The Evergreen State College’s Board of Trustees announced today that George Bridges will assume the presidency of the college, starting Oct. 1 of this year.

Bridges announced last spring that he would be stepping down from his position at Whitman, and in January he was named as a finalist in Evergreen’s open search for a new president.

“I’m very excited about this appointment … [to be] working at a liberal arts college that is in some respects like Whitman and in some respects very different,” said Bridges.

Bridges is set to replace Dr. Thomas L. “Les” Purce, whose retirement in August will mark the end of a 15 year presidency.

Located in Olympia, Wash., Evergreen is a public liberal arts college with an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 4100 students. It is known for its unique curriculum and course structure, in which students do not receive letter grades but instead receive “narrative evaluations” from their professors.

“It’s a larger school and it represents some interesting challenges … I’m looking forward to those challenges as opportunities to learn about a different kind of school, and use what I’ve learned at Whitman to help advance [Evergreen],” he said.

In his remaining time at Whitman Bridges said he’ll prioritize bringing his $150 million Now Is The Time fundraising campaign to a close. He also hopes to ensure a smooth transition for incoming president Kathy Murray, who is set to assume her post in July.

“I want to make sure when I leave Whitman that she is as well informed and prepared for the college and its unique culture [as possible], in order that she be successful,” he said.

Lachlan Johnson contributed reporting.

Last Thursday the Presidential Search Committee named Kathleen Murray, currently provost and dean of faculty at Macalester College, as Whitman’s 14th president. Murray’s selection was the culmination of a months-long nationwide search that involved a committee of trustees, overseers, faculty members, staff and students.

Photo by Annabelle Marcovici.

The search for Whitman’s next president began in March following President George Bridges’ announcement that he would be leaving his position at the end of the 2015 academic year. Before beginning the search, the committee administered a survey to the community about qualities that they would prioritize in a potential candidate. However, details of the search itself remained confidential until last week’s announcement.

Over the summer the committee reviewed over 100 applications, followed by a round of interviews with 13 candidates and eventually four finalists.

Of the four final candidates, Murray’s experience and clear plan for the college’s future made an impression on the committee, who unanimously recommended her to the Board of Trustees for approval.

“She had a very clear and specific vision for Whitman College, one that we thought aligned with the goals and aspirations of the community,” said senior Jack Percival, one of two student members of the Presidential Search Committee. “She’s a good listener, very compassionate and also very passionate about liberal arts, about student learning, about Whitman in general. It felt like she had [already] been at Whitman a long time.”

Professor of Psychology Melissa Clearfield, one of four faculty members on the search committee, agreed that Murray was a good fit for the community.

“Kathy just got Whitman,” she said. “She was just really inspirational in the way she spoke about Whitman.”

Chairman of the Board of Trustees Brad McMurchie cited Murray’s experience in leadership roles in higher education, particularly in the liberal arts, as part of the reason she stood out to the board during the selection process. In her seven-year tenure at Macalester, she led a campaign to finance the renovation of its fine arts center and served as acting president of the college for the fall 2013 semester. This year, she played a key role in developing a strategic plan for Macalester’s financial and institutional future.

“Beyond [her experience] … she’s just an incredibly warm and engaging person who I think will really serve the community well with her personal style,” said McMurchie.

As for Murray’s role in the future of the college, the search committee and the Board of Trustees, as well as Murray herself, have made it clear that developing a strategic plan for the college will be one of her first priorities as president. What that plan will look like is yet to be fully revealed, but for now Murray has stated that engaging and soliciting input from the community will be her first step.

“What I would most like to see is her meeting with a lot of different constituencies and getting a lot of input,” said Percival.

Though she will not assume her new role until July 2015, Murray plans to make more visits to campus in the coming months to meet and talk with community members.

“People should come to her events when she’s on campus … and meet her,” said Clearfield. “I think this is a really exciting time for Whitman, and I think she’s the right person to be leading us through that.”

In an interview with The Pioneer last week, Murray emphasized needing to become familiar with campus culture and values before leading Whitman into its next phase.

“We do need to move fairly quickly into a strategic planning process, but we can’t do that until I understand the community a little bit better than I do,” she said. “That process has to be really true to the community, and that’s the piece I really want to make sure we get right.”

Brad McMurchie

Year of graduation: 1984

Lives in: Portland, Ore.

