In basic terms: I’m for it and will work with other groups to continue Carleton’s success in our work towards sustainability on the Carleton campus.

I want to work for and with you and, more importantly, enjoy doing so. Vote for me, Hilary Adams ’11 for Senate At Large!

Nimo Ali ‘11

I, Nimo Ali, am seeking election to become more of an active citizen of the Carleton community and institution because of my desire to improve Carleton and maintain its great traditions. As a sibling of Carleton Alum, I feel confident in my understanding of Carleton philosophy having been exposed to Carleton for many years. I am an avid sports enthusiast whether it be varsity, intramural, or club teams; I enjoy them having played IM Frisbee and currently in Club Lacrosse. I have had four years of experience in Student Government, and take it very seriously. I believe that the voices of the students should always be present and heard at Carleton. I am confident that I can represent the philosophy of Carleton and the interests of my fellow students and promise to work diligently to seem them through.

Points
  • Communication between CSA and Carleton students.
  • Accurate representation of student ideas and values.
  • Maintaining progress towards becoming a more sustainable campus.
  • Improving The Wellness Center hours and efficiency.
  • Getting physical education credit for Club sports.

Communication: Since not many students know what CSA actually does, I believe that CSA should step up there game to let Carleton students know what issues are being discussed so that their input and ideas be taken into consideration. CSA officers should either have hours tabling in Sayles or actually put information on the website. It is the job of the representatives to inform and keep the general student body updated on all that CSA is doing with and for the students.

Representation: CSA can accurately represent the student body only if they know what the students want. I believe that listening to the voices of the students is the most important role of the members of CSA. I promise to talk the time to meet with students to know their ideas and values. With better communication, final decisions will not be heard of for the first time in the Carletonian but while the decisions are being made.

Sustainability: Carleton has already shown its devotion to making Carleton as eco friendly as possible. I completely support and will work with MPIRG and other organizations to further improve Carleton’s sustainability.

The Wellness Center (TWC): The Wellness Center’s efficiency should be looked at in terms of their hours and their services. Hours need to be extended; more hours in the day but most importantly hours should be available on the weekends when students are free to go to TWC. All the services offered at TWC should also be made known to students in order to best benefit them.

Club Sports: Club sports work hard and devote many hours a week to training. Some of them are our best teams on campus. Their dedication is apparent but still the PE credit granted is not equal to that that is earned. I believe that the PE credit system should be reevaluated, and credit should be given based on dedication, attendance, and participation.

Please contact me at alin@carleton.edu with questions at any time!

Jinai Bharucha

Who Am I?
  • I am currently on the CSA Constitutional Review Board. This term, I helped to edit and modify the CSA Constitution and By-Laws in order to make the technical procedure of the Senate more efficient and clear. I have become very familiar with CSA procedure and want to put my knowledge to use!
  • I am committed to using your input in order to bring the CSA and its efforts closer to YOU and to changing what YOU want to see changed. Please email/call me for more information (bharuchj or 507-202-1229)!
  • I play club tennis, volunteer for ACT programs, and participate in Model United Nations.
Why Should You Vote for Me?
  • I will put 100% of my effort into my position as CSA Senator- I have an endless supply of energy for trying to bring improvement to our school!
  • If you want something to change, I’ll get it done! I want YOU to be involved and tell me what to change! Communication between the Senate and the CSA is crucial- CSA Email List??
  • For the next four years, I want to influence the campus with positive change that will have a lasting impact. I want to improve your life as a student at Carleton!
  • I have already worked to revise our Constitution, which will hopefully lead to a more efficient Senate.
  • I am comfortable with addressing current issues not only with the remainder of the CSA Senate, but also with Carleton faculty and staff and the city of Northfield.
  • I love and support Carleton traditions and will continue to do so in Senate!
My Objectives
  • To Always Support Sustainability
    • I want to make sure that campus efforts to make Carleton more environmentally sustainable are supported.
  • To Revive the Yellow Bikes
    • The Yellow Bike program needs to be revived. The program has huge potential that is currently not being achieved!
  • To create and implement an Efficient Ride-Share Database
    • The NNB is not the most efficient way to find rides! A 24/7 online database would be quick and available to all students.
  • To Increase the Cave’s Open Hours
    • As the closest thing to a coffee house on campus, the Cave should be able to provide coffee drinks to the campus at a greater variety of hours!

