Student government at Dartmouth abounds with the potential to positively influence the College experience of all students, but its current structure prevents it from achieving its potential.
My plan for concrete change is to turn Student Assembly from a fragmented lobbying body into an organization that oversees and controls the roughly $850,000 of Student Activity fees distributed to student organizations each year. The Undergraduate Finance Committee doles out these funds on a yearly basis. When SA oversees the UFC, the result will be a more powerful, unifying student government. This process will turn SA into an important legislative body, it is not increasing SA's actual budget. As it stands, the UFC consists of representatives from SA, PB and COSO, but this body does not represent all campus communities. Moreover, students are unaware of how and why their Student Activity fees are budgeted as the process is closed. Under the new system, Student Assembly would directly control the distribution of funds through a transparent committee that would be responsible to democratic processes. The campus would vote on the chair of the UFC committee, thus empowering students with control of their Student Activity Fees.
By overseeing this budget, the Assembly's power would radically increase and the administration would need to listen to students. A transparent, more powerful organization would also decrease student apathy about Student Assembly. Want to have a fruitful conversation about Keg policy or library hours? With the power of UFC oversight, administrators would actually come to the bargaining table. I recognize that restructuring the Assembly needs to be organically produced by student consensus -- I'm here to listen to you. I'm here to be your voice.
The discussion of institutional change is at the forefront of my campaign, because without it, no major changes are feasible. However, I also have many ideas I look forward to bringing to SA. I would like to increase the flexibility of faculty and student advising, promote more end-of-term feedback and introduce 24-hour library hours during finals. Student Assembly needs to work toward recognizing the diverse needs of campus organizations -- online referendums would ensure that the energies of the members of Student Assembly are channeled into the right areas.
The Assembly needs to continue to support the Greek tradition and to defend students' call for a responsible and sustainable keg policy. As a sister at Kappa Delta Epsilon, I believe that the policy banning new local sororities (or fraternities) should be abandoned. Although the recognition of Alpha Phi was a step in the right direction, more equitable female social spaces can only be created through the addition of more local sorority houses.
Introducing a student mediation system for victims of sexual assault or other forms of violence would encourage respectful dialogue between students who feel that their perspective needs to be heard, but in a safe, respectful environment; a tangible idea that falls within the purview of th Assembly. Student Assembly needs to represent all voices, not just those of active members.
As it stands, the Assembly lacks the political leverage to enact large-scale initiatives. Empowering Student Assembly with more funds and a more representative perspective would allow it to bring about far-reaching change on behalf of issues students really care about, which is the ultimate purpose of the organization. As president, I promise to combine my skills as a listener and an advocate to bring the pieces of a fragmented system together.