Current/former jobs:

President of Tumac Lumber Co. since at least 2000, served as the president of several other lumber corporations before that.

Recently joined regional board of U.S. Bank in Oregon and southwest Washington

Joined board: 2005

Role on the Board: Current chair of the board, chair of the Trustee Executive Committee, sits on the nominating & governance committee, sits ex-officio on all governing boards

Nancy B. Serrurier

Year of graduation:  Undergrad at Brown University, class of ’77. Received MBA from Stanford in ’83

Son graduated from Whitman in 2011.

Lives in: Menlo Park, Calif.

Fast facts:

Philanthropist and corporate consultant with Akili Dada.

Worked for seven years as legislative director for Sen. John Chafee, R-R.I.

Worked for seven years as a “management consultant” in “new foods development”

Has previously served on Colgate College’s Board of Trustees and several other boards for various non-profits and educational organizations

Together with her husband, made a large donation to the college immediately before being appointed a trustee to allow Brattain Auditorium in the Science Building to be remodeled

Joined board: 2009

Role on the Board: Vice chair of the Board of Trustees, chair of Trustees’ Nominating & Governance Committees, vice-chair of Trustees’ Executive Committee, sits on Academic Affairs and Enrollment Committees

Janice M. Abraham

Year of graduation: ‘79 BA from American Universiy, ‘82 MBA from University of Pennsylvania

Gender: Woman

Ethnicity: White

Lives in: Chevy Chase, Md.

Fast facts: Previous CFO/Treasurer to Whitman 1989-1997, now has an award in her honor

President & CEO of United Educator, a company which handles insurance of educational institutions and risk assessment

Serves on numerous boards and committees for insurances companies and companies involved with higher education

Joined board: 2012

Role on the board: Sits on Enrollment, Academic Affairs and Budget committees

Megan Ferguson Clubb

Year of graduation: 1979

Lives in: Walla Walla, Wash.

Fast facts:

Early in her career, worked for Fortune 500 corporate financing, before switching to work at Baker Boyer Bank, which her father co-founded. Also owns a winery.

Became president of Baker Boyer Bank in 2000 and CEO in 2002. Left the position in 2013.

Now sits on the board of the Federal Reserve in San Francisco

Joined board: 2008

Role on the board: Chair of Audit Committee, sits on Budget Review and Campaign Steering committees

John C. Coleman, Jr.

Year of graduation: 1973

Lives in: Napa, Calif.

Fast facts: Now retired, worked as an investment advisor, principal at Morgan Stanley & Co from 1980-1996 and vice chairman of Pacific Growth Equities from 1996-2009

Joined board: 2003

Role on the board: Chairs technology task force, sits on Trustees’ Executive and Campaign Executive committees and Campaign Steering and Investment committees as well.

Joseph Davis

Year of graduation: 1980

Lives in: San Francisco, Calif.

Fast facts:

Worked six years in marketing at Proctor & Gamble

Worked with Boston Consulting Group for a long time, currently a senior partner & Managing Director based in San Francisco.

Expertise is in reworking public sector organizations, but also has experience in retail and consumer experience working with corporations and companies.

Founded the BCG branch in Washington, D.C.

Works on advising corporations and government groups on how to restructure/plan for future circumstances

Joined board: 2014

Role on the board:

Sits on academic affairs and enrollment committees

Barbara Feigin

Year of graduation: 1959

Lives in: New York, NY

Fast facts:

Advertising executive

She and her husband have contributed over one-million dollars to the college.

Joined board: 2014

Role on the board:

Sits on Trustees’ Nominating & Governance committee

Karen E. Glover

Year of graduation: 1972

Lives in: Seattle, Wash.

Fast facts:

Management of a wide variety of corporations, including being Firm Managing Partner (CEO) of a law firm with revenues of $200 million, and Global Integration Partner at a law firm with over $750 million revenue.

On board of numerous for-profits and non-profits, including Universal Seafoods, Ltd. (past chair), United Way of King County (past chair),  King County Library System (former President), REI Board (member, current) and many others

Private law practice for over 30 yrs on health care, corporate and executive compensation

Joined board: 1998

Role on the board: Chair of Academic Affairs Committee, sits on Campaign Executive, Campaign Steering, Diversity and Trustees’ Nominating & GovernancecCommittees. Served as a former chair of the Board of Trustees.