Jack Boller

Below I will detail my experiences/platform but if your read nothing else, read this: I am running as an outsider who wants to see necessary, but not frivolous change in the Carleton community. I am running as a junior who has lived and experienced Carleton. I am not running as someone who is looking to boost their extracurricular activity list/resume, and want to make sure those participating in the CSA for that purpose have someone around to make sure they don’t do anything stupid. Oh, and I’ll be open to and listening for your opinions to influence decisions I make in the senate.

As a junior who has never participated in the CSA, I have decided to run for CSA senate in order to add an experienced, but original voice to the existing make-up of student representatives. After living at Carleton for three years, it is clear to me the way the school (and school’s bureaucracy) works and the prominent issues that we will face in the coming year. I hope to seek moderate change in the way our school is run, but only where it is needed, and will be critical of frivolous additions and expenses. I also propose to run as a senator who will not make decisions on my own, but base my decisions on interactions and suggestions from my peers (whoever is willing to voice an opinion), something I believe has been largely missing from those currently in the senate.

I am a junior history major, East Asian studies concentrator, am bound to receive a certificate in Chinese language, and have a strong interest in classes pertaining to IR. I am a member of the varsity soccer team, the Carleton squash club, formerly have been in the Jazz Band/Combos, am active in many IM sports, and am pseudo-member of the Carl Democrats (I have voted, and encouraged voting in recent elections, but never go to meetings). From the above, as well as the fact I have lived on campus and been an active member of the Carleton socially I hope its clear that I have a diverse understanding of what it means to be a Carleton student, and know the variety of concerns/wants Carls have.

Platform:
  1. I hope to relay major issues discussed in CSA to average Carls, and voice Carl feedback to CSA.
  2. I am somewhat critical of dining hall review, although in favor of improving the food quality. The recent effort to improve food quality at Carleton is long overdue, but Carleton spent a good deal of money flying one or two kids (who have only their opinion) back and forth to California, Colorado, and the East coast to try different services. Was this the most fiscally responsible way to go about doing this? I suggest that it probably was not, and want to make sure to regulate irresponsible spending in the future.
  3. A pet peeve of mine through my years here is the fact that the Library closes at 1am. In my mind the Libe is the ideal place to study and concentrate, and moving out of the libe at 1am when working on major projects or in the middle of studying annoys me to all ends. I want to review student opinion on this issue, and detail just how much extending hours, moving towards 24/7 or 24/5 policy during the term would cost Carleton financially. If we spend money frivolously elsewhere (dining review, etc.) can’t we find money to this end? Most importantly though, is to make sure this is an issue that a majority, not minority, of Carls will support. I know the issue has been brought up before, and has been supported in theory by President Oden, but I plan to bring it up one more time.
  4. OCS petition deadline. If someone decides to study off-campus and does not realize they have to petition to receive credits (as happened to me) they can get cheated out of the non-Carleton program’s credits. This speaks more largely to my dislike with bureaucracy at a small school like Carleton, but I hope to make deadlines such as this either more prominent, or more flexible, so students are not inconvenienced in the future.

I will campaign as a senate candidate openly supporting the Caitlin Fleming/ Pablo Kenney President/Vice President combo (not having notified them or received their endorsements), but have some comments on their platform(s). These are voiced below.

  1. The Wellness Center review is a good and extremely important idea. What services the Wellness Center DOES and SHOULD provide need to be something the average Carleton student knows about/voices. As long as we can survey Carleton student’s voices without spending a fortune, like we did on trips to other schools cafeterias in the dining hall review, I’m in favor.
  2. In favor of Club Sports P.E Credit.
  3. In favor of looking to solve the “no more pre-frosh trips” in a way that works. I’m not in favor of the current administrative idea to replace these trips with ones during the academic term, but agree with Caitlin’s ideas.
  4. Sustainability in a fiscally responsible way.

