The Vassar Student Association (VSA) Executive Board represents every Vassar student. The Board consists of the President and five vice presidents, each charged with working towards improvements of a specific area of the College. They serve as liaisons to the administration and oversee important aspects of student life, such as organizations and events, students' relationships with security, and the academic life of students. Below hear from several of the 2010-2011 members of the Executive Board, and meet them in person in the fall.
Jump to a position: Vice President for Student Life, Vice President for Operations, Vice President for Academics, Vice President for Finance
Charlie Dobb '12 | Vice President for Student Life
Hometown: Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA.
Major: I'm a double major in History and Sociology.
Where do you live on campus: A former proud resident of Jewett! This year I'm excited to be living in the Town Houses.
What does the Vice President for Student Life do?
Technically speaking, the VP for Student Life is the "student liaison to the Dean of the College Division." In practice, that really means I'm responsible, in part, for representing the student interest in most everything to do with living on campus outside of the classroom! Major areas I'll be working in include Residential Life, Dining, Security, Buildings and Grounds, Religious and Spiritual Life, Counseling and Health Services, and Diversity and Inclusion on campus (including working with the ALANA, LGBTQI and Women's Centers as well as the many other organizations on campus dedicated to creating safe spaces). I sit on a variety of College committees, including the Committee on College Life, and meet regularly with administrators in each of the divisions I just listed, giving me the ability to address a wide range of concerns in any of those areas. Essentially, if it's not about academics, money or campus organizations, it's probably a safe bet to bring your thoughts, concerns, demands, etc. to me. If I can't address them myself, I can probably point you in the right direction.
What are your big goals for next year?
I'm really proud to have a very active and engaged Student Life Committee this year composed of a lot of students from a variety of backgrounds, including students on counsel and many who aren't but are otherwise involved. So far the Committee has refined it's focus to five critical areas: three specially chartered audits to better understand specific student experiences on campus including one on dining (which will have critical impact on a really important event in the area of student life this year - the College's review of its contract with Aramark), one on the experience of students with disabilities (in conjunction with the VP for Academics and the VSA Committee for Academics) and one in close conjunction with the Dean of the College's office on Alcohol use on campus. In addition, Student Life will be working on a project to explore Vassar's institutional history of conflict in all of its many forms including race, class, gender, and sexuality and, finally, the Committee will be continuing its efforts to pass a specific charge against relationship abuse in the College regulations. It promises to be a very full year. The Student Life committee is completely open to all students and could really benefit from a freshman voice. Look for announcements early in the year both on the VSA website and by e-mail for the meeting time and place. Hope to see you there!
What drew you to student government?
I've spent the last few years in the Office of Residential Life, first as a Student Fellow and then as a House Student Advisor. Both positions gave me great exposure to students, house teams and more generally the VSA and a strong sense that there was a lot of potential in Vassar's unique government and for someone from a Res Life background to have some real impact, particularly in the Student Life position. That was really catalyzed by the controversy surrounding potentially restructuring the VSA at the end of last year, which really engaged me in government and made me realize (a) I had something to say and (b) actually had the tools and ability to say it in the VSA!
What are your other interests?
In addition to the VSA, I've been involved in CARES (a student-run, nonjudgmental, confidential peer-listening service for anyone affected by personal violation) since my Freshman year. I'm also a pretty excellent cook (open invitation to my kitchen in the THs)!
Any advice for new students?
Get to know your professors, and do it early. Go to office hours, be engaged in class and generally just make sure they get to know your name early. You'll get more out of class and they'll be in a better position to effectively evaluate you come end of term. Outside of the classroom, I'd say take advantage of the fact that Vassar mixes houses by year. It's easy to let an entire year go by without introducing yourself to the upperclassmen on your hall, don't let it happen! In addition to it making for some awkward run ins over the course of the year, you're giving up a valuable source of information! They've been there, done that, and have great advice and plenty of other people to introduce you to!
Jenna Konstantine '13 | Vice President for Operations
Hometown: Oneonta, NY
Major:Sociology
Where do you live on campus: My heart will always belong to Noyes, but I'm living in a Main suite this year!
What does the Vice President for Operations do?
The VP for Operations (or "V-POP") has three major jobs: 1. VPOP acts as a sort of stage manager for the VSA. I'm be in charge of keeping the website and governing documents updated, running elections, and other various office-y things. 2. The VPOP is the student liaison to Alumnae and Alumni of Vassar College and many administrative offices, including Computer and Information Services (CIS), Development, and College Relations. 3. The VP for Operations oversees student committees and delegations to joint committees (such as the Committee on College Life, which is comprised of administrators, faculty, and students.)
What are your big goals for next year?
Goals! Goals! So many goals!
My major goal is simple: I want all students to understand and appreciate that they are members of the VSA and to use their membership as a resource to enhance their time and legacy at Vassar. I want our governing documents to be easy to understand. I want our meetings to be empowering. Everything we do should stem from student interest and our happenings should be transparent and easy to follow. I want the VSA Exec Board and Council to be a body that students can turn to when they want to get something done on this campus and in the world.
