Rodriguez, Sullivan Capture SGA Election Victories

Author: Nicolas Emery

Sam Rodriguez '04 clinched the Student Government Association (SGA) presidency in a tight election last week, while Erin Sullivan '04.5 was elected Student Co-chair of Community Council (SCCOCC). The campus learned of the election results through an e-mail sent on Friday afternoon.
This election for the 2003-04 academic year was the tightest in years, with no majority winner: Rodriguez won 39 percent of the votes for the SGA presidency, defeating Megan McElroy '04 by only 63 votes and Andrew Feinberg '04 by 216.
Sullivan, who garnered 58 percent of the votes for SCCOCC, defeated first-year Michael Cooper by a margin of 371 votes. Voter turnout totaled 57 percent of the Middlebury College student body, or 1,264 ballots cast - a decrease of 64 votes from the Spring 2002 election.
With no previous experience in student government, Rodriguez was considered the "outsider" in the election, running against candidates who had extensive SGA backgrounds. "I was definitely fighting an uphill battle all along," said Rodriguez. "I was clearly the underdog as the outsider."
Dean of Student Affairs and Co-chair of Community Council Ann Hanson said, "I think Sam will bring new and interesting ideas to his role as president [. . .] Erin and Sam are both quality people, and I am sure that they will work well together." Current SGA President Ginny Hunt '03 added that "Sam's ideas are consistent with many Senate discussions and ideas this year," emphasizing that even though Rodriguez ran on a very different platform from Feinberg's and McElroy's, "for the majority of students who are not familiar with the SGA, it does not make a large difference on the surface."
Current SCCOCC Ben LaBolt '03 agreed with Hunt: "While some people might think there will be substantial changes made in the SGA next year, the president is still from Tennessee and the SCCOCC is still from Chicago."
McElroy said, "The elections were a great experience. The huge amount of support I received from people at Middlebury was inspiring." Feinberg commented that the election "was certainly hard-fought. I have nothing but admiration for my opponents and am confident that Sam will do a great job next year."
LaBolt said of SCCOCC-elect Sullivan, "I am confident in her ability both to lead and to facilitate the creation of policies that are welcomed by students, faculty and staff."
Cooper, Sullivan's opponent in the SCCOCC race, shook up campus politics during this election by running as a first-year with no previous student government experience at the College. Cooper said he hopes to be involved in the SGA during the upcoming academic year, noting, that "I learned a lot about campaigning, and the dynamics between the different constituencies - Middlebury is a lot more fragmented than I thought it was."
Rodriguez and Sullivan are using the remainder the spring to prepare themselves for the tasks which lay ahead. Sullivan hopes to meet one-on-one with Hanson to discuss ideas and potential agenda items for the Community Council next fall.
"My goal right now is simply to talk to people - students, administrators and the outgoing student administration - to discuss ideas and seek what insight others might have to offer in regards to next year," said Sullivan.
Items currently topping Sullivan's to-do list include social policy, housing inequity, the commons system, various academic issues currently being discussed and citation reform.
She also hopes to "address the problem of disappearing cups and dishware and to explore how Fair Trade Coffee could be introduced on a consistent basis to the dining halls."
Since the election, Rodriguez's time has been consumed with restructuring the presidential cabinet.
He is considering new positions for his cabinet including a director of social life enhancement and a director of student affairs.
The director of social life enhancement would be responsible for finding ways to improve campus social life, focusing on sub-free social life as well as alcohol policy and social house restrictions. The director of student affairs, a position suggested by Hunt, would oversee a group of administrative liaisons who would meet with various members of the administration and staff in order to provide the cabinet with aid in making informed policy decisions.
Rodriguez is also planning to revamp several existing cabinet positions.
"We are still in the process of streamlining the cabinet to its bare essentials for maximum efficiency in policy matters," said Rodriguez. "That's the goal of these restructuring proposals."
In his cabinet, Rodriguez wants "a blend of experienced 'SGA-ers' as well as fresh perspectives from qualified outsiders."
He is very excited about including both McElroy and Feinberg in his administration - "They've already offered great advice, and it will be great working with them officially next year," said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez's top initiatives for next fall include the SGA information table outside the dining halls, regular meetings with student organization officers, the student grievance network and a leadership conference for student organizations.
Over the summer Rodriguez and his chief of staff will discuss other priorities including the health food cafeteria, free and anonymous HIV/STD tests and network printers in every dorm so that students will not have to rush to Voter Hall for last minute printing.
"While Sam may not have student government experience, he will bring a new kind of energy to the position of president and to the SGA as a whole," said Sullivan. "I think Sam's ideas are fresh and innovative, and I look forward to working with him to see that they happen."