In only contested executive race, slates for senior council pledge student input

| Senior News Editor

Two slates are vying for Senior Class Council in the only contested executive race for the 2011-2012 academic year.

The slates, Mission Accomplished and Pup N’ Suds, pledged at a debate Thursday night in Tisch Commons to base their programming off student input. They also expressed some openness to the idea of changing the location of next year’s senior class trip.

The Mission Accomplished slate is composed of the Junior Class Council’s current members, including President Michael Offerman and an executive member from each school.

Pup N’ Suds includes presidential candidate Alex Cooper, a junior and current Student Union senator, and others with experience across campus, including leaders in Greek life and the National Black MBA Association and a residential adviser.

In the debate, Cooper presented three major goals for his slate: to have programming people care about, to advocate and educate, and to create long-lasting memories for the senior class.

Offerman stressed his slate’s experience in programming and working together. He recalled his slate’s past accomplishments of creating a class logo and programming with the Career Center.

“We’ve worked together as a team for a year now, and we know what works and what doesn’t,” Offerman said. “We’ve had events that have been successful and less than successful. We’ve learned quite a bit about our strengths and weaknesses.”

Cooper also called attention to his slate’s experience in programming for different groups across campus.

“That’s something we take seriously and know how to execute,” Cooper said. “We know how to step up and advocate. We’re here to listen and facilitate.”

Cooper said he wanted to create memories for the senior class through programming. “[We could program] simple things like picnic under the Arch and being able to sit and hang out and enjoy a nice day together,” Cooper said.

The two slates also differed on how they would pick the location of the next senior class trip when asked about the subject by moderator Morgan DeBaun, a junior and the student body president.

Cooper said he would send a survey out to seniors over the summer to see where they wanted the trip to be and identify their programming preferences.

Offerman said that he would be open to changing the location but also appreciated the tradition of a Chicago trip.

“Part of me likes the tradition of it being in Chicago and looking forward to that as that being the location to go,” Offerman said.

The slate were also asked about funding for the senior class trip. Typically the Senior Class Council runs out of money and appeals to Treasury for more funds.

Cooper proposed fundraising by selling 2012 memorabilia and having club nights.

Offerman suggested selling the usual class shirts and charging to attend some events.

The Mission Accomplished slate includes Anthony Bernatas-Popeo for treasurer, Lindsey Moses for external vice president, Vaishnavi Hariprasad for internal vice president and Chris Lo for secretary.

The Pup N’ Suds slate is composed of Jonathan Howard for treasurer, Liam Morrissey for external vice president, Vaidehi Ambai for internal vice president and Caitlin Lutsch for secretary.

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