Stephen Hammond

(https://www.linkedin.com/pub/stephen-hammond/18/33b/713)

Year of graduation: 1979

Lives in: Potomac Falls, Va.

Fast facts:

Deputy Associate Director of USGS Natural Hazards

Previously director of Science Information and Education Office within the USGS

Also served on school board

(http://www.whitman.edu/offices-and-services/communications/fountain/2009/may-18-2009)

Joined board: 2009

Role on the board: Chair of Student Life Committee, sits on Diversity Committee

Walter C. Minnick

Year of graduation: 1964

Lives in: Chevy Chase, Md.

Fast facts: Former representative for Idaho’s 1st Congressional District, 2009-2011

Partner and cofounder of Majority Business Group, a lobbyist and business consulting firm in Washington, D.C.

Role on the board: Sits on Academic Affairs, Farm and Trustees’ Nominating and Governance committees.

John W. Stanton

Year of graduation: 1977

Lives in: Bellevue, Wash.

Fast facts: Chairman of private-equity fund Trilogy Equity Partners and serves on the board of Columbia Sportswear. Joined Microsoft board of directors this year (July 2014)

Formerly CEO of Western Wireless Communications, inc. which he founded, former chairman of the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA)

Net worth estimated at $1.1 billion on Forbes’ Magazine 2007 list of the world’s billionaires

Joined board: 2002 or earlier

Role on the board: Chairs both Campaign Executive and Campaign Steering committees, sits ex-officio on Investment Committee

Peter H. van Oppen

Year of graduation: 1974

Lives in: Seattle, Wash.

Fast facts: Partner in Trilogy Partnership, a “closely-held investment firm” based in Bellevue, Wash. specializing in the mobile and wireless communication sectors

Also serves as board member for mobile communications companies Level 3 and Impinj, as well as University of Washington Medicine

Joined board: 2001

Role on the board: Sits on Investment, Trustees’ Executive, and Trustees’ Nominating and Governance committees. Former chair of the Board

Sarah Wang

Year of graduation: 1989

Lives in: Honolulu, Hawaii

Fast facts: Partner in Marr Jones & Wang law firm, specializing in labor and employment law

Joined board: 2013

Role on the board: Chairs diversity committee, sits on budget review committee

William B. Way

Year of graduation: 1980

Lives in: Paradise Valley, Ariz.

Fast facts:

Director of MCE Social Capital, a nonprofit that helps guarantee micro loans to finance small business in developing countries

Also serves on several other nonprofit boards including Phoenix Art Museum, Nature Conservancy, Akili Dada, ASU Gammage and others. In the private sector he serves on boards for Everyone Counts, Smead Capital and “two mid-size private equity funds”

Joined board: 2012

Role on the board: Chairs budget review committee, sits on student life committee

James R. Moore

Year of graduation: 1966

Lives in: Salt Lake City, Utah

Fast facts: Former trial attorney with U.S Department of Justice and assistant U.S. attorney with Environmental Protection Agency

Executive vice president of Huntsman Corporation, a global chemical manufacturing company, 2010-2013

Joined board:

Role on the board: Chairs the Building and Grounds Committee, sits on audit committee

Dean A. Nichols

Year of graduation: 1970

Lives in: Edmonds, Wash.

Fast facts: Formerly a business and technology consultant with Accenture, a global management, outsourcing and technology company

Created the Carla and Dean Nichols First Generation Scholarship Endowment with his wife in 2009

Joined board: 2008

Role on the board: Chairs Enrollment Committe, sits on Audit and Building and Grounds committees.

David Nierenberg

Lives in: Camas, Wash.

Fast facts: Founder and president of Nierenberg Investment Management Company. Prior to that, was a general partner in venture capital fund Trinity Ventures and business consulting firm Bain and Co.

Also sits on the Washington State Investment Board

Joined board: 2009

Role on the board: Sits on campaign steering, chairs investment committee, also sits on Trustees’ Nomating and Governance Committee+

The results of the 2013-2014 ASWC Senate race were announced Monday April 15 at 8 p.m.

Juniors Nilce Alvarez, Kayvon Behroozian, Jane Carmody and Sean Mulloy were elected senior senators for the next academic year. Next year’s junior senators will be sophomores Nate Higby, Sayda Morales, George Felton and Bill Landefeld in the fall. Corinne Vandagriff and Erik Anderson, who ran on joint tickets, will be replacing Felton and Landefeld in the spring 2014 semester.

