Campaigning for Student Co-Chair of Community Council

Author: Dan Phillips

Sullivan Seeks Stand-Out Campaign

Erin Sullivan '04.5, candidate for student co-chair of the Community Council and speaker for the Student Government Association (SGA) Senate, finished plastering campus buildings and dormitories with a rainbow of flyers last Saturday. She directed her efforts this past week toward getting her platform known and attracting people's attention. Sullivan has hosted a number of meetings this week and will continue to host more in the days leading up to the election. She attended the Town Meeting with President McCardell on Monday and organized a hall meeting later that evening with the junior counselor (JC) on the third floor of Milliken Hall along with SGA Presidential candidate Andrew Feinberg '04. The two hopefuls fielded questions from curious first-years and focused on the issues they would address if elected.
At Monday night's Milliken meeting, Sullivan stressed social house and TIPS reform and elaborated upon environmental initiatives she supports, claiming, "The College has an environmental peak of excellence that must be upheld." She hopes to increase exposure of the Community Council, which she asserted was "probably the most influential body on campus." Lastly, Sullivan advocated the purchase of "fair trade coffee," an issue she recently incorporated into her campaign.
Sullivan fielded questions about her support of portable financial aid for students studying abroad on non-Middlebury programs, stating that Middlebury prides itself on its reputation as a school that promotes international education. She proposed the alternative of introducing scholarships to help fund students who opt for unaffiliated programs abroad. The continued acceptance of AP credit was another topic which concerned first-year students present at the meeting.
Following the meeting, Sullivan proceeded to go door-to-door on the hall, informing the residents of her position and answering questions. She views first-years as new to Middlebury student government, explaining her method of visiting door to door in the hallways as "simultaneously campaigning, educating and increasing people's awareness about the existing channels of student governance."
Sullivan attended the International Student Organization (ISO) meeting Tuesday, and met with Tavern and Weybridge House residents that same evening in order to further broadcast her name and platform.
Sullivan said that she is eager to participate in Wednesday night's debate in The Grille which "facilitates the decision making process" for students and encourages everyone to come out and vote.


Cooper Rises to the Challenge

Michael Cooper '06, candidate for student co-chair of Community Council, acknowledged that his status as a first-year has raised many eyebrows. A lot of people around campus, he continued, only know him from his picture and platform article in last week's paper. "I'm going to try to mitigate that," he asserted. However, Cooper prides himself on his close association with most of his first-year classmates, who are often targeted by the upperclassmen candidates. For that reason, Cooper will focus his campaign on gaining the support of students in the grades above him.
Cooper had his hands full last week - he was a part of two pieces in the African American Alliance (AAA) Fashion Show Saturday night. He began putting up flyers in Ross and Battell last Friday and Saturday, and made more to distribute this week for the days preceding the election. He went door-to-door last weekend in mostly first-year dorms, including Allen and Stewart. He plans to concentrate his campaign on the upperclassmen early this week. Cooper also attended the International Student Organization (ISO) meeting Tuesday night in the Mitchell Green Lounge.
Cooper summed up his experience as a first-year campaigner thus far, saying that the "experience has been definitely worthwhile and has taught me a lot." He noted, however, that, "most upperclassmen won't even give you the time of day."
He feels "very capable of doing the job," and will continue in his attempts to become a part of the SGA for his remaining years at Middlebury. He also said he will make an effort, no matter the outcome of the election, to be a part of the Community Council for the next three years.
"There are certain changes that need to be made and I believe in the changes I am trying to push," Cooper affirmed. "I feel caught up in a whirlwind. I didn't think campus politics would be this intense. The candidates truly have to distinguish themselves," Cooper said. He claimed that his unique background provides him with an experience and perspective that is absent from the students' governing body.
He hopes that he can manage to wield his influence over fellow first-years while targeting the upperclassmen during the remaining days of his campaign. But he still has "three glorious years," and hopes to leave his mark on Middlebury's student government.