Another goal is to continue the ongoing conversation of restructuring the VSA. For those of you who aren't aware, last year's Council went through an internal vote and eventually an all-school referendum on the issue of whether or not we should change our "Housing Presidents-Class Presidents-Exec Board" Council structure to a more "Class Senator – based" system that would give more Council power to the Classes. The proposed system ended up not being exactly what students were looking for. The Operations Committee (which is open to all students!) will continue to discuss the best options for a future VSA structure.
Also, I want to clean up the VSA office because that place is just a mess.
What drew you to student government?
In freshman year, I was elected the freshman rep of Noyes and got a taste of how both House Teams and Class Councils operate. Last year, I served as Noyes president and consequently sat on VSA Council and consequently became obsessed with the VSA. Vassar's student government structure is so unique in that students have say in everything that happens here. The amount of potential that we have as a student body blows my mind.
Any advice for new students?
- Try. New. Things. Try everything. Try all of the things,
- But don't drop all the things you love because you're obsessed with trying new things.
- Learn how the College system works! If you understand what's going on, you'll understand how to use your resources.
- Do not be afraid to use counseling services.
- Appreciate every single moment of your time here.
- Never miss Chili Wednesday.
Kate Dolson '13 | Vice President for Academics
Hometown: Tallahassee, FL
Major: Greek and Roman Studies
Where do you live on campus: Ferry Haus! (unequivocally the best house on campus!)
What does the Vice President for Academics do?
The VP of Academics really serves as a liaison between student interest and the faculty and administration on issues of academic policy. This includes but is not limited to serving on CCP (Committee on Curricular Policies) and heading student initiatives. This all sounds vaguely bureaucratic, but truly, the VP of Academics, as well as anyone within the VSA, is here to serve the Vassar student body and to listen to any concerns you might have about your campus experience.
What are your goals for next year?
My biggest goal for next year is to increase the accessibility of the entire campus (not just academics) for students with disabilities. I am also working towards getting an extra credit for lab courses and getting more at large student involvement in shaping VSA initiatives. So if yall have anything you passionate about or questions about Vassar in general, feel free to contact me!
What drew you to student government?
To be honest, I never really saw myself as the "Student Government" type. But then I came to Vassar and fell in love with the school. For the first time, I wanted to be more involved and work to make my experience, and the experience of my fellow students, the best possible. So last year, I became the representative of Ferry Haus on the VSA Council, and from there, I was hooked! Its a lot of work, but it is also amazingly gratifying.
What are your other interests?
Outside of the VSA, you can generally find me huddled over, trying desperately to translate dead languages, in the Ferry kitchen, baking a midnight dessert for my lovely housemates, or dancing like a crazy person with good friends.
Any advice for new students?
Vassar is a super amazing place with so many interesting people, and if you don't find your niche right away, just meet more people. I have never regretted getting to know someone on this campus and I love finding good friends in strange places. Also, (and this is for anyone who hails, like me, from warm and sunny places) get a good pair of winter boots!
Jason Rubin '13 | Vice President for Finance
Hometown: I'm from Long Island, New York
Major: Political Science
Where do you live on campus: This will be my third year living in Lathrop House
What does the Vice President for Finance do:
The Vice President for Finance oversees the Vassar Student Association budget which is around $700,000. I work with various administrators to ensure that the VSA remains in good financial health and I help organizations navigate the different VSA funds and acquire the money they need for their programming. At the end of the year the VP for Finance and the VP for Activities come together along with their committees to determine the entire VSA budget for the following year.
What are your big goals for next year?
My overall goal must always be ensuring that the VSA remains in good financial health and its finances are managed efficiently and transparently. I have a number of more specific ideas as to how to go about doing this. I am currently working towards putting in place a Capital Loan System. The VSA already does capital budgeting but with this new loan system, capital items will get more use by different organizations, the VSA wont have to buy the same items multiple times, and more organizations will be able to have their capital requests met. In addition to this I'm working on revising and improving the finance language in our governing documents. This will hopefully make the fund application process and annual budgeting more accessible to organization leaders. The finance committee and I are already hard at work on these agenda items as well as others and are hoping to have made significant progress by the time we arrive back at school.
What drew you to student government?
What drew me to Vassar student government was how different it is from student government in high school. The VSA has full autonomy in handling its budget and approving events on campus. In addition, it provides the student voice on real campus issues from dining to relationship abuse and regularly meets with administrators to ensure that this student voice is heard.
What are your other interests?
I am really involved with Act Out! which is a student organization that engages in activism to promote equality for LGBTQ individuals. In addition to this, I am generally interested in politics and hope to work somewhere in that realm in the future. I also love theater and try to see as much of the wide variety of theater on campus as possible.
Any advice for new students?
Don't judge organizations based on your experiences in high school. Check out as many organizations as you can before settling into the few that you really want to fully engage with. And just have fun. Vassar is amazing and time here really does fly by.
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