Sophomore senator-elects are first-years Jack Percival, Katy Wills, Anya Tudisco and Allison Kelly.

Voter turnout varied considerably between classes—79 percent of first-years voted in Senate elections, compared to 65 percent of current sophomores and 57 percent of juniors.

ASWC released an updated version of the preliminary 2013-14 budget after the final budget appeals meeting on Wednesday, April 10.

On Thursday, April 12, the ASWC Student Affairs Committee passed a bylaw amendment onto Senate that would de-recognize Whitman’s yearbook Waiilatpu as a campus media organization. The amendment requires a 2/3 vote in Senate in order to take effect.

The budget, which saw few changes after Wednesday’s appeals aside from small amounts added to the budget requests of Adopt-a-Grandparent and Climbing Club, will be considered and voted on at the ASWC Senate meeting on Sunday, April 14.

Whitman recently sent out letters to parents, announcing that tuition is set for $43,150 for the 2013-2014 academic year. This marks an increase of 3.25 percent, the lowest increase in the past decade, down from last year’s increase of 4 percent.

This increase is consistent with tuition increases at similar institutions, if not slightly smaller. Carleton College, for example, increased its tuition 3.8 percent in the past year, and Oberlin saw an increase of 3.9 percent. On the higher end of the scale, Reed College increased tuition by 7.5 percent.

Current trends also show that tuition increases have been gradually less drastic in recent years for institutions of higher education. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, the median tuition increase for other Washington nonprofit private four-year institutions was 4.4 percent in 2011. Whitman’s 2011 increase was 4.5 percent.

Within a struggling economy, small increases can have a large impact on families with less income. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate for March was 7.6 percent, better than the low point of 10 percent in October 2009, but still struggling to recover to the average annual rate of 5.1 percent between 2003 and 2007.

Whitman’s Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer Peter Harvey said that the Board of Trustees hoped to take the state of the economy into account when proposing the increase.

“Whitman was intentionally trying to keep the increase lower, given the difficult economic times and the inability of many families to pay,” said Harvey.

Such limited tuition growth was partially possible because of fundraising revenue from the Now is the Time campaign. Additionally, the College’s endowment is generating more income than it has in previous years as it recovers from the 2008 economic downturn. In 2013, it should generate 5 percent more than it did in 2012.

According to The College Board, the national average cost of tuition and fees increased by 2.4 percent for private nonprofit four-year colleges and 5.2 percent for public four-year colleges in 2012. After the economic downturn in 2008, the national average increases in the cost of tuition and fees were 5.9 percent for private nonprofit four-year institutions and 9.2 percent for public four-year institutions.

Though glad that tuition growth wasn’t extreme, some parents would have liked to see more information in the letter sent out by the college to inform those financially responsible for tuition.

“We’re pretty pleased, but surprised that they didn’t include the percentage [increase] in the letter. That’s kind of a benchmark people use when looking at tuition… It’s not that they were trying to be covert, but it would have been more transparent if they had included that information,” said Julie Lombardo, mother of a Whitman junior.

Karah Kemmerly contributed reporting to this article.

Illustration by Tyler Schuh

After pushing a resolution through the Associated Students of Whitman College (ASWC) Senate calling for gender-neutral housing for first-years, sophomore GLBTQ intern Evan Griffis is continuing to push the Office of Residence Life and Housing to improve transparency around its current housing policies, and to try to create an institutionalized gender-neutral housing option for incoming students in the next two years.

Following the passage of the resolution and through discussions with Griffis, Residence Life has taken steps to clarify and make more public its current policy of providing gender-neutral options to returning students and incoming students who contact the office to request different housing arrangements.

“We have worked to be more transparent about gender-neutral housing in our online and written materials,” said Assistant Director of Residence Life and Housing Anastasia Zamkinos.

Residence Life recently updated its web page with a special section detailing gender-neutral housing policy, which allows returning students to select a roommate of any gender. Previously, financially dependent returning students required parental acknowledgment in order to live with a roommate of the opposite gender in on-campus housing, but Residence Life has removed this requirement in light of the new resolution.

“This initiative is progressing quicker than I had hoped for,” said Griffis in an email. “I did not expect ResLife to make these changes immediately, so I was very pleased to hear that they were taking this issue seriously and implementing some of the things that the ASWC resolution called for.”

