Election candidate blurbs

2/7/13 6:00pm

Student Association President

Candidate 1: Yoonjin Min

The Centennial year is almost to a close. We students have written our vision for the next 100 years, but we cannot lose ownership of our priorities moving forward. The Student Association President is often a figurehead, the Senate a "stamp of approval." I want this to change. Collaboration does not imply deference. Students should have a two-way conversation with the administration, aiming for reasonable compromise from both parties. If elected President, I'd be able to understand the administrative perspective, but still defend students' interests.

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As SA External Vice-President, I have built strong relationships with administrators, faculty, and staff. In collaboration with others, I've lessened the LPAP requirement, created the Hedgehopper card, and funded student events during the Centennial. Through both successes and failures, I've learned how to create tangible results on this campus.

I am a Rice student. No matter our college, our hometown, our majors, or our interests, this identity holds us together. The Student Association, to build credibility and reputation as a true governing body, must attain campus-wide respect; our officers must be relatable. I have been involved with Jones Cabinet, Beer Bike, and Justice League. Moreover, I have eaten a meal in every servery, paid my $1 cover charge at Pub, and languished on a waitlist.

I believe we can increase transparency and communication. I believe all students can bring forward a proposal and see it come to fruition. And I believe I have the experience, perspective, and passion to make it happen. United for Yoonjin!

Candidate 2: Andrew Lo/Justin Montes (joke)

Justin Montes, close relative of Zorro and Abraham Lincoln, wears a face made of 40 grit sandpaper, which he uses for both self protection and wood working projects. If Justin was a geological occurrence caused by diverging or converging tectonic plates, Justin would be a volcano, because people lava him so much!

Andrew "Yo" Lo can usually be found riding on the back of Justin Montes, often mistaken for the red-faced spider monkey native to the rainforests of northern South America. One time, Andrew fell off and broke in half, but fortunately, all the king's horses and all the king's men put him back together again. Andrew played Jackie Chan's stunt double between 2001 and 2003, featured in such films as Rush Hour 2 and Shanghai Knights.

With arms of laserz and steel toed boots, the Lo-Montes team has fought off Megatron twice, and are often jointly portrayed by Megan Fox in film documentaries of the events. Mayor Anise Parker has been quoted as describing the pair as "the peanut butter ...and jelly of ...your otherwise average childhood." Every time this pair struts their swag at campus parties, one or two people always notice sometimes.

Lo-Montes is running on a platform of 2x4s, 2x6s, 4x4s, and one sheet of ½ inch thick plywood. They are strong proponents of the Darma and Avenger Initiatives as well as Murphy's Law. Their motto for this campaign is "Change: We'll get around to it tomorrow," or "Kid tested; Mother approved."

Student Association Internal Vice President

Candidate 1: Min Ji Kim

SPREAD THE LOVE...LOVE SA. You might be thinking. "What?! Are we back in the hippie era? Love SA?! HAH!!" But wait!!! This seemingly silly concept of "LOVE SA" will allow more students' concerns to be addressed. With support and increased participation from the student body, more student-run projects can be accomplished. As Student Association Internal Vice President, I will be committed to achieve this idea.

Two of the main responsibilities of SA IVP are to coordinate the New Student Representative (NSR) Program and to manage the SA Committees (Academic, Environmental, Student Life) program. Through these programs, all students- new and old- can make an impact. My primary goal will be to strengthen both programs.

To accomplish this, I will have the voice of students as the upmost importance. I am currently serving as Lovett Senator, and this experience has emphasized to me the power of the voice of Rice students.

One of my plans as SA IVP is to get feedback from the student body on what projects NSRs and SA committees could do. Another plan is to instill a mentoring relationship between the college presidents, senators, and NSRs. Serving as senator has allowed me to see the leadership development potential of the NSR program. Gathering feedback and advice, I will carry out more plans that will enhance both programs and promote student involvement.

Increasing collaboration among the student body (a.k.a. spreading love) will be my signature technique as SA IVP. I will be dedicated in serving as your SA IVP.

Candidate 2: Nathan Liu

Hey Rice!

I'm Nathan, a junior at Wiess College, and I would love to have your vote for internal vice president.

