Hi everybody. My name’s Will Lawrence and I’m running for the position of Appointments Chair. You probably know me as a really tall guy with oversized glasses who tends to run around campus awkwardly.
I have experienced the appointments process though my applications for Student Budget Committee and the College Budget Committee, both of which I currently serve on. Through these applications, I have seen the importance of the Appointments Chair position. The Appointments Chair leads the Appointments Committee, which is responsible for filling all student positions on the college’s many committees. At its best, Swarthmore’s system of committees provides a great avenue for students to be involved in the governance of the college. If elected, I will work hard to ensure that the student body is well represented by its committee members.
Recently, I have heard many stories from students who serve on committees. Some students feel that they have a lot of influence over the decision-making of their committee, whereas others feel that student voices are ignored. Other students told me that their committees met infrequently or not at all. I believe the role of the Appointments Chair is not only to make appointments, but to see that the appointees receive the respect and influence they deserve. Working with other StuCo members, I hope to organize meetings of student committee members that will allow them to talk together and share strategies for getting things done in committees. I also will create (voluntary) surveys for departing committee members, so we can begin to create a record of which committees are fulfilling their mandate to incorporate student voices, and which fall short.
I will also prioritize diversity in committee representation. As no one student can represent the opinion and perspective of the whole student body, I will work with the Appointments Committee to appoint a mix of students that includes various campus communities. I also recognize the importance of racial and gender diversity, and will bring these values to my work on the Committee.
Finally, if elected, I will devote untold hours to drafting silly emails to convince you to apply for committees. I am more than excited to begin this chapter of my life. Please contact me at wlawren1 with any and all questions about my platform.