As for the possibility of a fixed gender-neutral housing section or a standard option offered to incoming students, Residence Life representatives stated that implementing such a policy would require more work and input from other parts of the college.

“Having a standing policy advertised to first-years would be a complicated project that we would need to think about carefully both in the office and as a college,” said Zamkinos in an email.

Griffis, however, remains optimistic. He is currently working on arranging a meeting with the Governing Board’s Diversity Committee in May to report on the initiative’s progress and future possibilities.

“The administration has been supportive thus far, and I am still very optimistic for the possibility of making a gender-neutral housing section available for first-year students in the class of 2018,” said Griffis.

Results for ASWC’s 2013-2014 Executive Council were released a little bit after 8 p.m. on Monday night, April 8.

Sophomore Tim Reed was announced as next year’s ASWC President with 61.3 percent of the vote. Junior Rania Mussia was elected Nominations Chair, beating first-year Allison Kelly in a close race with 54.2 percent of the vote. Junior Brian Choe won the position of Vice President and sophomore Tatiana Kaehler won Finance Chair in uncontested races.

In the presidential race, sophomore Zac Parker came in second with 19.6 percent of the vote, and junior Zach Johnston followed close behind with 18 percent.

“I feel very privileged to have this opportunity and this honor to be president. It truly means the world to me, and I’m excited to really build off what ASWC has done this year in a really constructive and positive way for next year,” said Reed following the announcement of the poll results.

946 voters turned in a ballot for this year’s presidential election—around 60 percent of the student body.

This marks the second year in a row in which a rising junior has been elected to the position of ASWC President, with two out of this year’s three presidential candidates running as sophomores in a relatively unusual turn.

ASWC Executive Council elections will be held on Monday, April 8. The Pioneer asked the candidates about their qualifications, goals for next year and favorite study spots. A debate between the presidential candidates, moderated by Chair of the Faculty and Professor of History David Schmitz, will be held tomorrow, April 4 at 7 p.m. in Maxey Auditorium.

Finance Chair

Tatiana Kaehler. Photos by Devika Doowa.

Tatiana Kaehler

My name is Tatiana and I am running to serve you as your ASWC Finance Chair. As finance chair, I will dedicate my time to responsibly allocating student dollars and advocating on your behalf regarding the college budget. I will do so by encouraging the development of student initiatives that will improve our campus. Whether it is by creating a new club, hosting a workshop, inviting a speaker or improving campus sustainability, I will work with you to ensure that your idea receives the support necessary to take root. In order to increase student initiatives on campus, I will improve communication between the ASWC Finance Committee and the student body. I will do so by working closely with ASWC Communications to ensure that all students have access to the information necessary to apply for the funds available to them.

During my past two years as a senator on the Finance Committee, I supported requests that improved student life. While serving on the President’s Budget Advisory Committee, I advocated for the establishment of a full-time sustainability coordinator and funding for unaccompanied international student travel. As your finance chair, I will continue to serve as your voice regarding ASWC funding and the college budget. Please feel free to contact me at kaehletj@whitman.edu with any comments or questions!

What is your year and major?

I’m a sophomore and I’m applying to create a major entitled “Health Science, Policy and Culture,” in the hopes of pursuing a career in global health.

What do you think differentiates you from other candidates or makes you especially qualified for the
position you’re running for?

I’m qualified to serve as finance chair because I have spent the past two years learning about and improving the ASWC finance process as a finance senator. Additionally, I served as a student representative on the President’s Budget Advisory Committee this year. The finance chair also sits on this committee, which will allow me to continue to work with the administration to guarantee that student dollars are spent wisely.

What is one change you would like to bring to campus and/or ASWC if elected?

If elected, my main goal is to ensure that all funds allocated to student travel are brought back to the campus though workshops, guest speakers, publications or the strengthening of club leadership. I plan to implement this by restructuring the ASWC Finance Committee through by-law revisions or acts. These revisions will ensure that all organizations and entities that receive funding are held accountable for sharing their experience with the campus. This will allow for student dollars spent on travel to benefit all Whitman students, not just those who apply for funding.

What is the role that ASWC plays, or should play, on campus?