Some of my goals as your IVP would be to:

• Streamline year-to-year transitions for Best Practices Committees

• Work with Senators to make SA projects more relevant

• Improve accountability of New Student Representatives

• Create new opportunities to empower individuals to pursue their own ideas/projects

• Establish new venues of collaboration and joint projects between colleges, campus clubs, and organizations

• Improve marketing of SA standing committee initiatives

I've enjoyed serving the SA for my 3 years here at Rice, first as an SA standing committee chair, and most recently as one of the directors of marketing.

Please give me the chance to work with each of you so that we can together make a better experience here at Rice!

 

Student Association External Vice President

Candidate 1: Andrea Mansur

Every undergraduate on campus is a member of the student association and we as a student body have the ability to accomplish any task if we work together. That being said I hope to improve the SA- student relationship by striving to increase collaborations on campus between different clubs and organizations as an acting point person that aids in establishing connections within the Rice network. I hope to make the SA a more visible and accessible resource on campus by bringing more awareness to what the SA can do for students and student organizations across campus as well as continue to engage students in meaningful discussions. In this way we can all work together to find solutions to problems facing students across campus. I love Rice and I want to work with you to help make our campus a better place for all of us.

Candidate 2: Ravi Sheth

As the voice of the student body, I believe that the SA has incredible potential to impact both the undergraduate experience and Rice as a whole. Simply put, I am running for SA External Vice President this year because I want to improve the Rice experience.

While I have been deeply involved in organizations across campus over the past two years, I have not acted as a formal leader within the SA. However, I have lead projects as a part of the SA-affiliated Standing Committee on Undergraduate Admissions, as well as the Blanket Tax Review Committee, through which I have gleaned an in-depth view of the SA's organizational dynamics - while seeing room for improvement in specific areas.

I feel that my outside perspective provides me with a great opportunity to bring many new ideas to the SA, especially with regards to the organization's external relations. As EVP, my top priorities would be to:

1) Transition from a reactive to proactive organization: increase accessibility, involvement and ultimately impact of the SA on student life.

2) Foster a strengthened campus-wide Rice culture to complement unique college cultures.

3) Cultivate sustainable leadership and entrepreneurial opportunities, programming, and resources.

I hope to count on your vote next week: I am completely committed and passionate about effecting positive change at Rice, and I would be ecstatic to take on the EVP role.

Candidate 3: Kristina Vu

Hi! My name is Kristina Vu, and I'm running for SA External Vice President. SA has been a big part of my life since I started out as a New Student Representative my freshman year. Back then, I was amazed at how student-run Rice truly was, and I was thrilled to be a part of it. As senator, my appreciation for Rice's tradition of student self-government only grew. Being able to meet regularly with Dean Hutch,

Dean Taylor, and other supportive faculty and staff members, being able to work with wonderful student leaders who showed remarkable initiative and drive, and being able to address and act on student and faculty concerns was amazing! I have really enjoyed serving as a senator, and I can't imagine not being involved with the Student Association in the future. I decided to run for External Vice President because I want to continue to remain involved in the Student Association leadership, and I want to be able to continue to contribute to the SA. The position of External Vice President especially appeals to me because it would allow me to act as the bridge between the SA and other student groups on campus as well as many different faculty groups and offices. Although I realize that this position requires a big time commitment and a lot of hard work, I am determined to put in the work and keep up with the responsibilities. I would really appreciate your vote and support!

 

Student Association Secretary

Candidate 1: Muhammad Harirah

Dear reader, this would be easier if we were face to face. I'm not sure if I should woo you with my endearing charisma, make you laugh with unusual sound effects, or knock you off your feet with some entertaining puns. However, I will attempt to convince you, with ink and paper, to vote for me as your Student Association Secretary. Firstly, I pride myself in my organization. Not to brag or anything, but my calendar and homework assignments are color-coded so that everything fits into a category. I know, pretty awesome. I like to show up to events early to prepare, and I also enjoy keeping good records of important information. Along with my organizational skills, I'm also proficient in graphic design. If elected, I promise to design some stylish T-Shirts you would wear for purposes other than, "I forgot to do laundry." Also, my plan is to add a little flair to the SA mini-minutes so that they stand out amongst the plethora of fliers on your table in the commons. That way, I hope I can keep you informed about what the Student Association does. As my word count approaches the limit, I encourage you to vote for me, Muhammad, as your 2013-2014 Student Association Secretary. I will do my best to serve my duties as a loyal officer and your liaison with the SA.

Interesting fact: my last name is a palindrome. Check it out.

