Campus Life Rep: Andrew Scott Taylor
If there’s one thing that Swarthmore students know how to do, it’s complain about Swarthmore. From gripes about Sharples bars to coin-operated dryers that hardly warrant the name, we all have something that we’d like to change. Yet we remain at Swarthmore because we believe in the possibility of progress. As Campus Life Representative, I would strive to transform discontent into tangible action and change.
However, the issues facing students in regard to campus life extend well-beyond food and laundry. We can no longer pretend we live in the Swarthmore portrayed in brochures, and we must acknowledge that there are serious issues causing frustration among students. As Campus Life Representative, I would institutionalize a method where complaints could be effectively heard and brought to the administration. By dividing up the number of student groups among all Council members and requiring meeting with group leaders at least twice a semester, we could ensure that the most pressing issues are being expressed to the Deans.
As a rising senior and former Council member, I am already well-acquainted with the administration and the issues affecting the student body. I would like to bring a level of transparency to this position to assure that issues are not only heard but also that the student body sees the results of their work. The role of Campus Life Representative extends to publicizing Council events and updating the student body about the progress Council is making. During my time as Student Events Advisor, I aided in the publication of the Council newsletter and was also responsible for revamping and updating our Parrish board to ensure an informed student body.
My experience and dedication to the student body in the past has shown that I am capable and willing to act as an open ear and a voice for change on this campus.
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#1: 4/16/2008 at 11:51 a.m.
I love the idea of divying up student groups amongst stuco members to ensure everyone's voice is heard. Its a realistic idea that you could definitely make happen.
I think this sort of thinking is exactly what we need for the 2020 process...
— Concerned citizen. | Unregistered, Non-Swarthmore
#2: 4/16/2008 at 3:15 p.m.
We can no longer pretend we live in the Swarthmore portrayed in brochures, and we must acknowledge that there are serious issues causing frustration among students.
Please elaborate.
— David German '08 | Unregistered, Swarthmore
#3: 4/16/2008 at 7:12 p.m.
During my time as Student Events Advisor, I aided in the publication of the Council newsletter and was also responsible for revamping and updating our Parrish board to ensure an informed student body.
I just went to look at this board to determine where tonight's candidate meet-and-greet would be held. Unfortunately, the dry-erase calendar hasn't been updated since November.
— David German '08 | Unregistered, Swarthmore
#4: 4/16/2008 at 7:55 p.m.
To follow up on my earlier post, which I guess is still in moderation, I found the meet-and-greet and spoke with the candidate. Apparently someone else has been responsible for maintaining the board (or not) since he left Council in the fall.
— David German '08 | Unregistered, Swarthmore
#5: 4/20/2008 at 1:02 p.m.
In regard to your earliest post, I was trying to communicate that the image of Swarthmore portrayed to the public does not always correlate with the lived experience. In regard to diversity, for example, Swarthmore is portrayed as being a haven of understanding and acceptance. However, though we have a vibrant and strong IC/BCC community, does the entire campus make an effort to participate in cultural events? How many students make an effort to be an ally to the queer community? In understanding and communicating the issues of the student body, these questions cannot be ignored.
Swarthmore is also portrayed as a socially conscious student body devoted to activism. And while students have done extraordinary things in specific causes, I believe the activist community could be better supported by the administration and the students. If elected, I would push for a plan that was discussed during my term on Student Council: the conversion of a lodge space into an activist center. Here, literature on different causes could be collected and students would have a space to go as a resource for the different students efforts on campus.
-Andrew Scott Taylor '09
Campus Life Candidate
— Andrew Scott Taylor | Unregistered, Swarthmore
#6: 9/12/2008 at 11:27 p.m.
As important as positive change is, even more important is taking advantage of what we already have. The Lang Center should serve as the "activist center" you speak of, if I understand it correctly.
— Mike Roswell | Unregistered, Swarthmore