Broderick Dressen

I believe that every story has two or more sides. If every story has two or more sides, maybe the Senators should look at it as such too. As a senator, I would not confine myself to what I believe to be good for myself or my friends, that’s centralist and doesn’t help my fellow peers. Rather, I would try to be objective in looking at what both sides of the story have to say. You will see many platforms that say, “Issues I Support/ Better funding for student clubs, that’s why I will vote to slash the Spring Concert’s budget” or “I will vote to make sure So Dexho makes better food for us”. However, I wonder whether or not the Spring Concert’s budget can take another blow or whether or not So Dexho can make better food considering the instruments the college provides for them. I want a Senate that is constantly reviewing the other side of the story, to truly be able to say that they took a liberal arts perspective and chose after each argument was made. In my platform you will not see an Issues I Support listing because I believe that each side must be heard, must be understood, and must be voted on with the most amount of knowledge we can attain.

Experience
  • I am the official Treasurer for two student programs
  • I have attended multiple CSA meetings to know what has been happening on our
    campus
  • I have voted the past two years I have been on campus for the people I want to see
    on our CSA senate
  • I have helped start up two different student groups that required an immense amount
    of help from the CSA, so I am well aware of the proceedings that are dealt with.
  • I am currently on the Carleton Forensics Debate team making me well acquainted
    with people who have ulterior motives. By having this knowledge I would not be
    swayed by rhetoric or semantics but by the content of their argument.
What I Plan to Do

As I stated above, I guess the main platform I would claim is that I would vote for those that make the best arguments when it comes to making a decision. It should be noted that I would also plan on taking the part of the Devil’s Advocate if a decision seemed to be uncontested. I plan to make sure that no voice is left out of the decision-making process, something that I feel has been happening far too often lately. As I said above, I will be moved by those with clear and concise arguments and those that will help aide the student body in the best way possible. I want to make it possible for student’s to have the most fun and the most memorable years at Carleton, and the best way to do that is by not allowing their options to be limited to one side of the story.

I am a very social person, if ever there are students who wish to contact me, my facebook profile is open to any who wish to see it (lol). I am also generally available to anyone who wants to talk to me, just stalker net me and give me a call or email.

Chase Kimball

Chase Kimball is a student who is committed to Carleton. Chase is proud of his school, and he believes that Carleton can reach an even greater potential as we work towards it. Carleton is a place where we should feel empowered to develop our whole self—not only intellectually, but also emotionally, physically, spiritually, and ethically; we are here to learn not just to think critically, but also to think courageously and compassionately. Chase believes that we can work together as a student body to develop a greater culture of involvement, where students feel they are invested in the Carleton experience at every level, whether that be as part of a meaningful organization or a small group of friends debating life’s most important questions into the late hours of the night. Please vote for Chase Kimball for CSA Senate.

Experience:

This will be Chase’s first term in the Senate, but he has developed many leadership skills from his experiences in theater and his church.

  • District Leader, overseeing the work of several official church representatives in various cities throughout the Netherlands. (2005-2007)
  • General Director of a student-produced high school comedy review, overseeing the creative work of over 100 other students. (2003)
  • Senior Patrol Leader, back from his Boy Scout days. (2002)
Some Issues:
  • Chase is committed to finding an acceptable alternative to the Pre-Frosh Trips so future students don’t miss out on the kind of wonderful experience Chase had going into his freshman year.
  • Chase is eager to explore innovative ways of helping the student body feel more connected to each other, both socially and in the context of debating issues. This means improved social programming and improved dialogue between the Senate and student body.
  • Chase will work for a more environmentally and socially responsible Carleton.
About Chase:
  • Chase will graduate in 2010, though he can relate to students of all grades.
  • Chase is an active member of the Carleton theater community. You may have seen him in “The Revolution” or most recently “Lenny Dee Presents: Dog Eats Turtle.”
  • Chase also enjoys reading books to children each week at the Northfield Library, learning the piano, and frequenting Taize services.

