Hear from the six members of your Vassar Student Association Executive Board

Every student attending Vassar is a member of the Vassar Student Association (VSA). Six students in particular, however, who make up the VSA Executive Board are instrumental in acting on behalf of the entire student body; the VSA President and the five VSA Vice Presidents work throughout the year to ensure that all aspects of life at Vassar—from the curriculum, to student activities, to the operation of the College—are running in the way that best benefits the student body and the institution as a whole. Read on below to meet your VSA Executive Board and hear what they have to say about the coming year and about how to get involved at Vassar.

Caitlin Ly '10 | PRESIDENT

Hometown: Chicago, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Tucson.
It's a tough question. Vassar feels like home to me.
Major: Political Science with a correlate in History
Dorm: Town Houses

What kind of issues will you be dealing with on campus this year?
As VSA President, it is responsibility to oversee the day-to-day operations of the VSA and act as a direct liason between the student body and the administration and faculty. I do not specialize in any one specific area, but rather oversee the efforts of the VSA leadership. Some of my duties include chairing VSA Council meetings, leading the VSA Executive Board, acting as an observer on the Board of Trustees, meeting regularly with the various administrators, including the President of the College and the other Senior Officers and sitting on a number of College Committees (including the Committee on Priorities and Planning and the Committee on College Life).

There are a range of issues that the VSA will be taking on next year--everything from the stagnant meal plan to the influx of College committees to the benefits of community outreach. Due to the recession, next year will undoubtedly be focused on coming up with creative and pragmatic recommendations on how the college can save money while maintaining its core values and traditions. To this end, the VSA will be fighting to preserve need-blind admissions and to strengthen our teaching evaluation system.

What are your goals for the coming year?
This year, I hope to work alongside the five Vice Presidents on the Executive Board to accomplish a long list of goals. A few highlights include revising our course evaluations and moving them online; establishing an alliance between students, campus patrol and security for a safer, healthier campus community; supporting local vendors through initiatives like Tasty Tuesday; revising our campus calendar and establishing weekly video announcements so that students, faculty and administrators can stay up to date on information about ongoing campus issues and upcoming events and programs; strengthening community relations through off-campus programming like Meet Me in Poughkeepsie; expanding physical education course units to include credit for varsity athletes; and reevaluating the meal plan so as to expand late night options. 

What was your favorite thing that the VSA did last year?
My favorite thing that the VSA did this year was Meet Me in Poughkeepsie, an initiative that engaged over 800 Vassar students off-campus in an effort to expose all of us to the wonderful community of which we are a part, to help realize the values of a shared space and to celebrate the rich history and culture of Poughkeepsie and the Mid-Hudson Valley. My personal favorite trip of the day was ice skating at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center.

How did you first get involved in student government?
From the minute I arrived at Vassar in the fall of 2006, I immediately realized what a vibrant and active student body Vassar truly has, and I wanted to do my part to better the experience for everyone. I decided to run for class council my first year at Vassar because by that point, I had gotten the opportunity to meet a lot of people in my class and had decided that I could not pass up the opportunity to be part of the experience of leading our class.  Planning events is very exciting and fulfilling and teaches you teamwork and responsibility.

The very first time I got involved in student government was in the sixth grade at a private Catholic school that I attended, called Notre Dame Academy in Los Angeles.  It is funny thinking back because our student government meetings were actually monitored by a nun and occasionally a priest. Glad Vassar does not follow that model!

Would you recommend that first-year students get involved with student government?
Freshman year can seem a bit daunting, but one of the easiest ways to make friends is to find something you feel passionately about and get involved in that area.  Whether it be student government, an organization, an ensemble, a varsity sport or any other extracurricular activity, chances are you will meet people who share your interests and you will find the support network you might have been looking for.  There are over a thousand ways you can get involved at Vassar, but of course, I would love to see more students look to student government as their first choice.  If you are interested in planning events, crafting policies, talking to your constituents and learning about some of the challenges facing Vassar, I would say student government is for you!  Feel free to email me at vsa@vassar.edu with any questions. I look forward to seeing you next fall.

Elizabeth Anderson '11 | VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT LIFE

Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Major: Economics and Political Science
Dorm: Main Building

As VP for Operations, what kind of issues will you be dealing with on campus this year?
As the VP for Student Life I serve as the liaison between students and administrative offices such as Residential Life, Food Services and Security. Our Executive Board will be focusing on issues such as the meal plan, security, student support services, the Poughkeepsie community, sustainability and need-blind admissions. I am very excited to address these and other pressing issues with the Exec Board and the student body at large.

