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.
The Daily Gazette has reprinted these platforms in full without changes:
Christian Galo ’20
SGO Senator At-Large Platform
2017-2018
Greetings,
I am excited to announce that I will be running for the position of at-large senator. during the academic year of 2016-2017, I decided to join the academic affairs committee for the purpose of better representing a variety of voices from underrepresented communities on Campus. Throughout my first term as a senator I worked on a great variety of academic policy projects, pushing for policies that would aid students facing academic difficulties and discussing solutions for student problems such as the snowball effect with assignments, mental-health concerns, academic stress, and the diversification of academic departments within the college, without trying to advocate for policies that may reduce the academic rigor of Swarthmore. As a committee, we managed to voice our support for policies such as the extension for the deadline to declare Credit/No-Credit on a course, conducted an investigative effort to seek out student input on academic policy by meeting with the heads of affinity groups on campus or members of those affinity groups, and have worked on drafting policy that I hope to continue working on throughout the academic year of 2017-2018. As a running candidate, I seek to continue pushing for inclusive policies aimed addressing the academic concerns of all students.
I am running because I want to offer my experience as an ex-member of the committee and also provide the institutional memory required to carry out the continuation of ongoing projects like: Reforming the W course program, supporting the implementation of a PPE program, pushing for the Honors program reform proposal regarding the length of Senior week, reforming the PE requirement, and drafting policies aimed at reducing academic stress.
If you have any questions about my academic policy positions or would want to discuss any concerns regarding academic policy, feel free to reach out to me through email communication, facebook, or while around campus.
Cheers!
Jack Corkery ’20
My fellow students,
I am glad to announce my candidacy for the Student Senate. Throughout my life, I have served as a
leader in the classroom, in the community, and on the field. But enough about me. I’m just gonna let the
issues do the talking. I have outlined below 5 key components of my platform that I intend to enact during
my tenure here.
1. Reform pass-fail so that it is an easier system to navigate.
2. Start holding Food Truck Fridays on campus. Nothing really happens here on Fridays. This gives
everyone something to do, and even the athletes with next-day competitions and non-drinkers can
participate.
3. Install AC in all the dorms. It’s not fair that everyone pays the same for housing but some of us are
drenched in sweat every night.
4. Allow each student to have one meal a semester at The Broad Table Tavern (the fancy restaurant next
to the bookstore) to practice for meetings or professional situations.
5. Start a “lunch/dinner with your professor” program. The school pays for a certain amount of meals per
student with their professor, and this allows students to get to know their professors and have them as a
valuable mentor and reference.
I have other ideas, but I’ll have to be elected before I share. You can contact me at
jcorker1@swarthmore.edu if you have any questions.
I look forward to serving y’all,
Jack Corkery
Kanhav Thakur ’20
I’ve been a part of, as well as served on the boards of many student organizations on campus
such as i20 (Swat’s International Club), SBC (Student Budget Committee), Club Soccer, Club
Tennis (founder), Deshi (South Asian Soc), 180DC (On-Campus Non-Profit Consulting Group),
and Clarus Capital (Student-Run Investment Group).
Some of my key areas of focus will be:
- Internship and Job Search
- Strengthen the connection between Swat (and Tri-Co) alumni and current Swatties through greater, larger scale events.
- Creation and improvement of a more thorough alum directory/interface which
students can easily access. - Work with the SCCS to create a portal that seamlessly integrates with your email to provide students with numerous job opportunities.
- Food on-campus PAST 12AM!
- How is this still not a thing?
- Sharples and Essie’s 2.0
- Extended hours
- More variety + healthier options
- Cheaper, Easier Access to PHILLY
- Regular running of shuttles and/or subsidized SEPTA tickets to Philly.
- Serving as a direct channel for Student Grievances
- Meetings with President Val Smith, Dean Liz Braun, and respective Class Year Deans
to resolve common student complaints, bringing in student perspective.