Candidate 2: Andrew Ta

Hi! My name is Andrew Ta. I am a freshman, but not a New Student Representative. Despite that, I have attended nearly all Student Association general assemblies. Through the Thresher, I already write for you the weekly minutes and have brought news of H&D's open-door fines and their plans to add new beds, EMS's amnesty policy, the registration overhaul, the reconvening of the Alcohol Policy Advisory Committee, the Rice Student Action Team, and Bobby Tudor's succession as the chair of the board of trustees.

Of course, a secretary needs a way with words, so here's a quick limerick:

There's a candidate named Andrew Tawho talks to everyone and their grandma.

Initials AQT. A cutie?

No? Then maybe secretary.

He'll keep you informed, so dance and cha-cha.

Candidate 3: Nathan Andrus

I, Nathan Andrus, am running for Student Association Secretary because I love Rice, am passionate about the SA, and am determined to improve the relationship between the two. We need an effective secretary to properly articulate the SA's activity to the student body. After all, we are all members of the SA, and the SA is a very dynamic organization that is always acting. I know I can be that effective secretary. I have been with the SA for two years now, as an NSR and as Hanszen's senator this past year. I am very familiar with the organization and the institutions across campus with which it interacts. I am also involved in my college and other groups around campus, so I can view the SA's actions in a fair manner. I love to write, which is why I rock the Humanities/Social Science majors, so I would enjoy the job. Perhaps most important in regards to my delivery is that I can cook up hilarious emails. Ask any Hanszenite that does not send listserv emails straight to 'Spam,' and they can tell you all about the hilarity of The Hanszenator. In regard to the leadership aspect of the job, I am qualified through leading NSRs, acting as committee chair for various organizations, and other such past experiences.

If you can do just one thing for me, go vote! Democracy is a beautiful thing. And if it is not a problem, please vote for me for Student Association Secretary.

 

Student Association Treasurer

Candidate 1: Michael Pan

Hi my name is Michael Pan

I am your SA Treasurer man

You should trust me with the financial plan

Because I am related to Jackie Chan

 

Honor Council Senior Class Representative

Candidate 1: John Cavallo

Rice, I want to be one of YOUR Honor Council Senior Class Representatives. With my experience as Junior, Sophomore, and Freshmen Class Representatives for the past three years, I have learned the workings of the Honor System. I would love to again have the opportunity to serve on the Council and help bring clarity to you, the student, and consistency to the Council.

Candidate 2: Abigail Ender

 

Honor Council Sophomore Class Representative

Candidate 1: Ibrahim Akbar

Hey everyone! My name is Ibrahim Akbar and I'm running for the Sophomore Representative to the Honor Council. First off, just a little bit about myself: I am a Cognitive Science major from Brown College, and my hometown is Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

Currently, I am on the Council as one of your freshmen representatives. Having served on many investigations and hearings this past year has allowed me to gain a lot of experience, and this experience will help me represent you well next year.

I believe that having a strong Honor Code allows us to live in a campus centered on trust, and enjoy the freedom and flexibility that comes with take-home exams. I also believe that members of the Honor Council should be responsible for educating incoming students on the Honor Code, and that honor policies for individual courses should be crystal clear.

Next year, I hope to continue to be a voice of all Rice students and represent them effectively in the Council, so be sure to make your vote count in the upcoming elections!

Candidate 2: Seth Lauer

As a New Student Rep on the Honor Council this year, I have gained the insight and understanding of how the council and the Honor Code work within the Rice University system through many investigative meetings and cases. As a sophomore rep, I will continue to work to fairly determine whether or not violations have occurred to ensure the integrity of a Rice University degree and the Honor Code.

Thresher Editor-in-Chief

Candidate 1: Rachel Marcus

 

University Court Chair

Candidate 1: Evan Austin

In this, a time of great reflection on the community standards and policies of conduct at Rice, we, the students, deserve for our ideas and perspectives to be heard in the ongoing debate. And we, the students, deserve a hand in shaping the present, and future, of student experience at our university. There is perhaps no better forum for such an exchange of ideas, and no better vehicle with which to make such an impact, than a judicial body whose decisions bear on, and are made by, the students themselves. This is why I believe in University Court. Over the past few years, I have seen UCourt rise from virtual irrelevancy to become what is now, in my opinion, an asset to both the students and the administration of Rice and a friend of justice at the university. That our administration trusts us, the students, to deliberate and decide on cases involving a variety of issues relevant to life at this university is both a great excitement and a great responsibility. To take the lead in handling such a responsibility is something my tenure on this court has prepared me for. I have learned invaluable lessons from the discretion and decisiveness of the previous chairs, have helped ensure that each case is heard in the context of all available information, and have developed a vision to continue to improve this organization in the coming years. I believe in University Court, and you, the voters, should believe in me.