What are your goals for the coming year?
We will work to find a balance in the meal plan that makes student and administrators happy. There needs to be improvement in the community aspects of ACDC, the quality of food service and availability of local foods. Safety is another concern around campus and in Residential Halls. We need to work on our relationship with security and make the campus a safer environment. Some student services will either be combined or eliminated over the next few years, and it is important to continue to meet students' needs. Last year's VSA Executive Board has taken great strides in further developing community relations, and I would like to build off the success of Meet Me in Poughkeepsie and the implementation of the community shuttle to expand our involvement in the community. I am excited about the steps we can make next year on the Executive Board and as a community.

What was your favorite thing that the VSA did last year?
Some of the events the VSA did last year were really successful. Meet Me in Poughkeepsie and Brewer Bash were fun for the entire community. It is nice to see everyone get involved and show some Vassar pride!

How did you first get involved in student government?
I ran for student government my freshman year. I did some student government in high school, and I decided to give it a try in college. I have served as the Vice President of Class of 2011 for two years, and I am so happy I got involved!

Would you recommend that first-year students get involved with student government?
It is never too early to get involved! There are many ways to get involved—house team, class council, committees and so on. I ran my freshmen year for class council and had so much fun! I met a ton of awesome people and got really involved in the Vassar community. The Executive Board is here for you so please do not hesitate to stop by the office next year or shoot me an e-mail at vsastudentlife@vassar.edu. I look forward to meeting the Vassar Class of 2013!

Brian Farkas '10 | VICE PRESIDENT FOR OPERATIONS

Hometown: New York, NY
Major: History and Political Science
Dorm: Terrace Apartments

As VP for Operations, what kind of issues will you be dealing with on campus this year?
As Vice President for Operations, I support the work of the four other VPs and help to execute the vision and goals of the President. I oversee the student delegations to the College's widespread committee structure, including joint committees between faculty and administrators.

Communicating with chairs of those committees, I help to ensure that the groups are effectively and efficiently discussing key issues. I also work with the elected student representatives to those groups, keeping them constantly informed of developing College news and policies.

Beyond Vassar's committee structure, I serve as a liaison between the student body and the Alumnae/i Association (AAVC), College Relations, Computing and Information Services (CIS) and the Development Office. These offices—which often seem "behind the scenes"—provide many crucial student services and dramatically enhance the quality of the Vassar education. I work closely with alumnae/i of the College, finding new and innovative ways to connect them with current students. By far, the most powerful resource that Vassar offers is its successful, loyal, and incredibly dedicated body of more than 33,000 living graduates spread across the globe. These men and women are leaders and innovators in virtually every industry. If students have a question about getting in touch with alumnae/i in a particular field, I will happily direct them to the appropriate resource. Our graduates know the value of a Vassar education and can provide everything from insights to internships to prepare students for life beyond Vassar's gates. In keeping with those goals, I sit on the AAVC Board of Trustees—the top policy-making group for the affairs of Vassar graduates. I talk regularly with alumnae/i leadership to ensure that our graduates stay closely connected with student groups, offices and academic departments.

I also manage some day-to-day operating procedures for the VSA, maintaining our three governing documents (the Constitution, Bylaws and Policies). All three of these documents are available on our Web site, vsa.vassar.edu. I chair the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC), a group that reviews and updates these documents for clarity and fairness. Any member of the VSA (that is, any student) can suggest changes to our governing procedures; unlike many student governments, you do not have to be an elected representative to suggest Constitutional amendments. If you want to talk, discuss, or passionately debate the merits of a particular clause, come to my office hours! I would love to here suggestions on ways of making the VSA's governing documents more reflective of Vassar's dynamic and inclusive community. If you have a question or suggestion about a particular issue, I will be able to direct you to the "right" person to talk to. I encourage all students to regularly check our Web site and contact me with any questions that you might have (vsaoperations@vassar.edu). My e-mail box and office door are open to you!

What are your goals for the coming year?
Too many to name! In so many ways, 2009-10 will be an exciting and dynamic year in Vassar's history. Along with my fellow members of the Executive Board, I will spend much of my time on Vassar's evolving response to the financial crisis. An ongoing goal will be the common-sense streamlining of services. In many cases, I believe that this streamlining will not only cut unnecessary expenditures, but will also improve and synthesize the student experience. For example, one goal that this Executive Board is working toward the combining of career services into a central Career Center, much like the ones that exist at virtually all of our peer institutions. Vassar has maintained an unwieldy and inappropriate system where career/graduate advice and training is split between the Career Development Office (CDO), Student Employment, Field Work, and Fellowships and Pre-Health Advising. This is just one area where efficiencies could accomplish both cost-savings *and* dramatic improvements to a vital category of student services.

