SGA Veteran Battles Newcomer in Presidential Election

Author: Chesley Thurber

Onsdorff Campaign Highlights Need for Fresh Face and Ideas

With elections for Student Government Association (SGA) president beginning at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Neil Onsdorff '03 is making his final efforts to market himself as the candidate of change.

Onsdorff has built his campaign around the image of an outsider to the Middlebury political scene. "I think this campus is ready for something new, something big, something great," said Onsdorff at the presidential debate held in The Grille Monday evening. He has criticized the SGA for not fulfilling its duty to represent the entire student body. "I think the SGA needs to be a student representation, not an SGA representation. I don't see that happening now," he stated.

Unlike his opponent Ginny Hunt '03, Onsdorff has remarkably little experience in student government. In February he was appointed to Community Council, his first student leadership position. However, he does not see his relative inexperience in student government as a disadvantage, and he adamantly defends his leadership skills. "When it comes to leadership, that's no problem," claimed Onsdorff.

Onsdorff said that his experience in other aspects of the College, such as his two seasons on the football and rugby teams, would enable him to be better connected with students who feel distant from student government. He described his core constituency as "the people who have been less interested in the SGA than they should be."

The Onsdorff campaign has been tailored to both win the support of this demographic and to remind them to vote. "I think voter turnout is very important for me," said Onsdorff, noting that those who feel removed from student government and may likely support his candidacy often neglect to vote.

He has thus focused his campaign primarily on personal contact with voters. On Sunday evening, Onsdorff stood outside Hamlin greeting students as they flocked to the dining hall for chicken fingers and mozzarella sticks.

A controversial aspect of Onsdorff's campaign has been his decision to place posters in local liquor stores. While this tactic has been considered by some to be an indirect endorsement of underage drinking, Onsdorff defended his decision clarifying that the posters were placed only for visibility and not to create such an endorsement. "I put them there because I knew they'd be seen," said Onsdorff.

Onsdorff said he initially decided to run for SGA President after hearing that Junior Counselors would be losing their priority in room draw. As a member of the Community Council, he had lobbied for the implementation of such an advantage and was disappointed in what he considered a failure of the SGA and the Community Council to follow through on this initiative.

"I couldn't complain and not do anything about it," explained Onsdorff. Room draw reform has now become the primary issue on Onsdorff's platform.

He said he hopes also to involve more international students in the SGA by creating a more direct working relationship between the International Students Organization and student governance bodies.

Parking issues compose the third major focus of Onsdorff's platform. He proposes to expand MiddRides in order to increase student access to safe transportation into town for social activities. Onsdorff has also proposed the creation of an online forum for students to discuss their study abroad experiences. Onsdorff himself traveled abroad in January, attending the Salzburg Seminar in Austria. Upon returning, he said there had not been an outlet to share his experiences.

While declaring himself a supporter of the social houses, Onsdorff criticized what he views as his opponent's overly strong emphasis on social and alcohol related issues. He also specifically attacked the idea of an on-campus bar, saying, "I don't think a bar will ever be in Lower Proctor and if there is, it will fail." Onsdorff's views of the SGA's relations with the College administration are mixed. "On some issues antagonism is good," said Onsdorff, pointing out examples such as the overwhelming student disapproval of the College's decision to lock dormitories.

Onsdorff qualified this by saying, "You can't be aggressive all the time. You have to go in, ask the right questions, ask the right people and work the right approach."

In a year when the SGA has been heavily criticized for inability to work effectively with the administration, Onsdorff's image as an outsider may make him popular to many voters. "If you vote for me, you're going to get some changes and changes for the better," he stated. Whether this image can make up for his inexperience remains to be determined.

Hunt Stands Firmly Behind Comprehensive Platform Initiatives

In the last few days before the Student Government Association (SGA) presidential elections, candidate Ginny Hunt '03 has been meeting nonstop with student organizations to promote both her experience in student government and her platform.

While SGA veterans have typically fared well in recent elections, Hunt is trying to walk the fine line between emphasizing her experience and convincing students that she can bring change as well. "I tried to create a really innovative platform. I feel like I'm taking a totally different stance," she said.

Aside from her experience, Hunt's platform may be her most valuable asset. Stressing the need for an SGA that she calls "proactive and constructive," Hunt has created a comprehensive platform with proposals covering issues from alcohol policy to community structure.

Hunt said she believes her community issues to be the most important. Her proposals in this area include an examination of the commons system and the formation of a President's Council comprised of the student leaders from several campus organizations.

The examination of the commons system would take the form of a full year review with the first semester being used to analyze the current situation and the second to work with the commons individually to implement changes. A new position would be added to the SGA cabinet with the responsibility of overseeing this initiative.

The President's Council would meet on a monthly basis and serve as a means of increasing student voice in the SGA.

Despite her belief that these issues are her most important, Hunt's campaign posters have focused primarily upon the changes she proposes for alcohol and social policy. This emphasis has drawn intense criticism from those who believe that it comes at the expense of other more important issues.

Among these critics is Neil Onsdorff '03, Hunt's opponent. Hunt, however, claimed the nature of Onsdorff's campaign pushed her into making alcohol policy a larger issue. "The way you plan your campaign has a lot to do with your opponent," said Hunt.

The first proposal on Hunt's agenda is a change in the college citation policy. The new policy would create a "one for one" system where one citation per year could be removed from a student's record if that student attends one alcohol education course.

Hunt also proposes changes in SGA guidelines that would allow student organizations to use their funds to purchase alcohol. She said she hopes alcohol could be used as both a "supplement and attraction" to events already held by these organizations.

Finally, her proposal to convert Lower Proctor into a bar is her most controversial. While many of Middlebury's rival colleges have already implemented an on-campus bar, the idea has received mixed responses.

Hunt's opponent has attacked the proposal as being unrealistic and unfeasible. There are also concerns about how the bar would be funded. Responding to this question at the debate Monday night, Hunt responded, "Profits that could be made … could quickly make up for the cost of the bar." She also noted that the suggestion was given to her
by a student.

A striking omission from Hunt's platform is any mention of sexual harassment or assault policy. The College's policy in this area has recently come under intense scrutiny, and many were expecting this issue to be discussed by a female candidate. Hunt has commented that sexual harassment and assault policies are both extremely important to her and that she has met with leaders of Feminist Action at Middlebury to discuss the issue. She defended her decision not to put it on her platform, saying, "I didn't want gender to be a big issue."

Hunt's large blue banners are prominent around the Middlebury campus. Additionally, she has met with organizations such as the International Students Organization, the Middlebury College Activities Board and the Middlebury Initiative for Sustainable Development.

Hunt has also been campaigning door-to-door, which she describes as being the most rewarding but also the most time-consuming.

"I think I appeal to those who are drawn to someone who shows experience," said Hunt. As the election nears, Hunt is relying both on the appeal of her experience and her platform in her effort to become the next SGA president.