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BY JACK KEEFE

In print | February 8, 2007

Buoyed by pizza, soft drinks and coffee, students gathered Tuesday in Kohlberg Coffee Bar to put Samuel Asarnow ‘08, Charlie Decker ’09, Rasa Petrauskaite ’08 and Jason Thrope ’09 on the spot in an effort to examine their qualifications for the newly formed position of Student Council vice president. The position of vice president was added to replace one co-presidential office by the council this past December in order to maintain the council’s communication with the Board of Managers and the College Planning Commitee while working to better define the inner power structure of the council.

Asarnow spoke about this change, citing his concerns as a student about the issues of rank in the former co-presidential system; he hoped that the change would “clear up the ambiguities” and eliminate the need to ask questions such as “who has more power?” and “what happens if they disagree?”

Aside from an initial question offered by the moderator, Student Council Co-President Joella Fink ’07, about why the candidates initially ran for office and their basic vision for the job, all queries to the candidates came from the students present. The questioning session lasted approximately an hour.

One of the chief concerns expressed by Petrauskaite, who previously served as council secretary, was a lack of cooperation on the council.

“Some of [my initiatives] struggled, some of them were easy to accomplish … I would like to help other members to not face as many obstacles as I had to face,” she said. “I think that if students worked together in the council, we would be able to better accomplish our initiatives.” Petrauskaite endorsed initiatives to have points usable at Paces Café and Qub, and to explore creating a committee seeking to discuss and solve “problems of public safety.”

Perhaps in response to Petrauskaite’s claim that some of her initiatives during her time on student council were largely ignored, Erik Smith ‘10 asked the candidates what would prevent the vice-president’s concerns from being likewise spurned.

Outlining the interpersonal methodology that he says he will take to the council, Decker replied, “I know how to get things done on the committee. I understand that being on a committee [is] a simple process of give and take. I know that there is no way of getting everything you want to get through. If someone opposes your plans, it’s time to talk to someone on the committee and say, ’let’s make a deal.’” In a word, “realism.”

Many of Thrope’s answers related to his experiences playing soccer. “As qualifications, being a soccer player my whole life, I think I’ve learned how to be a team player,” Thrope said.

He described how a disagreement with his freshman year coach about playing time led him to stymie his ego and learn to be a “good listener.” Furthermore, while not speaking in detail of specific ideas fpr proposals, Thrope promised to be “approachable about the issues” and to “increase contact” between students and the council in terms of opinions and proposals.

Other major concepts included Asarnow and Decker’s joint emphasis on improving the visibility and accessibility of the Student Council web site (with Decker referencing his role as webmaster for College Democrats blog “The Garnet Donkey”). Additionally, Asarnow said he would serve as a stabilizing force to make sure current initiatives such as the syllabus database and the “Thanksgiving-style” break in the spring don’t “break off.”

Asarnow also cited experience as a member of the Student Budget Committee, where he learned how to take "fiscally responsible actions, and as a Writing Associate to show the links he could bring to student council.

Petrauskaite hoped to bring her previous experience on the council to the table for the position of vice president, while Decker emphasized the need to get “new blood” in the group in order to prevent “group think” from forming among the members.

Roughly 20 students attended the session.

“I was really happy with the turnout … a lot better than I expected, considering how cold it was outside,” Fink said, “I was very happy with how the people brought the concerns they had to give to the new candidates.”

Online voting for the office of vice president will run from Feb. 8-11, with Sharples voting scheduled to take place on Feb. 12 and 13.

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