Along similar lines, the economy has frightened many Vassar students about a dangerous job market. In addition to working closely with the CDO, I will sit on the Council for Alumnae/i Student Advancement (CASA) to ensure that students can take full advantage of our graduates. As the VSA's primary liaison to the Alumnae/i Association (AAVC) and the Development Office, I will work to better integrate Vassar graduates into the lives of students. Our alumnae/i are our greatest and most under-utilized resource. Vassar alumnae/i are extremely loyal, and can provide a tremendous leg up to current students. Especially in this increasingly competitive job market, it is crucial that the College uses every resource at its disposal to ensure that its graduating students have access to lucrative careers. In light of the economy, I also plan to dedicate a great deal of time to fundraising efforts, working closely with the Development Office to establish and bolster connections with benefactors.

Another personal goal for the year includes the revitalization of the VSA Web site as a continuous source of timely information. In the past, the site was updated only rarely. This year, I hope to take a cue from the Obama administration in really centralizing our site to keep our community informed of legislation, campus-wide forums and debates. Students will be able to track ongoing discussions, contribute ideas, and see their representatives. Using a new tool, students will be able to easily navigate "who to go to for what." Vassar's bureaucracy can often be intimidating—there seem to be countless administrators, offices, and committees. With a series of questions, students can quickly find the name and e-mail address of the appropriate contact for their question or concern. Finally, the new Web site will feature "Exploring the Hudson Valley," which will provide students with reviews, maps and descriptions of dozens of locations around the Vassar campus. The Hudson Valley is a treasure trove of culture and history, and this site will help students to navigate those local resources.

A final, long-term goal will be significant revisions to Vassar's committee structure. Committees are the third-rail of Vassar politics—an issue that is thorny and divisive, to say the least. As old students know, and as new students will soon discover, the College's many working groups sometimes have unclear or overlapping missions. We have at least three groups responsible for drug and alcohol policy, several more discussing residential life issues, and two discussing the Bookstore. As the VP in charge of student delegations to committees, I am conducting an audit of existing committees. Working closely with the President, I will determine quick and common-sense 'fixes' to committees that are having parallel discussions, without any clear timetable or sense of hierarchy. Though the project of revising Vassar's tangled committee structure will likely take several years, 2009-10 will be a crucial year of setting goals and mapping a clear course for the future.

What was your favorite thing that the VSA did last year?
I must admit, I very much enjoyed when the VSA Council voted unanimously to "sing Happy Birthday to Brian Farkas" in December. Former President Jimmy Kelly '09 led the refrain.

But beyond that, the VSA accomplished a great deal last year, both in terms of programming and policy. The Executive Board worked incredibly hard to ensure that students had a seat at the table for many of the discussions and decisions surrounding Vassar's response to the global recession. As financial markets began to meltdown in September and October, colleges and universities across the country panicked as they watched their endowments decline in value. Many of Vassar's peer institutions took dramatic steps to cut student services, slash positions, and delete courses—often in the absence of student voice.

Although Vassar did have to act on its feet to respond to the short-term effects of the recession, I am proud that the VSA pushed to ensure that students would be involved in longer-term financial policy decisions. Sure enough, the VSA secured a seat on the Advisory Group on the Allocation of Faculty Resources (AGAFR), the group charged with allocating professors and streamlining the curriculum during the recession. Even beyond AGAFR, student representatives have constant and substantive input in Vassar's fiscal planning. As VP for Operations, I sit with the VSA President on the Priorities and Planning Committee—the top finance committee at the College. Last year's Executive Board really did its homework, and impressed faculty and administrators alike with their mature and thorough grasp of the financial dilemmas and hurdles facing the College. As our peer colleges slashed from their budgets without student voice, it made me proud that the VSA was so proactive and so widely respected. This is a tradition I certainly hope to continue in 2009-10. Budget cuts are always painful, but by involving student representatives in the decision-making process, the College is in a position to ensure that student's academic and extracurricular lives are as minimally effected as possible.

