This is a preview of just a few of the contested races in the Student Government Association SGA spring elections. For information on all races, candidates and platforms, visit Oleville.com. Primaries will be held on Tuesday, March 17, with general elections on Thursday, March 19.
PAC
Emma Kieski ’16
Major – Political science and Latin American studies with a management concentration
Bio – PAC Marketing and Communications Officer, member of College Democrats Executive team, Captain of Women’s Ultimate Frisbee team.
Platform – Politics does not have to be boring, it can be interesting and fun! PAC should not be just one more lecture to sit through. In addition to our weekly dinners and big speakers, I will emphasize interactive events including, but not limited to, lively discussions, social media-themed events and political comedy.
I want to establish an atmosphere of informed debate between individuals with different political perspectives. I do not expect everyone to agree, but I want to create an environment for political discourse without prejudice.
I’ll move away from bipartisan gridlock and widen the scope of our events by bringing in speakers that force us to question our current beliefs.
St. Olaf has many organizations dedicated to awareness and social impact. I want PAC to be seen as a partner, using our resources to bring in speakers that interest you!
Kelsey Henquinet ’16
Major – Political science and history with a Middle Eastern studies concentration
Bio – PAC Weekly Events Coordinator, Volunteer Network Assistant Coordinator, Co-President of Mental and Spiritual Health Awareness House.
Platform – Students are often being told who to listen to and what kinds of conversations to have. It’s time to take back the conversation and work together to raise awareness beyond the Hill. It’s time to burst the St. Olaf bubble, and this is how I intend to do it:
I want to increase awareness about issues beyond the hill and encourage discussion, no matter the topic. Too often we have presented only one side of the argument, and I want to change that. I believe the only way to strengthen your opinions is to thoughtfully listen to the other side, and in order to do so, I am committed to bringing in speakers who will widen the scope of conversation.
International issues are undeniably important to students, but we rarely hear about the work of the international community and its implications on the world. I am dedicated to raising awareness about international politics, and I believe it should be a priority of the committee.
SAC
Rebecca Kunau ’17
Major – Economics and political science
Bio – SAC Social Media Director, Chair of the President’s Ball Committee, member of St. Olaf Model UN team
Platform – I’ve been on SAC for almost two years now, and during that time I’ve plotted out a roadmap for where we need to grow: socially, as SuperFans and in our selfless acts.
Our committee is the largest on SGA, and our events reach a large swath of the student body. But we need to go farther. Our Facebook page is our main point of contact for many of our events, but has only around 1800 people following it, many of whom are not current students. Through careful programming and advertising, I hope to grow SAC social media in order to reach those students who do not normally attend or hear about SAC events. At the National Association of College Activities this spring, Christian Dwyer and I booked an act for next fall that I think you’ll love. I’ve watched the SuperFan subcommittee grow, and I think I understand how to open it up to more Oles. And with my work on the Tackle Cancer initiative, I watched Oles and the Northfield community give back. I can’t wait to do it again next year, and I hope you’ll join me.
Eden Faure ’16
Major– Political science and Asian studies
Platform – SAC is a meaningful way for students to build a stronger, more cohesive St. Olaf identity through events that appeal to Oles from all corners of campus. Through the utilization of different advertising and media outlets, we can spread the word about events in a way that reaches a larger portion of St. Olaf students. I want to emphasize getting more students involved in decision making processes, including getting genuine feedback about potential events.
More specifically, I would love to see a greater promotion of weekend events in coordination with student organizations. There are so many unique student groups and it would be awesome if Oles could spend a day exploring and learning about different activities! Expanding recreational opportunities more heavily into the Cities is also something I would like to explore. Opportunities for students to familiarize themselves with St. Paul and Minneapolis and chances to get off campus are relatively slim, and I hope to work toward creating a more efficient and accessible system that will change this.
I have many ideas to extend the scope of SAC to cater to a more diverse body of students, and would love the have the opportunity to implement them.