 

Rice Student Volunteer Program Chair

Candidate 1: Jyra Bickham

I'm really excited to be running for Rice Student Volunteer Program Chair for next year. I want to continue to build on the improvement of RSVP as a club focused on giving all Rice students available, informative and fun volunteer opportunities in the Houston community. RSVP has been a huge part of my volunteering experience at Rice, and as Chair for next year I would love to give others the equally amazing or even better, experiences with RSVP.

 

Rice Student Volunteer Program Internal Vice Chair

Candidate 1: Fatima Alvi

Hey Rice! I'm running for RSVP's Internal Vice Chair, and I want to bring meaningful change to the service experience on campus. As Rice's major service liaison to the Houston community, RSVP coordinates a number of volunteer activities throughout the year. I've spoken with far too many students, however, who haven't heard about these opportunities or who don't know how to get involved. As Internal Vice Chair I would revamp RSVP's connections with other campus organizations like the Rice Service Council, to work toward a unified, campus-wide approach of increasing student volunteer involvement. I recognize that publicity is a major weakness of RSVP but that there are opportunities for significant improvement, and I would work to coordinate a series of campus-wide events to raise awareness of our organization's activities and promote its mission - to help RSVP grow into the valuable resource it was meant to be, at the heart of Rice's culture of service. As a Children's Committee Chair of RSVP this year, I have witnessed the potential that RSVP possesses and the meaningful work it already does, and have organized several service projects including Project Pumpkin, a Halloween carnival for underprivileged kids in the Houston community. I'm so excited to start working, with your vote, to make your Rice service experience the best it can be!

 

Rice Student Volunteer Program External Vice Chair

Candidate 1: Rebecca Curtis

 

Rice Student Volunteer Program Secretary

Candidate 1: Cathy Hu

As a current college representative for RSVP, I realize that many students at Rice are not aware of this campus organization or exactly what it does but are interested in service and want to find an avenue to pursue those interests. But as the secretary of RSVP I want to help these students actively seek volunteer opportunities through greater publicity for not only the organization but service in general at Rice. For anyone that knows me, I am obsessed with schedules, note-taking, and organization; so as secretary, I will be able to play a role in helping RSVP meetings and events run smoothly. But even more so, I am in love with service and will take any opportunity I can to share this passion with the rest of the student population here at Rice and feel that I can best do so through RSVP.

 

Rice Program Council President

Candidate 1: Chris Chu

Dear Rice Student Body,

I could not be more excited for the opportunity to serve as your RPC President. I have many innovative ideas and I hope to make some of your favorite RPC events, such as Esperanza, Screw Your Roommate, BEER BIKE!!, or any of the other incredibly unique events RPC has to offer as fun as possible. These events separate Rice from any other university, giving everyone a chance to partake in the campus wide festivities. I love every event RPC has to offer, and that is just one of the reasons I want to be more involved in planning and managing them. I want to give you, the student body, more of a voice, by opening up more campus-wide polls to produce events geared toward a wider student body opinion, as well as introduce new social events on and off campus. I want RPC events to cater to you. Your voice matters.

Much Love,

Chris Chu

Candidate 2: Aisha Jeeva

Hey! I'm Aisha, a Martel sophomore from Cape Town, South Africa. In my time here I've been elected to leadership positions in several organizations, including College Rep for the Rice Student Volunteer Program, Cultural Committee Chair at Martel, and RPC Traditions Committee Chair, all of which have combined to make me a strong candidate for RPC President. I believe that having been a part of diverse organizations with varying goals and responsibilities, and who work with significantly different sections of the student body has given me the experience and tools necessary to lead an organization as significant as RPC; whether in planning large-scale, campus-wide events or overseeing smaller administrative tasks. As President I hope to transform RPC's image and increase student awareness of its role on campus. The confused looks and questions I usually receive regarding the organization's role and what RPC even stands for often surprise me, given that many of the events students regularly attend are organized by RPC. While student participation in RPC has certainly improved over the past few semesters, it is definitely not at a scale suitable for a campus-wide organization. I aim to increase this by strengthening the link between students and RPC - the college rep program - in the hopes that students will truly be given an outlet to voice their preferences and the opportunity to participate in bringing to life the events they wish to happen.