- Meetings with President Val Smith, Dean Liz Braun, and respective Class Year Deans
- Better Representation of all Underrepresented, Cultural Groups
- Schedule meetings with the leaders of student groups like ABLLE, Enlace, Deshi,
HAN, QSA, SLATE, SIS and other similar organizations on a regular basis to promote
their events and improve campus visibility.
- Schedule meetings with the leaders of student groups like ABLLE, Enlace, Deshi,
- Better Financial Aid
- Work with President Val Smith, the Board of Managers, and the Financial Aid Office
to look at current ideas as well as formulate new ideas to enhance and effectively
distribute financial aid to the students that need it.
- Work with President Val Smith, the Board of Managers, and the Financial Aid Office
Kat Capossela ’21
Hi, my name is Kat Capossela ’21, and I am asking to represent you this year as an At-large Senator. I am from Boston; I worked at Starbucks for two years, and I love horror movies. In high school, I was the editor-in-chief of my school’s newspaper and the president of my school’s community service club, so leadership roles and collaboration are not new to me. At Swat, I write and photograph for The Phoenix, am a member of 180 Degrees Consulting, and barista at Paces on Wednesdays.
I want to serve in the senate because I have already fallen in love with Swat, but there’s always room for improvement. Here are some of my priorities for this upcoming year:
Environment
- Replacing paper towels with hand dryers in all bathrooms
- Installing water fountains in Pitt
- Attaching water bottle filling stations to water fountains
Transportation
- Obtaining a more frequent bus to ML so folks aren’t trapped on campus all day
- Increasing funding for free SEPTA passes
- Initiating an on campus a free bike share program
Dining
- Bumping our Best College Food ranking from a sad 538th by incorporating a little more spice to our food options
- Adding protein powder in Sharples
Other
- Setting up stricter guidelines for frequency of campus wide emails
- Drumming up school spirit through events like Halloween costume contests and lawn games
- Two ply toilet paper!!
I will always be open to hear any other ideas or concerns you may have. I want to make our government best represent our student body, and we can only make that happen if we work together.
I look forward to representing you.
Thank you!
Nancy Yuan ’20
Hello Swatties! My name is Nancy Yuan and I am running to serve as one of your At-Large Senators on the
SGO Senate. I was previously the Senator for Class of 2019, but after taking a gap year, I have now returned
as part of Class of 2020. With my unique situation of having deep ties with two out of four class years on
campus, I would like to better serve the needs of our wider campus community rather than focusing on a
specific year group.
I will be very committed to my role as an At-Large Senator. When I was previously Class Senator, I attended
every senate meeting (far better than the attendance record of real senators in this country!). Having served as
a member of the Appointments Committee under the SGO’s Chair of Internal Affairs, I can offer valuable
institutional memory as the position enabled me to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the functions
of different groups on campus. Most importantly, I now have a better grasp of the issues the student body
cares about, from my experience of interviewing and evaluating over 100 different candidates for different
campus committee positions.
My participation in various groups has further cultivated my desire to improve the Swarthmore experience by
assisting the campus groups that add to the college’s diverse character. During freshman year, I have served
as the Senator for the Class of 2019 on the SGO Senate. I have also held the position of Head of
Communications on the executive board for the i20 International Club. The other campus organizations I have
been passionate about and am a part of are WOCKA, the Global Health Forum, and the Forum for Free
Speech. This year I would like to devote more time to my campus commitments such as SGO, so this I am
only serving as i20’s Head of Outreach, and working with 180 Consulting.
For those of you who do not know me directly, I am very down-to-earth, approachable, and no B.S. kinda gal. I
will prove to be proactive in following up on issues in our community. If I am fortunate enough to have your
vote, I promise to ensure that the best interests of the student body are represented across the board.
Going forward with your votes, I will survey the demonstrated needs of the Swarthmore student body and do
my best to advocate for all such needs. I look forward to working closely with the rest of the Senate, in
supporting the collaborative efforts between SGO and various student groups on campus, and strengthening
the overall Swarthmore experience.