ASWC plays a vital role in advocating on behalf of students regarding the college budget. This year, ASWC has successfully advocated for the establishment of a full-time sustainability coordinator, for increased student representation on Whitman’s governing boards and for lifting the ban on college-funded unaccompanied international student travel. These accomplishments serve as prime examples of how ASWC can work with the administration to implement lasting change on behalf of the student body.

What’s your favorite place to study?

The Hall of Science atrium!

President

Zac Parker

Zac Parker

Zach Johnston

I am a junior double majoring in philosophy and rhetoric.

What do you think differentiates you from other candidates or makes you especially qualified for the
position you’re running for?

I have a diverse background in student and governmental politics having served as Beta Theta Pi President, interned for a U.S. senator, a congressman, a governor and worked as a co-chair for a successful $242.2 million school bond campaign in my hometown of Salem, Ore. Having never served on ASWC, I feel I am uniquely suited to bring new ideas to ASWC and to ensure there is a healthy skepticism of all current ASWC practices as opposed to operating under business as usual methods.

What is one change you would like to bring to campus and/or ASWC if elected?

I would like to introduce a school-wide CPR program. I envision a strong emphasis on first-year sections participating in CPR training together and allowing other grades to sign up on specific dates to learn CPR.

What is the role that ASWC plays, or should play, on campus?

I believe ASWC serves three connected roles: advocating for student-backed initiatives, supplying beneficial services to students and providing a venue to discuss Whitman’s future and the steps needed to achieve that future. I believe ASWC should provide all students with the tools necessary to make the most of their time at Whitman and to facilitate a plan that leaves Whitman better than they found it.

What’s your favorite place to study?

In the warm nook of Hari Raghavan’s bosom.

Tim Reed

Tim Reed. Photo contributed by Reed.

I’m excited to be running for ASWC President. I’ve served on ASWC since my first semester here, and I envision an ASWC that is easily understood and accessible, and is constantly supporting student initiatives in whatever way possible—and you should know how to get that support. Aside from increasing alumni mentorship through the SEC and making a concise, intelligible diagram outlining every part of what ASWC does, I would bring an increase in community-wide discourse concerning differing perspectives and ideologies. My key goals for creating this discourse are designating a member of the Executive Council committed to fostering campus-wide discussion, ensuring the longevity of structured events like the Power and Privilege Symposium and creating spontaneous spaces for cross-campus connection, like bringing the community together over a late-night event with free food on a weekly basis.

What is your year and major?

I am a sophomore philosophy major.

What do you think differentiates you from other candidates or makes you especially qualified for the position you’re running for?

I am uniquely qualified for what the ASWC president position entails because I have a complete understanding of how ASWC functions as a whole and how the ASWC president position specifically works to power student life. Simply put, this is necessary knowledge to turn any ASWC president’s vision into a reality. The position of ASWC president is a very time-intensive commitment and will require the full attention of whoever holds the office. If elected, I plan to withdraw from my significant time commitments, including varsity soccer, so that I can best serve the student body. ASWC needs a leader that intimately understands the purpose and processes involved in all parts of ASWC, and can articulate what ASWC does for the student body. I have that experience and knowledge, having served on ASWC since I came on campus.

What is one change you would like to bring to campus and/or ASWC if elected?

A tangible change I’d bring to campus would be increasing our campus-wide discussion of differing viewpoints and perspectives. We have so much to learn from each member of our community, and the unique and intimate nature of Whitman allows us to do so—if we choose to do so. A well-led ASWC will build off the success of the Power and Privilege Symposium and look for innovative and creative ways to create a campus that is committed to respecting perspectives from every scope of life. I’ll appoint and extensively work with a specific executive council member who is committed to encouraging this discourse and actively look for methods of community engagement.

What is the role that ASWC plays, or should play, on campus?

I see ASWC continuing to build upon the wide institutional impact we currently have and making this impact more transparent and understandable. ASWC is here to serve you, and that means making sure you have access to funding and support from ASWC in a manner that is friendly and not intimidating. ASWC plays an integral role in almost every part of student life, and I hope to have ASWC next year be the most open and understandable ASWC we’ve ever had.

What’s your favorite place to study?

Favorite place to study would have to be in the private study rooms in the library. Every now and then, I’ll be there into the wee hours of the morning, so if you feel inclined for late-night, early-morning philosophizing, stop on by.

