Editorials Levina leadership with long-range potential

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What Alina Levina '09 lacks in experience she makes up for by her determined commitment to becoming the next Student Government Association (SGA) president. This past Sunday, Levina won over a room full of skeptics - The Campus Editorial Board - with her passion, professionalism and sustainable plan for the SGA.

Levina's primary strengths lie not necessarily in her specific platform - opponent Alex Stanton '07 actually does a better job of identifying a more feasible set of goals - but in her well-researched approach to the job. An accomplished first-year Posse scholar, Levina has already gone out of her way to make the administrative connections without which the SGA is powerless. Levina says that while on the bus to Middlebury for Posse orientation last September, before setting foot on campus, she was already discussing Middlebury with Vice President for College Advancement Mike Schoenfeld '73. She was the only candidate to emphasize her contact with President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz in her presentation for The Campus.

Though she is very young, Levina has managed to make her age work to her advantage. She knows that clenching the SGA presidency as a rising sophomore would grant her two extra years to oversee long-term goals, either by running again as an incumbent or by helping future leaders in an advisory capacity. The fact that she herself has three more years left on this campus should provide Levina with additional incentive to work for school improvement. Though ironic considering her age, Levina's historical knowledge of the SGA is especially impressive. She cited and commented on issues SGA President Ginny Hunt '03 faced four years ago, when Levina was just entering high school.

As Co-Director of the SGA Diversity Committee, Levina has already confronted one of the issues of great concern for The Campus this year by helping to organize the recent Anti-Defamation rally that held in Mead Chapel.

We are also especially relieved to see that improving safety measures on campus, especially as pertaining to women, are a high priority for Levina.

Though we would like social life reform to be a more visible component of her platform, once asked, Levina's stance was well articulated. Levina says she will sign the SafeRides bill, recognizing the reality of off-campus parties, but remains primarily committed to reforming the on-campus scene.

Given the depth of the rest of her research, we were a little thrown by Levina's inability to answer specific questions, such as time and monetary requirements, about opening a dining hall on Sunday afternoons for "Dunch."

Levina recognizes that she is the underdog in this election, given her opponent's impressive record of student government experience, but she is willing to put up a fight. Levina may not have her name plastered across the back of car windows across campus, but small touches such as an appearance at pub night last week somehow seem more genuine.



Williams for SCCOCC

Though she is not the most passionate candidate, Annie Williams '07 alone seems to have the best grasp of the Student Co-Chair of Community Council's role on campus. By making it clear that she will not push her own specific agenda, we are confident that Williams would ensure a representative student voice among the faculty, staff and administration on the Community Council. Williams noted that she has already been meeting with Dean of Student Affairs Ann Hanson and Dean of Students Tim Spears. By establishing a relationship with current SCCOCC of two years J.S. Woodward, Williams demonstrates a desire to continue with long-term proposals, such as the Carbon Reduction initiative.

We urge Ryan Tauriainen '08 to continue to push his ambitious and impressive agenda in other capacities, but his platform did not strike us as the best suited for the representative role of the SCCOCC. And to Michael Tierney '09.5: take a little more time to get settled in. We hope to see you back out campaigning next year.