If these are changes you want to materialize, please vote Aisha for President!

Candidate 3: Catherine Yuh

I've been privileged to serve you all as Rice Program Council President for the past year, and it's been an amazing experience. Having been involved in RPC since myfreshman year, I'd love to be able to serve you again in my senior year as RPC President. I want to thank each of you for supporting RPC as we continue to expand our offerings. Under my leadership, we were able to successfully launch a new late-night programming committee and host a number of substance-free late-night events, ranging from gingerbread house decorating to free bowling. As President this past year, I was always open to your feedback, and I want to continue hearing from you next year. Thanks to your comments and ideas, we've improved on some of Rice Students' favorite traditions. While I think a major highlight of the fall semester was Centennial Esperanza, I also helped tie a service aspect into the Welcome Back Concert by partnering with the Community Involvement Center. This past year, I also oversaw the tie-dye tent at the Fall Activities Fair, Night Bites, Screw-Yer-Roommate, the President & Dean's Study Break, the Pub DJ Showcase, and Passport to Houston. These events couldn't have happened without your continued support for RPC, and the year's not over yet! Upcoming events include Crush Party, Willy Week, and Beer Bike.

Feel free to email me at riceprogramcouncil@gmail.com if you have any questions about RPC or our events.

Don't forget that your college RPC representatives are also great resources!

 

Campanile Editor-in-Chief

Candidate 1: Anastasia Bolshakov

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far away, the 11 colleges were forged, but only one book could rule them all: The Campanile.

Since the age of 13, yearbooks have been my life. Yearbooks are a way of capturing events, memories, and significant moments in the thread of history. In this glorious Centennial year, we have reflected on our past as a consequential part of our future and realized the importance of memory for an institution. As Editor-in-Chief, I would be honored to preserve and record that memory so as to one day look back to relive it. Thank you for your time, and may the odds be ever in my favor.

 

KTRU Station Manager

Candidate 1: Nick Ryder

Over the last year I've had the pleasure of leading KTRU through two successful semesters, in which we saw increased membership, listenership, and interest both on and off campus. I have been blessed with a devoted board of directors which has helped KTRU maintain its 40 year legacy of playing eclectic, local, and underexposed music.

Looking back on all we have accomplished, I have no doubt that the future is bright for KTRU. I am excited for the opportunity to lead KTRU for another year, to help keep Houston black and yellow and buzzing with great music.

 

RTV5 Station Manager

Candidate 1: Mark Dudley

Yo, wassup my home dawgs. Now that my flawless 90's slang has garnered your trust I believe you ought to vote for me for RTV5 Station Manager because of reasons. Reasons that are very important and that guarantee ascension to a higher plane should you vote for me, but be warned cast ye vote foolishly for my opponents and all that be waiting for you is damnation, well that and someone else as RTV5 station manager.

Mark "" Dudley

 

RTV5 Program Director

Candidate 1: Lauren Thomson

 

UCourt Amendment Blurb

University Court would like to remind voters that the questions at the bottom of the ballot still have the potential to impact student life in important ways.

UCourt is proposing amendments to its constitution that we believe will positively impact the student judicial process. The purpose of this blurb is to summarize the proposal.

The most important change UCourt is proposing is the addition of a new plea option. Previously, students were required to plead "in violation" or "not in violation." UCourt proposes the addition of a new plea: "in violation but contesting sanctions." Currently, students who admit violations but disagree with the sanctions issued by Student Judicial Programs cannot bring their cases to UCourt; this proposal will allow students to have their sanctions reviewed by their peers, thus adding student insight to an important component of the judicial process.

Additionally, UCourt proposes changing the limit on member absences from three per year to three per semester. This ensures member accountability without being unduly burdensome.

The remaining changes are technical. In light of last year's procedural changes, UCourt proposes some corrections and clarifications to its constitution. We also propose deleting an outdated article providing for dismissal of a case by a two-thirds majority; UCourt can already vote "not in violation" or vote to remove a case from its authority by a simple majority.

Thus, UCourt urges students to remember that there are important questions at the end of the ballot and to vote in favor of approving its constitutional amendments.

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