Monday's Crimson supplement features an article, "Elections Spur Reflection: Does the UC Still Matter?" quoting former Harvard President Derek Bok as considering "the views of the deans" as the crucial factor in calendar reform--contrary to the boasts of the Sundquist-Petersen UC that "we organized a successful campaign to modernize Harvard’s calendar." (Sundquist-Sarafa website) Here is an excerpt:
"When Bok sent a campus-wide email to solicit thoughts on reform, making it clear that he would move on the calendar issue, Petersen was quick to credit the council's efforts.
'Many of you saw Derek Bok's email,' he told the council in May. 'Congratulations--I think it would not have happened without the Undergraduate Council pushing on him.'
But Bok himself does not characterize the moving force behind his decision so simply, viewing the final decision as a serendipitous meshing of student and administrative agendas--and declining to give the UC much credit for change.
'Frankly, I am not clear in my mind exactly what led to what,' he wrote in an email this week to the Crimson. 'All I can say is that the combination of support by the deans and by the students led me to consider moving on the issue, and the views of the deans were more important because of the fact that they represented a broader constituency within the University.'"
[The Crimson, UC Special 2007, p. 8]
Friday, November 30, 2007
Don't Stay the Course, Cast a Vote for Change
Read why we need change in today's Crimson op-ed supporting our ticket.
What's Important to You?
Visit our YouTube channel to watch Roy and Nick at the Dems Forum, discussing issues like accountability, leadership, and overcrowding in dorms.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
It's time for a change.
OUR VISION AND IDEAS
1. Stop caving in to the administration. We need outsiders with a fresh perspective and experiences as everyday undergraduates to bring about a more open, transparent, and accountable UC leadership.
2. Expand the scope of party grants. We will reinstate real party grants and re-negotiate the agreement made with the administration. We won't back down. Sundquist promised you a lawyer before they backed down -- where is he or she? [The Crimson, 10/4/07]
3. Bring cable tv to the dorms. Instead of the usual, top-down approach, we will form a student-faculty-admin committee with House Masters to begin to install cable or satellite tv in dorms. DeWolfe already has it -- why can't we all?
4. More frequent shuttle services during peak hours.
5. Poll the popularity of the Dean. We evaluate our professors. Let's evaluate our administration.
THE SUNDQUIST-PETERSEN UC: LETTING US DOWN
SUNDQUIST-PETERSEN LOST TO ADMINISTRATION ON THE UC'S MOST POPULAR INITIATIVE
"The agreement seems to mark a victory for Pilbeam and the administration, as the funding of alcohol—and the potential for underage drinking—was one of the central concerns that led Pilbeam to terminate the program initially." [The Crimson, 11/7/07]
FROM THE BEGINNING OF PARTY GRANT DISPUTE, SUNDQUIST WAS READY TO CAVE IN
“We just need to be ready and we want to be well informed,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen from here—I just hope that we’re all able to work together and do something that is beneficial for students and helpful to social life, but legal and safe for everyone involved.” [The Crimson, 10/4/07]
SUNDQUIST ADMITS THE UC IS ISOLATING, HAS LITTLE TRANSPARENCY
"I think the UC can isolate people, so people don't really understand what we're doing," Sundquist says. [The Crimson, 4/20/07]
SUNDQUIST'S FAST START FIZZLED FAST: HOW MANY PROMISES HAVE THEY KEPT?
"The first two weeks for Undergraduate Council (UC) President Ryan A. Petersen '08 and Vice President Matthew L. Sundquist '09 have gone according to schedule. In a Harvard version of a "first hundred days" blitz, Petersen and Sundquist have already fulfilled one of their 56 campaign promises..." [The Crimson, 12/8/06]
SUNDQUIST RAN DIRTIEST CAMPAIGN OF ALL SIX TICKETS LAST YEAR
As the election wound down, Petersen and Sundquist ran into trouble with campaign regulations, racking up a total of 305 violation points—the most of any of the six tickets. But Nowski said they weren't worried. "It just keeps things interesting," she said . [The Crimson, 12/8/06]
1. Stop caving in to the administration. We need outsiders with a fresh perspective and experiences as everyday undergraduates to bring about a more open, transparent, and accountable UC leadership.
2. Expand the scope of party grants. We will reinstate real party grants and re-negotiate the agreement made with the administration. We won't back down. Sundquist promised you a lawyer before they backed down -- where is he or she? [The Crimson, 10/4/07]
3. Bring cable tv to the dorms. Instead of the usual, top-down approach, we will form a student-faculty-admin committee with House Masters to begin to install cable or satellite tv in dorms. DeWolfe already has it -- why can't we all?