If you have any questions regarding my platform feel free to contact me at: nyuan1@swarthmore.edu
Thank you very much and I look forward to working with you and for you,
Nancy Yuan ‘20
Swarthmore College
Quentin Millette ’20
I’m Quentin Millette; last year I was the President of the Swarthmore NSBE chapter, a member of the Varsity men’s soccer team and a member of ABLLE. Now, I am asking for your vote to be your SGO Senator.
Here are some of my priorities for next year:
Build a Better Dining Experience
- Create Healthier options
- Bring food trucks every month
- Extend Essie’s meal swipe hours
- Get local foods day to happen bi-weekly
- Vending machines that accept one card
Increase Campus Sustainability
- Reduce the amount of un-recyclable number 3 and 6 plastics used on campus
- Increase the number of recycling bins around campus
Increase the Opportunities to get out of the Swarthmore Bubble
- Designate a bi-monthly shuttle into Philadelphia
- Offer subsidize Septa tickets or flat rate fee per semester students could pay school for unlimited septa rides on weekends
Student Stress Relief
- Puppy therapy room for a day
Increase Campus Dialogue
- SGO becomes more engaged in social and civic campus issues by holding moderated conversations, which could range in style from coffee talks to debates.
Email me with ANY suggestions or questions at qmillet1@swarthmore.edu
Siddharth Ramachandran ’20
Dear Swarthmore Community,
My name is Siddharth Ramachandran and I am running for the position of
Class Senator 2020. I’m a second-year prospective Economics and Statistics double
major and have been very involved on campus ever since I arrived here. From
representing student government in high school to acting as a voting member on
Swarthmore’s Student budgetary Committee and being part of the student-run 180
degrees consulting, student empowerment has always been a salient theme throughout
my academic career. Since well before Swarthmore, I was extremely particular about
improving student engagement as well as the social and academic environment of
every institution that I attended. I believe that my past experiences have allowed me
to possess the right traits to help me carry out my role as class-senator.
Since I was 14, I was an active member of the American-based, international
charity, Operation Smile. I was so touched by its mission that I was motivated to
cofound a chapter of this global charity, at my school in Dubai. What initially started
as an actualization of my passion for helping others blossomed into a deep
understanding and internalization of what leadership truly entailed. Running a charity
of this scale allowed me to develop both the hard and soft skills required by any
leader/manager in any realm.
Aside from my more formal experience, I believe that my background allows
me to perform this role like no other. Having grown up in three different countries
(excluding the US) and attended international schools in all of them, I am able to
understand, and to relate to, a myriad of different perspectives. Through this unique
experience I was forced out of my comfort zone. This helped me develop my
communication skills and broaden my horizons through my interactions with such a
diverse crowd.
As your senator I will work to build a strong relationship between
administration and the SGO network, as both groups are a crucial part of our
Swarthmore experience. I will work tirelessly, to ensure that our class’s voice is heard
and that our community takes great steps forward together. So Swarthmore, please
join me in having your voice heard.
Tyler Pasko ’20
My name is Tyler Pasko. Last year, I was a member of the Student Budget Committee, the Men’s Basketball team as well as a writer for the Swarthmore Phoenix. This year, I would love to serve you as an At-Large Senator.
Bullet point list of my top priorities if I am voted into office:
Quality of life improvements:
- Create a bi-monthly shuttle service into Philadelphia
- Increase number of outdoor seating/recreational areas
Construct a better dining experience:
- Prolong meal swipe hours At Essie’s
- Increase number of healthy meals available at Sharples and Essie’s
Improve Campus Sustainability:
- Facilitate recycling by strategically placing more recycling bins around campus
- Limit the use of non-recyclable plastics (number 3 and 6) on Swarthmore’s campus
Facilitate Campus Discussion:
- Provide a time and space to have moderated discussions about prominent campus topics
- Offer monthly meeting times in which students can come to propose any improvements to
- campus life
If you have a suggestion or question, do not hesitate to shoot me an email at
tpasko1@swarthmore.edu
Jacob Brady ’20