Whittney Smith

Cell Phone: (773) 653-6104
Email: Smithw@carleton.edu

My name is Whittney Smith and I am a sophomore political science major and African American studies concentrator. I am running for Senate because I see a great need for improvement on this campus. It is my strong conviction that in order for us to work towards improvement, as a student body as well as a college, there must be a diverse selection of ideas, conversations, and backgrounds on CSA. CSA can and should do much more to serve the needs of Carleton students. More importantly, as an organization it should be held to a higher degree of accountability and accessibility. CSA is the one organization on campus, more than any other, that all students should feel they can directly participate in and have a voice in. Running for office should not be the only vehicle through which people participate in CSA. There should be more accountability and transparency in its decision making.

By voting for me you are voting to bring a higher level of accountability and accessibility to CSA.

Issues Section:
  • Diversity of Ideas on CSA
  • Improving Carleton College
    • Underfunded Departments
  • Theater and Education
    • Administration’s openness with students
  • Endowment; the average student should know what it is and how it effects us daily
  • More student involvement in the decision making processes of this school, not just lip service.
  • Curriculum Review
  • Language Requirement
    • Alternate methods to meeting requirements
    • More academic assistance to students
  • Commitment to Diversity
  • Need Blind Admissions
  • Retention Rate
    • African American males
What I will do:

As a senate member I will work towards making the different committees that exist within senate serve Carleton students better, while simultaneously making their actions more transparent. Currently we have many wonderful and brilliant people on Senate and when I am elected I will strive to continue that tradition but also add a measure of diversity in idea and approach.

Charlotte Turovsky

To my fellow Carls and CSA members:

I, Charlotte Turovsky, a member of the class of 2011, am running for the position of CSA Senator-at-Large. I may be a freshman, but in my short time here I’ve become passionate about issues that affect daily life at Carleton. With 3 years ahead of me on this campus, getting involved now means I can start getting as much done as possible. I am currently a member of the Committee on Student Life (CSL), the Housing Committee (working on plans for new dorms to be open in the fall of 2009), and the Housing Selection Advisory Committee (HSAC). Sitting on these committees has opened my eyes to the issues that are important to Carls. It has also shown me that though hard work, together, we can improve life on campus.

You’ve got to choose someone you trust to advocate for you—and I’m that person. I’m hardworking, trustworthy, and work with others to solve problems creatively. If elected, I will listen to you, my fellow students, and voice your opinions and concerns to the best of my ability.

My concerns lie with keeping Carls happy, healthy, and informed! These are the issues I believe to be of importance to the student body, and I intend to help tackle if elected:

  • The Wellness Center: A review of the Wellness Center has begun, but I want to ensure that this review is effective and all-encompassing. I think the Wellness Center needs expanded hours and increased accessibility. Furthermore, I believe that more students need to know what services are available to them on campus. Students also need help navigating healthcare options available to them in the greater Northfield area when necessary.
  • The Career Center: I think that Carleton’s career center has the potential to be successfully utilized by all Carleton students. I want to make sure that the CSA stays involved in the evolution of the Career Center under its new director, and insure that the Career Center meets the needs of as many Carls as possible.
  • PE Credit: I sincerely believe because of the time and commitment that so many club athletes dedicate to their respective sport(s) a reevaluation of PE credit is necessary. Credit for PE should be awarded equally to those participating in varsity sports, club sports and PE classes if students can demonstrate adequate attendance and participation.
  • Pre-Frosh Trips: Because the Pre-Frosh experience is so integral to many Carls’ transition into their first-year, I think the CSA needs to work with the administration to, if not reinstate Pre-Frosh trips entirely, create a similar experience available to all incoming freshmen.
  • Sustainability: I think the CSA must continue to work hand-in-hand with the environmental groups on campus to further Carleton’s sustainability.
  • Transparency: The CSA can be more successful in serving a greater percentage of the student body if more people know what is going on. I would like to see more communication between CSA representatives and the general student population about the issues discussed at CSA meetings.

I feel that these are all real issues which the CSA can tackle, hopefully with my help! A vote for me, in reality, is a vote for your own voice to be heard at CSA meetings—I want to represent you! I would love to talk to you and hear your input at anytime. Feel free to email me anytime at turovskc@carleton.edu.

Vote for Charlotte Turovsky for CSA Senator-at-Large!

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