SGA senators ready for session

Author: Derek Schlickeisen

Middlebury's Student Government Association (SGA) wrapped up two days of elections last Friday, with Sean Denny and Garrett Saito clinching the two first-year Senate seats, and Nick Monier and Max Nardini claiming the sophomore seats. In the only other contested race, Alpheus Chan '08 beat out classmate Ryan Tauriainen for Wonnacott Commons' seat.

In contrast with last fall's senate elections, the majority of this year's elected representatives ran unopposed. Despite difficulty recruiting candidates, the SGA's leadership claimed better-than-expected voter turnout for those races that were competitive. SGA President Eli Berman '07.5 estimated over 1,000 votes cast.

"We made voting online so easy this year," said Berman. "It undoubtedly raised the voter turnout."

Among the senators-elect were several who promised during their campaigns to try to tackle confusion surrounding guest list-only parties. "A primary concern right now within the student body is the limited social scene caused by the re-interpretation of state liquor laws," said Chan. "Ideas such as having more alternative parties or shuttles to off-campus parties have been suggested."

Full-Year Junior Representative Ilhan Kim echoed Chan's desire for alternative social venues, but stressed that "the issue is beyond any one representative to resolve." Kim proposed substance-free events at the McCullough Student Center, Brooker House or Palmer House as viable options for underclassmen turned away from social house parties because of the guest-list rule. Events without alcohol might prove successful, he said, because "most students 'pre-game' before leaving their dorms."

In addition to examining the possibility of additional social venues, some new representatives have pushed for administrative support for the reluctantly exclusive social houses. Said Nardini, "The SGA, along with President Liebowitz and the rest of the administration, plans on taking a good hard look at the Addison County law and resolving the new list requirement for social houses."

Beyond finding a more permanent solution to the newly-enforced liquor laws, the new representatives boast a variety of individual goals for the year. Brainerd Commons Senator Jennifer Bowen '09 hopes to alleviate rising textbook costs by encouraging professors to make book lists available several weeks earlier in the summer. That way, she said, online booksellers' "used book supplies will still be available to students at Middlebury. Right now, the larger state schools have the first choice of used books, leaving little for our students to choose from."

As Wonnacott Senator, Chan said he supports several ideas presented by his fellow representatives, including remedying the lack of laundry facilities in Starr and Painter Halls, extending the New Library's 1 a.m. closing time and returning the Middlebury-Burlington airport shuttle service.

For his part, Nardini said he will look for ways to improve campus security. "This includes a study of the campus landscape and installation of emergency call boxes, or 'blue lights,' in certain darker, more remote areas," he explained.

When asked about the prospects for enacting the senate-elect's wide array of goals for the year, the SGA's leadership expressed hope that this year's student government will have more success than in the past. "The SGA Senate has never been wholly effective in either communicating with its respective constituents or with one another," said Student Co-Chair of Community Council J.S. Woodward '06, "but I sincerely hope that our new senators will not be discouraged and rather spurred on because of the genuine need for real leaders in their positions."

The senators themselves look forward to taking on Woodward's challenge. Said Nardini, "This year, SGA will live up to the student body's expectations."