In recent weeks, my opponent for Student Association president, Taylor Carr, has been reiterating my lack of ‘experience.’ I would like him to clarify his statement. His definition of leadership experience seems to be a very exclusive, and an unreasonable one. I hope to illustrate my own experience and inquire as to how Taylor defines this term.

If Taylor continues to claim that I lack leadership experience, I will assume his definition of ‘experience’ will be so narrow as to exclude many of the student leaders on campus. In case he has merely overlooked my leadership experience, I lay it out for him here.

With the help of several SA members and administrators within the College of Arts and Sciences in January 2011, I founded the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Team. This select group of more than 100 Arts and Sciences students oversees recruitment, advising and serves as teaching assistants within the college. Since the creation of the Dean’s Team, I have been a member of its executive board and still play an integral leadership role in shaping the direction of the team. Taylor seems to define leadership experience so narrowly as to exclude my role as an executive board member and founder of the Dean’s Team.

In addition, I serve as the vice chair of the Student Engagement Committee within SA. This is a position of significance. President Neal Casey sought to provide capable, passionate members who did not hold cabinet positions with formal leadership roles in SA. After an application process and interview, I was chosen for, not simply given, the role. Since then my job has been to advocate for the students. I find out what they like, don’t like and want to see here on campus. If Taylor does not value this experience, the very leadership roles within SA will be excluded from his definition. I ask Taylor to please clarify whether he has mistakenly overlooked my leadership experience or if he defines leadership experience so narrowly that none of these experiences qualify.

If Taylor refers to experience as time spent in SA, let me remind him of the facts of my membership. Last month, my one-year mark of membership was reached. I have served two full semesters in SA, and I am now in my third. Taylor entered SA in spring 2010 and resigned by summer 2010. In January 2011, he re-joined SA and has since been a member. He has two full semesters of experience in SA and is now in his third. By these facts, Taylor and I have equal experience in SA in terms of time. I urge my opponent to correct me if I made an error and to please clarify the exact dates he entered, left and re-entered SA. If Taylor believes experience relates to time served in SA, the students must know the facts of our tenure.

Lastly, if Taylor considers his greater experience to be the result of his junior class standing, I challenge the need for upperclassman status to run for SA president. If it was a necessary characteristic, the constitution and election codes would dictate all candidates be juniors. Why do they not? One would assume they don’t because class alone reveals nothing about the capability or passion or leadership of a candidate.

To clarify his arguments regarding my own leadership experience to the students, I ask Taylor to please reveal his definition of leadership experience.

Thank you.

Dylan Lustig

Candidate for president of the 56th session of Student Association

Published on October 26, 2011 at 12:00 pm