Students Elect Five New Members To Senate

By Caleb Oken-Berg
The Associated Students Of Pomona College (ASPC) voted Tuesday and Thursday adding a new Freshman and Sophomore Class Presidents, North and South Campus Representatives as well as an Off-Campus Representative to the Senate.

Chris Thompson won outright for the position of Sophomore Class President, while Lindsay Hill was named Off-Campus Representative. Hill ran for the position unopposed.

In run-off elections held yesterday, Buster Zakind grabbed more than fifty percent of the vote to beat out Dan Golden for Freshman Class President. Galen Benshoof and Adam Gardner were also elected yesterday, and will serve as South Campus and North Campus Representatives, respectively.

In preparation for these elections, the ASPC held forums to present their platforms.
On Sunday, the eight candidates for freshman class president, three for Sophomore Class President and four for South Campus Representative gave short speeches in Frank Dining Hall during the evening meal. Students were encouraged to hear what the candidates had to say over dinner; the forums were met with varying levels of enthusiasm.

“I think all elections are kind of silly, student government elections especially,” said David Lundmark ’07. “Everyone takes it so seriously, but it’s really just a big popularity contest. So I didn’t really plan on voting, but I thought it would be funny to hear them make these ‘big important speeches.’”

Common goals for underclassmen representatives included improvements to Frank, such as evening snack, a hot chocolate machine, and more silverware. Improvements to dorms, such as laundry baskets, hand dryers, and soap in the bathrooms, wider usage for flex dollars and more funding in general for South Campus were also suggested. Candidates commonly addressed the future remodeling of the Smith Campus Center, with many supporting the construction of a pub.

“One cause that should mean more to us as freshmen than anyone else here is the pub,” said newly elected Freshman Class President Buster Zalkind ’07. “A pub for the Smith Campus Center has been in the works for years, but we are the only ones who have a chance to see it completed.”

Another top issue was the revision of the PAC requirements. Most candidates did not take a firm stance but promised to spur healthy debate in making the decision.
“It seems like snack was a pretty common issue,” said candidate for Freshman Class President Dan Golden ’07. “I’d say the PAC requirements and uses for flex dollars were also up there. Those were all important issues that I think we need to address.”

Forums were also held in Frary Dining Hall on Monday, September 29, during which three candidates for North Campus Representative and the candidates for Sophomore Class President spoke.

Issues brought up concerning North Campus were primarily a revision of the current alcohol policy, better north-south campus relations, more funding for clubs and activities, and the revision of the PAC requirements.

There were only two women running in the elections, one of three candidates for North Campus representative and the sole candidate for off-campus representative.

“I think it’s ridiculous that only two women ran in the ASPC elections,” said Shadiah Sigala ‘06. “Obviously, despite Pomona’s supposedly equal atmosphere, this institution does not escape what has been the constant oppression of women everywhere else.”
Elections were held yesterday and Tuesday from 8 am to 5 pm in the ASPC office, and at Frank and Frary during both lunch and dinner.

“I think the election has been met with enthusiasm; there were a lot of great candidates out there,” said current ASPC president Ari Greenberg ’04.