President-elect Builds a New Cabinet

Author: Claire Bourne

As applications for 2002-2003 Student Government Association (SGA) Presidential Cabinet positions roll in this week, SGA President-elect Ginny Hunt '03 is busy solidifying plans for her leadership tenure. These include the addition of two new Cabinet positions, the formation of a Presidents' Council and an increase in Senate responsibility when it comes to SGA-student body ties.

Hunt will present a resolution to the Senate this Sunday calling for the creation of two cabinet positions to integrate voices from the commons system and environmental affairs into the SGA. She said that both directorships were conceptualized "in reference to historical and future perspectives of the SGA."

Although several recent bills endorsed by the Senate have focused on environmental issues, Hunt acknowledged, "Historically, the SGA has neglected to formalize integration of environmental awareness."

The Director of Environmental Affairs position would allow students to "channel and integrate" their concern for the environment "into the SGA," Hunt explained.

According to Doug Dagan '03, who has expressed interest in the position, "The creation of a Cabinet position within the SGA will help to ensure that this institutional peak of excellence continues to get stronger and that Middlebury College continues to be aware of its impact and continues to address that impact in a meaningful way." Dagan said that the creation of the position was "overdue" since the environment "has been at the forefront of student concern for the past several years."

The role of the Director of Commons Affairs, said Hunt, would be to "look out for student body interests within the commons" as the system develops over the next decade. Hunt, who served as Cook Commons co-chair last year, said that although the commons have "incredible human and capital resources," many students "feel that the structure is 'empty.'"

André Estanislao '05, who has submitted an application for the commons position, maintained that the commons system is "an integral part of the College community" in that it provides students with a sense of "belonging." He called the allowance for a commons voice in the SGA "essential."

"[The position] will serve to draw all of the commons together and look at how they are serving the students from a much broader and impartial perspective," said Kevin Dougherty '03, who has also expressed interest in the commons cabinet post.

Meagan Dodge '03, who has been involved with the commons since 2000, said that a commons representative would bring an "informed, experienced voice … to communicate effectively the intentions of the commons administration and the concerns of the student body."

In addition to fleshing out the Cabinet, Hunt said she intends to address the relationship between the Cabinet and the Senate. The last two years have seen both a reduction in the size of the Senate and an emphasis on Cabinet initiatives.

Because of these changes, the bond between the Senate and the Cabinet "seems to have been lost in the mix," Hunt maintained.

Although changing the Senate structure is not in her long-term vision, Hunt said she is determined to make sure that the Senate serves its function as "the connection between the SGA and students."

"Also, it is crucial that any student feel comfortable coming to a Senate meeting and voicing opinions," Hunt asserted.

Some members of the Senate have recently raised concerns about the role of the Speaker in facilitating, or in some cases inhibiting, discussion during SGA meetings. Hunt said she intends to examine the dynamic in question.

The formation of the Presidents' Council is also on Hunt's plate for the upcoming year. She will be contacting leaders of student organizations this week to gather feedback "about how the Presidents' Council can best serve their needs and the needs of the student body." She asserted, "It is important that this body best serve the interests of organizations, firstly, and the SGA, secondly."

First on the Council's agenda will be an evaluation of SGA Finance Committee guidelines and the Constitution Committee since these are "the two SGA committees that work most directly with student organizations," Hunt said.

The Council's structure has yet to be formalized, however Hunt said that she, the Director of Student Organizations, the Finance Committee Chair and the Director of Environmental Affairs will sit on the Council.

Hunt will most likely stay on campus this summer, providing her with "a perfect opportunity to get a lot of the details in order for next year." She said she was "particularly interested" in working with administrators on reforming the citation policy, establishing guidelines for a commons evaluation and "pushing" for a College bar.