4. More frequent shuttle services during peak hours.
5. Poll the popularity of the Dean. We evaluate our professors. Let's evaluate our administration.
THE SUNDQUIST-PETERSEN UC: LETTING US DOWN
SUNDQUIST-PETERSEN LOST TO ADMINISTRATION ON THE UC'S MOST POPULAR INITIATIVE
"The agreement seems to mark a victory for Pilbeam and the administration, as the funding of alcohol—and the potential for underage drinking—was one of the central concerns that led Pilbeam to terminate the program initially." [The Crimson, 11/7/07]
FROM THE BEGINNING OF PARTY GRANT DISPUTE, SUNDQUIST WAS READY TO CAVE IN
“We just need to be ready and we want to be well informed,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen from here—I just hope that we’re all able to work together and do something that is beneficial for students and helpful to social life, but legal and safe for everyone involved.” [The Crimson, 10/4/07]
SUNDQUIST ADMITS THE UC IS ISOLATING, HAS LITTLE TRANSPARENCY
"I think the UC can isolate people, so people don't really understand what we're doing," Sundquist says. [The Crimson, 4/20/07]
SUNDQUIST'S FAST START FIZZLED FAST: HOW MANY PROMISES HAVE THEY KEPT?
"The first two weeks for Undergraduate Council (UC) President Ryan A. Petersen '08 and Vice President Matthew L. Sundquist '09 have gone according to schedule. In a Harvard version of a "first hundred days" blitz, Petersen and Sundquist have already fulfilled one of their 56 campaign promises..." [The Crimson, 12/8/06]
SUNDQUIST RAN DIRTIEST CAMPAIGN OF ALL SIX TICKETS LAST YEAR
As the election wound down, Petersen and Sundquist ran into trouble with campaign regulations, racking up a total of 305 violation points—the most of any of the six tickets. But Nowski said they weren't worried. "It just keeps things interesting," she said . [The Crimson, 12/8/06]
Why We're Running
Dear Friend,
Welcome to our website - we're glad that you took the time to visit!
You'll notice that our website is not the conventional political website. The reason for this is quite simple: it reflects the way we will represent you, the student body, when we win this election.
We are not coming to you as out-of-touch insiders of the Undergraduate Council, but instead as average students who have lived the Harvard experience from your perspective and recognize the what needs to be protected and what improvements need to be made.
Why a blog? For us this campaign is about giving ALL students a voice in the decision making process that shapes their Harvard experience. We want YOU to have a voice on the UC because no one knows better than YOU what would make your Harvard experience more enjoyable.
You'll also notice that there is not a 30 or 40 point platform on our website like many in the past. The reason for that is simple. We are dedicated to finding practical solutions to the concerns that face the student body and we are more interested in listening and working through them than making 56 campaign promises that we fail to follow through on once elected.
Now, we do have some ideas about what we would like to do including: restoring the real party grants, bringing cable television to dorm rooms, having more frequent shuttle service during peak hours, holding the Dean accountable by publicly posting approval ratings, and providing more resources to student groups so that they can do more to enhance everyone's Harvard experience. You can ask us more about these things on the site or via email. Our email is jointheparty07@gmail.com
We hope you'll join our Facebook group, grab a poster to put up in your dorm room and tell all of your friends about how important this election is. Your Harvard experience depends on it.
All the best,
Roy & Nick
Welcome to our website - we're glad that you took the time to visit!
You'll notice that our website is not the conventional political website. The reason for this is quite simple: it reflects the way we will represent you, the student body, when we win this election.
We are not coming to you as out-of-touch insiders of the Undergraduate Council, but instead as average students who have lived the Harvard experience from your perspective and recognize the what needs to be protected and what improvements need to be made.
Why a blog? For us this campaign is about giving ALL students a voice in the decision making process that shapes their Harvard experience. We want YOU to have a voice on the UC because no one knows better than YOU what would make your Harvard experience more enjoyable.
You'll also notice that there is not a 30 or 40 point platform on our website like many in the past. The reason for that is simple. We are dedicated to finding practical solutions to the concerns that face the student body and we are more interested in listening and working through them than making 56 campaign promises that we fail to follow through on once elected.
Now, we do have some ideas about what we would like to do including: restoring the real party grants, bringing cable television to dorm rooms, having more frequent shuttle service during peak hours, holding the Dean accountable by publicly posting approval ratings, and providing more resources to student groups so that they can do more to enhance everyone's Harvard experience. You can ask us more about these things on the site or via email. Our email is jointheparty07@gmail.com
We hope you'll join our Facebook group, grab a poster to put up in your dorm room and tell all of your friends about how important this election is. Your Harvard experience depends on it.
All the best,
Roy & Nick
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