Mara Stutzman ’17
Major – Economics with concentrations in statistics and Chinese studies
Bio – Co-Chair of Senior Days 2015, member of Off-Campus Subcommittee, former Hillboe-Kittelsby Senator
Platform – Let’s make SuperFan a primary focus next year! Specifically, I want to increase the number of sports we support and the size of the events we put on. I plan to contact all teams and ask what games/meets are most important to them that season. Let’s get a huge number of Oles to show up and cheer you on for your big games!
Next year I would like SAC to collaborate more with student organizations and honor houses to create programming that appeals to different audiences. This will allow you to have more say in what events SAC brings next year. My office will always be open to you. Come talk to me about your ideas and lets see if we can make something great!
In order to be mindful of our consumption, I will appoint a Sustainability Officer to be part of the SAC executive team. This person will be in charge of monitoring what types of materials we are purchasing, what can be reused and the environmental impact of our events during the planning and executing stages.
Juliette Emmanuel ’18
Major – Political science and French with a concentration in race and ethnic studies.
Platform – I am running for the SAC Coordinator position to make activities one of the principal assets of our campus and make sure that students, including myself, get the best out of their experience while here on campus. Conscious of all the opportunities that our campus has to offer, such as the creative and diverse student body that it possesses, it is our goal as students to make the best use of them in order to create the campus that we wish for. My plan is thus to reinforce all the activities that our students enjoy the most and reshape them in a more fun and enjoyable way and through feedback, make possible what has not yet been done.
CURRICULUMSENATOR
Talia Mackay ’16
Bio – Member of Curriculum Committee’s Policy and Planning Subcommittee
Platform – I plan to be your voice. You know your classes better than anyone else. Therefore I want my recommendations about new courses and programs to reflect your opinions to the administration and professors. Specifically, I will make the Curriculum Committee’s work more inclusive by hosting forums where students can submit course proposals and revisions. I will also conduct major-specific surveys to gather feedback from the individuals most invested in a specific discipline. Finally, I will look into revising the multicultural General Education requirements so students graduate with an open mind about other cultures and ways of life.
Andrew Parr ’16
Major – Music
Bio – Member of St. Olaf Choir, KSTO Radio Program Host Liaison, Admissions Tour Guide
Platform – I have two main goals. The first is to re-evaluate the WRI requirement. I think that having a four class requirement is great – people need to learn how to write – but for some majors, it’s really difficult to fulfill this comfortably. I want to reevaluate what constitutes a WRI and perhaps alter the definition so that more classes can be eligible. I would also like to work to revise the Music curriculum. Right now, the Music department only allows predetermined music majors into its 100 level classes. The department will be submitted to the “Continuing Programs” subcommittee next year. As a music major, and someone who knows the department well, I feel I would be a valuable contributor to this project.
Nate Webster ’17
Major – Political science and economics
Bio – Intercampus Liaison, PAC Weekly Events Coordinator, Sustainability Subcommittee Member, member of Cross Country and Track Team
Platform – Having served on Senate as both a Hall Senator and as the Inter-Campus Liaison, I hope to bring practical experience and vision to the position of Curriculum Senator. If elected, I will be a determined advocate for the interests of students on the curriculum committee, which has significant impact on the college’s academic opportunities and courses. Having participated in various branches of Student Government, as well as residential learning programs and varsity athletics, I believe I bring a large variety of experiences and familiarity with a wide mix of the student body. This, in turn, will help me serve as a better advocate for the interests of all students, including those who normally are not as engaged in student government.
Dillon Cathro ’17
Platform – Provide the student body with information regarding the ins and outs of how the St. Olaf curriculum is organized. As a transfer student with an outsider’s perspective, I feel that there a serious lack of transparency regarding our general education system/why specific GE’s are chosen, and my goal will be to relay this information to the student populous.
Represent the student body in the Curriculum Committee. Before every meeting, I will send out a forum most likely in the form of a Google Doc or on Facebook in which students will be able to voice their ideas/concerns regarding anything academically related. I will then discuss these ideas with the Committee, and relay their responses to the study body within the week.