Vice President/Student Affairs Chair

Brian Choe

Brian Choe

My name is Brian Choe, a junior from Beaverton, Ore., and I am running to serve as your vice president. My experience on ASWC consists of serving two years as a class senator on the Student Affairs Committee. This past year I have had the perspective of a student with no affiliation with ASWC. My experiences of being both on and off ASWC have given me great insight of a senator’s perspective and the perspective of a student from the outside. Initiatives that I want to continue on ASWC are allowing student access to class syllabi before registration, expanding student representation on Board of Trustee Committees and working with the Student Engagement Center and Alumni House to make it more accessible for students to find internships by reaching out to Whitman alumni.

What is your year and major?

I’m a junior economics major.

What do you think differentiates you from other candidates or makes you especially qualified for the position you’re running for?

Experience. I’ve had the privilege of serving two years not only on ASWC but also on the Student Affairs Committee. The experience I have gained by being a part of those two years has given me great insight into what works well for the committee and what doesn’t seem as pertinent.

What is one change you would like to bring to campus and/or ASWC if elected?

Continue to expand student participation on the Board of Trustees committee meetings. What ASWC has accomplished this year by having a student representative on the Board of Trustees is a fabulous accomplishment—I want to work to expand the student participation on the other committees. I sit on the Board of Trustees Enrollment Committee. Within committee meetings Tony Cabasco, George Bridges and the Board of Trustees discuss enrollment numbers, enrollment strategies and various other aspects within the admissions process. Committee Chair Dean Nichols stated that he would like to see more students on committees such as the Enrollment Committee because they are individuals that have gone through the admissions process and can give strong feedback. Initiatives like these lead to more transparency and communication between the board and the student body.

What is the role that ASWC plays, or should play, on campus?

ASWC’s role is to help reinforce the voice of the student body. One of ASWC’s biggest roles is supporting student groups around campus, like The Pioneer, KWCW and WEB, and other student initiatives.

What is your favorite place to study?

Quiet room (Qui Ri).

Nominations Chair

Allison Kelly

Allison Kelly

This year I served as a senator on the Nominations Committee. I quickly came to realize that the nominations chair has a very important job. They must lead a committee of students to search and select campus media organization heads and college committee members. Throughout the year, I was able to gain valuable experience, and I feel confident that I know what is needed to effectively head the Nominations Committee. You can trust that I am very well acquainted with all the ins and outs of the position. The job needs a dedicated, knowledgeable and experienced leader—all qualities I see in myself. But even more importantly than having a good understanding of the job, I am also inherently interested in the work I do. I honestly enjoy working for ASWC, and I feel appreciative of having the chance to serve ASWC this year. I know I would excel as the nominations chair, and I am excited for the prospect of serving on the committee again next year.

What is your year and major?

I’m a freshman and am undeclared, but I’m considering majoring in anthropology, politics or philosophy.

What do you think differentiates you from other candidates or makes you especially qualified for the position you’re running for?

A few key elements differentiate me from my competition. First and foremost, I have the necessary institutional knowledge to be successful in the position. Not only do I have leadership experience within and outside of Whitman, but more importantly I also know which direction to lead the committee. Since the committee operates on such a tight schedule, it is crucial that the chair has been through the process and is familiar with the time frame. Additionally, I will be much better qualified to teach the new committee what to look for in candidates and how to go through the search process. Another advantage that differentiates me is that next year, as a sophomore, I will have the time and ability to fully dedicate myself to the position.

What is one change you would like to bring to campus and/or ASWC if elected?

One change I’d like to see brought to the nominations process is already happening within the committee. We are working on extending deadlines and making the application process, from first sending out advertisements to narrowing down applicants and finally to selecting a candidate, as transparent and accessible to the student body as possible. If elected for next year, I will not only continue this campaign but also take it to the next level by making better use of available social media tools such as ASWC’s website, the newsletter and The Pioneer.

What is the role that ASWC plays, or should play, on campus?

Every meeting I’ve had this year as a senator I’ve focused on maintaining the “associated students” in ASWC. On a fundamental basis, I believe that prioritizing on the thoughts, needs and opinions of the students is the most essential factor towards having a well-run student government. I pledge to continue my devotion to the students in every single elected position I may have in the future. On an operational level, it is also extremely important to foster strong ties between the elected officers and the constituents. I’d like to destroy this disconnect and see more collaboration and connectivity amongst all students. It is by no means an easy task, but by increasing transparency and accessibility in the nominations process, we can come closer to this goal.

