Residence Council executive race, one team wants “More for you,” and the other wants to bring “residences together.”
Team DSB consists of Presidential candidate Dominic Fok, Vice-President (Resident Affairs) candidate Susan Zhu and Vice-President (Discipline) candidate Ben Campbell.
“The vision we are campaigning on is, ‘More for You.’ We want more for the students in residence,” Fok said. The team has five main points in its platform. “First of all, we want to have traditional events for each house, such as the Leonard Bowl, which really connects students,” Fok said. Another issue team DSB is hoping to develop is increased meal equivalencies at additional locations on campus.
Fok said they spoke about the plan with Bruce Griffiths, director of residence and hospitality services.
“We are just trying to work out the financial details,” he said. DSB also has a plan to increase financial sustainability, aiming to freeze student fees.
“By cutting unnecessary positions, such as the vice-president of society activities, we can use money wisely, instead of setting a bad precedent,” Campbell said. With the extra money they hope to fulfill another platform point by having new equipment such as TVs and DVD players earlier in the year.
Fok said they also hope to reduce upper-year student fees by reducing social events for upperyear residences. During the campaign, they hope their experience with MCRC will give them an advantage, Zhu said. Fok is Leonard house president, and Campbell and Zhu are discipline facilitators.
“We’re running because we saw insufficiencies with MCRC in of financial sustainability. … We have a solution to solve the deficit while providing more services to students,” Fok said.
Team KMG consists of presidential candidate Michael Koichopolos, Vice-President (Residence Affairs) Meika Matthews and Vice-President (Discipline) Eric Grigg. Koichopolos is this year’s MCRC president, running with new vice-presidents. He said he’s fortunate to have the opportunity to offer continuity to voters. “Our vision is ‘Bringing Residences Together,’ ” Koichopolos said, adding that, if elected, team KMG hopes to incorporate all the different groups that residences are comprised of, in order for every group to have their voice heard and to build a greater residence community.
“We have four pillars we are basing our campaign on: representation, discipline, student services and finance,” he said. KMG hopes to create a president’s caucus in which the almost 3,000 students in residence can have their voices heard concerning various issues of concern, Koichopolos said.
“Right now there is only the firstyear advisory committee; we are hoping to create new committees representing other large groups such as upper-years, dons and MCRC. They will meet on a biweekly basis to discuss issues and help set the agenda of what items matter most,” Koichopolos said.
Koichopolos said he hopes the team’s experience with residencerelated issues will separate them from the other team. Matthews is the house pesident of Gordon-Brockington and Grigg is an MCRC discipline facilitator, with experience on the Peer Judicial Board. Matthews said one of the main initiatives they’re hoping to establish is “Students Helping Students,” a service aimed at helping bring upper-years and first-years together. “ ‘Students Helping Students’ will set up an opportunity for firstyears to talk to upper-years about classes and exams … it’s a chance to learn the ropes from those who have already been there,” Matthews said.
Grigg said the team wants anyone interested to be able to volunteer for MCRC.
“In past years, people who tried to be floor representative but were not successful were turned away,” he said. “We will try to give everyone interested the position of council member for their residence.”
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