Ivy Council looks to thrive with Penn student at head

Few know of its existence and even fewer realize its potential. But as the year kicks off, the Ivy Council awaits its moment in the spotlight. The council, formed in 1993, is a coalition made up of all eight Ivies as a way to provide the Ivy League with a common student government body. Currently, the Ivy Council president is from Penn -- Engineering senior Malhar Saraiya. "Its main purpose is to serve the home councils and promote collaboration among the Ivies," said Saraiya, who is also the Undergraduate Assembly vice chairman. The mission of this collaboration is threefold: To promote communication and collaboration among the schools, deliver tangible projects to the Ivy community and become the voice of the Ivy League. The council has been active in trying to achieve these goals. Last February they held an Ivy Leaders Summit at Yale, attended by 10 representatives from each school. To determine who would represent each school, the council circulated a rigorous application to students at the different universities. Panels were led by various professors and alumni, focusing on integrity and ethics in different fields. Another initiative launched was the Ivy Wide Community Outreach Program, or Ivy Corps, locally known as Quaker Corps. On April 8, each school ran its own community service project. "Last year was the best," Saraiya said. "We really worked hard with all the home councils." Every school sends four delegates who meet twice a year at a fall and spring conference with the Executive Board and Board of Governors. Penn delegates are elected by their fellow UA members. This year the head delegate is College sophomore Ethan Kay. All head delegates make up the Ivy Council Steering Committee. The other three members are College sophomores Lara Bonner, Arshad Hasan and Rebecca Tracy. The Executive Board is comprised of a president, internal vice president, external vice president, treasurer and secretary. Saraiya has been involved with the council since his sophomore year. "I saw that there was going to be an election and I thought, OHey cool, I'll try it,'" Saraiya said. "Surprisingly enough, I won and became the head delegate." He went on to become internal VP and was elected president last spring. Combined with his responsibilities as UA vice chair, Saraiya will have his hands full. "It's a pretty tough job," Saraiya said. "I have my work cut out for me." The third body is the Board of Governors, which is made up of alumni. Saraiya said they are trying to get school administrators on the board and just recently got one from Princeton. "They are legally responsible for the Ivy Council," Saraiya said. "They also advise us and provide continuity." Saraiya also has high hopes for this year. In addition to holding another summit and Ivy Corps, the council would like to strengthen its influence. "We hope to enact more Ivy-wide initiatives," Saraiya said. "It will help the individual schools come up with ideas that can benefit the entire Ivy League." Penn delegates are equally enthusiastic. "I expect creative ideas to flow from this body that will benefit each school," Kay said. "As a delegate, I can get advice and bounce ideas off members so that the UA can be more successful in enacting positive change on Penn's campus."