What is your favorite place to study?

The best place for me to study is in the quiet room, but my favorite place is anywhere where there’s food, friends or a comfortable couch nearby (so pretty much the Fishbowl).

Rania Mussa

Rania Mussa

First and foremost I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve
you again. If you elect me I will commit 100 percent of my energy, skills and motivation to
make the nominations committee more transparent and accessible to the student body.
For transparency to occur, the student body will be aware of the step-by-step process
in the selection of potential candidates. The selection process will be publicized in a
way that will not only give students ample time to apply but equal access to apply. The
student body will also be informed of the nominated student and why that individual was
elected. The aim of this transparency is to create communication between the nomination
committee and the student body in order to best represent the interest of the students to
the fullest extent. I have previously worked as a facilitator and a vital aspect of the Nominations Chair’s job is to oversee that meetings are run efficiently and productively. In addition I have a couple leadership experiences on campus that have fully equipped me to have insights that can positively impact the smooth operation of this committee.

Vote to place power back in your hands.

What is your year and major?

I am a junior politics major.

What do you think differentiates you from other candidates or makes you especially qualified for the position you’re running for?

I am qualified for the position because I have a lot of leadership experience both on campus and off campus. I worked as a student chair for a nonprofit organization in 2011, facilitating student activities for a conference. I am hardworking, and over the past three years I have been a leader of three successful campus student organizations. I have also had a fair share working both in planning events and advertising, as well as facilitating students. Therefore I believe I have the skillset necessary to help the Nominations Committee be more efficient and more accessible to the student body.

What is one change you would like to bring to campus and/or ASWC if elected?

My aim will be to increase dialogue between the Nominations Committee and the student body. I will do this by advertising the release of applications, in addition to extending application deadlines, so that students have ample time to apply to vacant positions. This will resolve the current lack of interest in applying to positions that are beneficial to the student body as well as campus media organizations.

What is the role that ASWC plays, or should play, on campus?

ASWC should play the role of a liaison between the student body and the college’s administration to ensure that student voices are heard on issues that concern them. On the part of ASWC, this means trying to understand what the students want and representing that to the best of our abilities.

What is your favorite place to study?

My favorite place to study is the library.

Last year Whitman held the first-ever United World Colleges (UWC) conference on the West Coast, organized by Whitman students in partnership with the college. This year the tradition will be continued with a three-day conference at the College of Idaho from April 5-7, which several Whitman students will be attending.

UWC is a coalition of colleges, schools and educational programs that recruit students from around the world. UWC promotes a curriculum focused on international issues and working towards a future of global peace and sustainability. The Davis United World College Scholars Program is the world’s largest privately funded international scholarship program, awarding grants for UWC students to study at 90 partner institutions in the United States, including Whitman.

Since most of the Davis partner institutions are located on the East Coast, UWC alumni from Whitman and schools like Lewis & Clark have more limited experience in forming an intercollegiate community. Last year’s conference was an attempt to bring the spirit of the UWC community in the eastern United States to a West Coast setting.

“Initially at least, the hope was that having conferences like this would start attracting more UWC students to the West Coast,” said junior Thabo Liphoto, a UWC alumnus who is attending the conference.

Last year’s conference attracted UWC alumni from around the country and involved workshops and a day of community service. This year’s conference will focus on the theme of “Globalization and the Loss of Culture.”

Generally the conference provides an opportunity for UWC alumni to reconnect with each other and with the values and international perspective they learned during their time in UWC programs, explained sophomore Stephen Moerane.

“At any UWC conference there’s going to be a lot of emphasis on UWC values which you don’t find here at Whitman,” he said. “Any student could definitely benefit from UWC values. I know there are a lot of people [here] who are concerned about the environment or concerned about peace, but there’s not a lot of interest on an international scale. Mostly we concentrate on international issues.”

The trip is being funded in part by the Beyond Borders Club and leftover money from last year’s conference. Like with the conference, this year’s trip is mostly being organized by interested UWC alumni and other non-UWC students, mostly international.

“The students were the main coordinators. We staff just supported the idea,” said International Student and Scholar Advisor Kris Barry of last year’s conference, noting that the situation was similar this year. Barry spoke positively of the UWC program and its effects on students even after graduation.

“I see it as a way of bringing world citizens together,” she said. “It’s really kind of grassroots.”