How did you first get involved in student government?
As any of my friends will tell you, I love Vassar. I love its history, its mission, its campus and its people. Simply put, I got involved in student government so that I could become more involved in planning for Vassar's future. For my first three years here, I served on the Editorial Board of The Miscellany News, the College's student newspaper since 1866. In 2008-09, I served as Editor in Chief. That position taught me more than all of my academic courses combined; I learned how a school operates—its many constituencies, its idealistic goals, and its conflicting constraints. The student newspaper covers a sweeping range of campus issues that exposed me to the breadth, depth and diversity of the Vassar experience. It also exposed me to many of the problems that Vassar, like all of its peer institutions, faces in light of the financial crisis. Because of my experience and exposure, I felt compelled to serve, to help the College through these challenging economic times in any way that I could.

The members of the student government, particularly last year's Executive Board, were good friends and encouraged me to run every step of the way. Putting yourself out there—whether on a ballot for election, on a stage for a performance, or on the pages of the campus newspaper—is challenging, but also incredibly rewarding. There is always the chance of losing, of being shot down. But I was so motivated by the support I received from my friends and colleagues that I took the plunge. I encourage any others to do the same. Vassar offers so many opportunities for students to take on leadership roles. Whether you're in charge of the student government, a committee, or a student organization, you may find that you gain as much from that experience as from your academic coursework. Vassar trains innovators, and the extracurricular life can teach valuable lessons in leadership.

Would you recommend that first-year students get involved with student government?
From their first moments on campus, I hope that first-year students will recognize the tremendous capacity of the Vassar Student Association. Our student government bares little resemblance to the student governments of most high schools. The VSA is a far-reaching organization, and a powerful conduit for policy-making. Our College works on a system of joint governance. This means that most changes to the curriculum, to student life, or to Vassar in general will be vetted through faculty, students, administrators, and sometimes alumnae/i. These constituencies all have a stake—and a vote—in the decisions of the College. The VSA plays a vital role in moving Vassar forward, and new students should understand that their voices really do matter here, perhaps in a way that they did not in high school.

There are many ways for new students to begin their involvement in the VSA. First, Council meetings are a great way to see the VSA in action. We meet every Sunday night at 7 p.m. in the College Center MPR, and you can stay for as long as you like. Although these meetings are 100 percent open, they can sometimes be a little intimidating. If you would like to learn more first, visit vsa.vassar.edu. There, you will be able to read about ongoing projects of the Executive Board and decisions of the Council. You can also read about the history of the VSA, which was founded in 1868 and soon became one of America's most active student governments. Finally, to stay informed, first-year students should read The Miscellany News, which covers many of the major decisions of the VSA Council. The newspaper highlights valuable and often opposing opinions on campus issues. The newspaper will often video-stream or live blog many major campus forums or student government meetings on their Web site, miscellanynews.com. I strongly encourage first-year students to stay informed through the Miscellany, both online and in print.

After some time at Vassar, first-year student may come to have suggestions of their own. Indeed, they can provide new and valuable perspectives into life at the College. We welcome those insights! I encourage all new students to contact their representatives with their ideas. Remember that you are represented by your class president, residence president, and the six members of the Executive Board. One final way to become involved, of course, is to run for office! You can run for a class officer position for 2013 during our fall elections, and for many more positions during spring elections.

There are so many ways to become involved in the VSA; I strongly encourage first-year students to learn about our student government and take on a position that will give you invaluable leadership experience.

Stephanie Damon-Moore '11 | VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMICS

Hometown: Hanover, NH
Major: American Culture
Dorm: Josselyn

As VP for Academics, what kind of issues will you be dealing with on campus this year?
I will be an advocate for students in any and all academic concerns. Some of my specific responsibilities will include sitting on the Advisory Group for the Allocation of Faculty Resources (AGAFR), which is a committee created in 2009 in response to the financial crisis. I also sit on the Committee for Curricular Planning and have my own committee made up of VSA council members. On these and other committees I will be discussing and working on restructuring policies and departments both in response to the financial crisis and simply in pursuit of a more efficient, effective system.

What are your goals for the coming year?
Some of my personal goals include updating and improving the faculty evaluation system, increasing cross-listing to maintain and improve class availability in spite of faculty reductions and improving social consciousness on campus through curricular requirements. More generally, I hope to be a strong representative and advocate for student issues, and model accessible and transparent leadership. I hope that students will come to me with concerns and see me as a resource, because we will be facing controversial and challenging decisions, and I can only be a strong voice for students if I have a broad understanding of student needs.

What was your favorite thing that the VSA did last year?
Meet Me in Poughkeepsie—definitely. Connecting with the community around us is so valuable to Vassar students and the people of Poughkeepsie, and initiatives like MMIP that bring students off campus to experience the positive things that Poughkeepsie has to offer benefits everyone.

