Three UA members vie to be next chair

The 24 newly elected members of the 1996-97 Undergraduate Assembly will meet Thursday night to elect a Steering Committee. There are currently three candidates for UA chairperson and four for vice chairperson, according to Nominations and Elections Committee Chairperson and Wharton senior Ning Hsu. Wharton senior Gil Beverly, the outgoing UA vice chairperson, current Treasurer Steve Schorr and Tal Golomb, current UA representative to the University Council, will vie for the position of chairperson. And College sophomore Larry Kamin will compete with College freshmen Samara Barend, Courtney Fine and Marc Sagat for vice chairperson. Many of the candidates said they agree on the problems facing the new UA. Several candidates' platforms mentioned the need for improvement of UA leadership skills. Golomb, a College sophomore, suggested offering training sessions to acquaint members with program and project development and to develop leadership ability. Barend called for senior members of the UA to help newer members learn about leadership. Many campaign platforms also brought up the need for improved communication with the administration and student body. Schorr, Golomb and Kamin have called for closer connections with major campus organizations like the United Minorities, InterFraternity and Panhellenic councils. "Many students' allegations of the inability of the UA to represent undergraduates is a direct result of the UA's lack of partnership with other student groups," Golomb said. "We almost worked within an ivory tower," Sagat said. "We have to branch out and hear people's concerns." Schorr, a College sophomore, and Kamin recommended assigning UA members to specific administrators in order to foster closer working relationships. Candidates also mentioned ways to cut student government bureaucracy and encourage increased action. Barend suggested spending more time in committees and establishing a system of checks and balances between Steering and the committees to ensure productivity. But Schorr faulted the committee system, saying it has led to increased bureaucracy and unnecessarily lengthened meetings. Schorr has stressed personal initiative and an informal task force structure to replace committees. Instead of committees, Sagat suggested the need for more informal workgroups that allow members to concentrate effort on specific issues that interest them. "If you are interested in something, run with it," Sagat said. "No committee should stop you." Sagat has also proposed maintaining a compilation of issues to be addressed and a listing of contacts among the administration, student groups and other UA members. Candidates for other positions include College sophomores Wendy Mongillo and Josh Rockoff, who have announced plans to run for secretary. No one has declared intent to run for treasurer, although Schorr and Sagat have indicated that they would run for the position if their bids for higher positions fail, according to Hsu. College sophomore Meredith Hertz has been the only member to announce candidacy for the position of representative to University Council.

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