1)Why do you want to be an ABC rep?
Iam interested in becoming an ABC representative because I am interested in theallocation of student funds, both on a large and smaller scale. Because themoney that ABC allocates is studentsŐ fees, I want to ensure that the funds areused as efficiently and wisely as possible. To this end, I want to work with organizationsto ensure that they are getting the appropriate funds for what they need duringthe allocation process. I hope to balance the needs of individual organizationswhile also ensuring that we remain on budget.
Additionally,on a smaller scale, I would like to help clubs themselves allocate their fundsin a sensible and efficient matter. Working closely with organizations, I feelthat I could help them figure out what they need and how to get it in the mostefficient way possible, thus enabling funds to go as far as possible. I alsowould like to help organizations navigate the Columbia administration,something that I have come to understand quite well in my past two years here.
2)As an ABC Rep, which groups would you be most interested in representing?Explain your interest in those groups as well as any prior experience withthose groups or other related qualifications.
WhileI would enjoy representing any category of groups, I would especially enjoyrepresenting pre-professional and academic groups. This is because, while I amnot actually a part of them, I am quite familiar with them due to having beenof multiple pre-professional intentions at different times and also knowingmany people in them. I would enjoy the opportunity to get to know these groupsbetter and understand better what they do as well as their role in the studentbody as a whole. At the same time, because I am both somewhat familiar withthem but also not a part of any of them, I think that I could be balanced andfair but also knowledgeable and helpful when working with them.
3) Namesome changes that you believe would positively impact ABC?
Whilenot necessarily a change, I would like to work on ensuring that ABC functionstogether as the strongest possible team – one where everyone knows andcan trust each other and is comfortable with other ABC members. By being astrong team, I believe that we can achieve more than otherwise.
Additionally,I would be interested in developing a system to more specifically analyze howprecisely clubs spend their budgets, what they would have cut (had they hadless), and how they would have spent additional funds (had they had them). Inthis way, I hope to perhaps improve the allocation process and make sure thatmoney is going to the right places and would not be used more efficiently ifshifted around to other organizations. Hopefully, by more comprehensivelyanalyzing organization spending on multiple levels and in multiple ways, we canmake sure that our funds are used as wisely as possible.
4)Name 1-3 policy initiatives that you think ABC should pursue next year.
One policy initiative I would be extremely interested in pursuing next year, inconjunction with SDA and other governing boards, would be an expansion of theapproved vendor list. As an RA this year as well as a member of severalorganizations and treasurer of the CCSC elections board, I have often feltconstrained using the vendor list. While I understand that it is possible toeither write a check or reimburse, this process is cumbersome and oftenencourages organizations to either make do with a sub-optimal (and sometimesmore expensive) option from the vendor list or to not actually reimburse theindividual students who make expenditures. As such, I would really like toinvestigate ways to encourage students to expand the vendor list.
Oneway I see to do this would be to really encourage organizationsŐ treasurers togo through the effort of adding a vendor rather than getting a check orreimbursement. I would like to make adding a vendor a more significant part oftreasurer training, so that students feel comfortable doing it. Hopefully, wecould thus shift from encouraging reimbursements to, when possible, addingvendors to the list so that they are easily usable for all in the future.
Additionally,I would like to work with the administration to streamline the process forplanning events and booking space. As we all know, rooms are constantly emptybecause organizations book them but never use them. At the same time, when weactually need a room, they can be practically impossible to get. I would liketo develop a system to encourage students to give up rooms as soon as they knowthey do not need them, which would hopefully eliminate some of the space crunch.Additionally, I would like to look further into the room-booking process, andsee if we can revise the process from that end in order to free up more (unusedbut booked) space. Furthermore, I would like to work with CUIT and theadministration to open up e-classrooms to students both to alleviate the spaceissue and so that students can use the technological resources in those rooms.
Past & Current Activities at Columbia:
2008-present:Columbia University Residential Programs
ResidentialAdviser
Build a floor community through programming and opendiscussion of community standards with residents; mentor and advise residentsand help mediate conflict
ProductionBoard
2008-Present: Columbia College Student Council
ElectionsBoard Treasurer
Organize and advertise elections for the Columbia CollegeStudent Council as well as manage the budgetary and financial aspects of theBoard and the elections. Run candidate debates, deal with rule violations, andensure fair elections.
2008:Double Discover Center
VolunteerTutor
Worked on an individual basis with high school student toteach and review Advanced Placement Chemistry material for class, and toprepare her for AP exam
CMUNNY III (Columbia Model United Nations in New YorkConference) Director of Public Relations
Work with students in Harlem on a personal basis to developtheir college lists and help them apply to schools as well as build lessonplans and teach a class in preparation for the SAT.
2007-present: Columbia Daily Spectator
Design dynamic daily newspaper spreads and investigate andreport on food and opera around Columbia University and in New York City
Commitmentsfor 2009-2010:
Pleasedetail your commitment to other club positions, jobs, internships,responsibilities (i.e. RA) for 09-10.
My most major time commitment for next year will be as a Community Advisor (CA)for residential programs. This will encompass me working with RAs to help forma strong team and to develop their programming.
Additionally,I plan to remain involved in CIRCA for next year and will hopefully be involvedin the traveling team and the conferences we host here at Columbia. I also planto continue tutoring, most likely with LetŐs Get Ready in Harlem. This tutoringwould, time wise, be a relatively small commitment. I would undoubtedly makeABC a priority, and I would be extremely accessible to other members of ABC aswell as to the organizations which I represent.
Deadline:Sunday, April 26, 2009 by 11:59pm to