How did you first get involved in student government?
This position represents my first foray into student government. I decided to run for the position, because I knew that the coming year would present many challenges and many areas in which a vocal, persistent student voice was incredibly important on the executive board and in the position of VP for Academics. I've also been a student fellow and will be a student advisor next year, and I feel that having a perspective connected with first year students, house government and Residential Life can lend sensitivity and awareness to my approach to student leadership.

Would you recommend that first-year students get involved with student government?
The students of 2013 can run for class officer positions, and various committees will also be looking for enthusiastic members. But in addition to those more predictable points of access, I also encourage students to get involved with students organizations. It's easy for students to achieve leadership positions in organizations that they're committed to relatively quickly, and that experience is invaluable if students want to pursue student government positions in the future. Organizations are also a great way to make friends and connect with people who share your interests. For more ways to get involved on campus, talk to your student fellow—they are terrific resources for first year students!

Aaron Grober '11 | VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACTIVITIES

Hometown: Wayne, NJ
Major: Biochemistry
Dorm: Main

As VP for Activities, what kind of issues will you be dealing with on campus this year?
In a nutshell, I oversee all of our 128 student organizations. That means ensuring that all organizations are active and engage all their members, certification of new organizations and decertification of inactive organizations. I also work closely (and frequently!) with the Office of Campus Activities to examine all event requests and either approve them or suggest changes.

What are your goals for the coming year?
The programming needs of our student body have changed dramatically over the past few years. My goal is to reexamine what it is that Vassar students are looking for in programming, and try to encourage organizations to program more creatively and inclusively. Also, given the current financial situation, I plan to work closely with organization leaders and the VP for Finance, Scott, to ensure that organizations are using their resources to the fullest extent.

What was your favorite thing that the VSA did last year?
The VSA was so proactive and did so many incredible things last year, it's difficult for me to name an absolute favorite. Meet Me in Poughkeepsie probably takes the lead, just by a hair, because it combined creative programming with community outreach, making for an extremely fun, eventful, and successful event.

How did you first get involved in student government?
I got involved because of the unique ability of students via the VSA to really play a role in College life. We are a completely autonomous, self-governing body, which I think is really awesome, and administrators really take our concerns seriously when we present them. Talk about being able to make a difference! I first got involved freshman year, serving as the freshman rep for Main House, then last year as the Main House Vice President.

Would you recommend that first-year students get involved with student government?
Run for a position! Jump right into it! If you want to get involved with student government, there's no better way than serving directly in one of the 13 available freshman positions, and numerous committee opportunities. If that doesn't work-out for you, stay engaged! Every Executive Board member has office hours—use them! Come talk to us, and we'll find a way for you to get involved.

Scott Pascal '10 | VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE

Hometown: Longmeadow, MA
Major: Biochemistry
Dorm: Terrace Apartments

As VP for Finance, what kind of issues will you be dealing with on campus this year?
My responsibility on the executive board is to oversee the finances of the VSA, including all the VSA organizations. One of the most prominent issues I will have to deal with is how the recession is impacting the College and the VSA.

What are your goals for the coming year?
My main goal for this coming year is to help organizations do more with their limited budgets. Collaboration and communication between different organizations can help everyone. By getting organizations to pool both their plans and needs, we can do even more with our budget. Another goal of mine is to have more financial transparency within the VSA, so that organizations can better manage their budgets. I have already started working on this project, along with the rest of the executive board.

What was your favorite thing that the VSA did last year?
I had a lot of fun at the Brewer Bash in the spring. It was great to see so much Vassar pride and support for the sports teams. On a much different note, I thought that the debate surrounding Kick Coke was a highlight of how student government should work. When the issue came to the VSA council, vigorous debate engulfed much of the campus. I had never seen so many students weigh in on an issue before, and it made me really proud to be part of campus that could engage in conversation in a thoughtful and respectful manner.

How did you first get involved in student government?
I first became really involved with the VSA last year when I was the 2010 Class President. Before that, I had been on the Residential-Life side of the Noyes House Team and involved in a couple of VSA organizations. I started to see the discussions taking place involving both student life and VSA organizations, and realized that a lot of important decisions were being made that I didn't necessarily agree with. As spring elections approached, I decided that running for an elected position would allow me to voice these concerns.

Would you recommend that first-year students get involved with student government?
Run for a position! From class officers, to dorm freshman representatives, and the many college committees, there are so many opportunities. Also the VSA council meetings [every Sunday at 7 p.m. in the College Center MPR] are always open to all students, so if you want to be heard, just come and speak up!