Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
My name is Stephan Lefebvre and I am running for the position of Student Council Secretary. As Secretary, I will take notes at all of the meetings and I will make sure the minutes continue to be posted timely on the StuCo blog. Also, I believe it is the Secretary’s duty to continue to push for transparency and accountability for the Student Council and the College itself.
The current Council has done a remarkable job of reaching out to the Swarthmore community – most notably they station themselves outside Sharples and host fun events with the intention of gathering feedback and offering opportunities for concerns to be raised. My interest in serving on the Student Council was sparked by their inspiring outreach and the realization that other parts of our institution are not so forthcoming. Lately, the Financial Justice campaign has raised issues about the College’s transparency. I will work to bring all aspects of decision making at this College to light. To do this I will join the current Council members in constantly seeking input so as to align my priorities with my that of my peers and friends. As Secretary, I will be able to quickly act on these concerns by proposing solutions to people in positions of power at the College.
As the Council’s Secretary, I see the potential for becoming an influential facilitator for building institutional memory on campus. Does your favorite student organization, whether it is a sports team, a performing arts group, or a part of the IC and BCC community, have the resources to document its activities for posterity? Will the new leadership next year have to reinvent the wheel? I’m interested in working with the Deans to create a systematic way of keeping intergroup records that is easy to use and preserves confidentiality for those groups for whom this is important. These records will have immediate benefits. For example, written records about whom to contact for departmental funding and how to order a take-out meal for your group from Sharples will encourage new students as well as group members without much free time to help with events.
Last year, as Treasurer for the Swarthmore Queer Union (SQU), I started to learn the ins-and-outs of Swarthmore, including how to work with the Student Budget Committee (SBC) to get funding for groups and activities. My experience working to plan events such as Paces parties, workshops, book sales and events for Coming Out Week have made me aware that the intricacies of getting stuff done at this school should be available to all. This year I have helped get several new student groups chartered, and I’m serving as the Business Editor of the Halcyon, in which capacity I’m entrusted with all the funds used for designing, printing, and delivering the yearbooks. While I still have a lot to learn, I feel like it is time to put the experience I’ve gained to use.
After a year and a half, I see Swarthmore as a place where I get to live with and learn from the most amazing people anywhere. I want to serve on the Student Council to address those few moments when I notice that something could be improved. You deserve a Student Council Secretary that is willing to do more than take notes!
