Beginning today, Penn students will have the opportunity to vote for the Undergraduate Assembly president and vice president for the first time. The election is particularly important because the winners will define the roles of these new positions.
Our endorsements for these positions were not made lightly. After careful analysis of the candidates’ video question-and-answers, guest columns and performances at the debates, we have decided to endorse College juniors Matt Amalfitano and Mark Pan for UA president and vice president, respectively.
UA President: Matt Amalfitano
We chose to endorse Amalfitano because compared to his opponent, his past work is more extensive, and he seems more knowledgeable about what the UA can actually accomplish. He has developed good relationships with administrators that will allow him to enact his sensible and smart policy goals. For example, Amalfitano wants to increase the number of wet fraternity parties so that students are drinking on campus where they are in closer proximity to the Medical Emergency Response Team. We trust that he’ll be able to implement his goals because he has been successful at making changes in the past. As chairman of the UA Academic Affairs committee last year and as vice chairman for external affairs this year, he has, among other things, improved PennInTouch and AirPennNet.
Amalfitano’s opponent, College junior and UA associate member Grant Dubler, also has past accomplishments on the UA and some good ideas. We particularly liked his goals of reforming the sector requirements and making it easier for Engineering and Nursing students to study abroad. But some of Dubler’s other plans seem to reflect a lack of understanding of what changes the UA is able to make — for example, his promise to get 100 percent of syllabi online by the end of next year. Amalfitano’s ideas may be smaller in scale, but they are more likely to be implemented. And a little change can go a long way toward improving student life.
UA Vice President: Mark Pan
Along the same lines, we chose to endorse Mark Pan for UA vice president because of his background and the quality of his ideas. Twice before, as chairman of the UA Civic and Community Engagement committee and now as communications director, Pan has stepped into newly created leadership positions and used them to make a difference. There is every reason to believe Pan will do well in the new vice president position, too — especially because he has simple but smart goals, like using existing space to find more places for students and student groups to congregate. With ideas like this, we’re confident that Pan will help to solve the problems of the groups on UA Steering.
While the other vice-presidential candidates have their strengths, neither has the experience or the concrete ideas of Pan. Engineering sophomore Emily Shaeffer’s passion for engagement in West Philadelphia is admirable, but she is not knowledgeable enough about other domains. And while Wharton sophomore Faye Cheng is articulate and has experience on the UA executive board, she does not seem to have many concrete goals beyond using Steering to increase unity.
