Ben Farber ‘12
Herald: What would be your single highest priority as president?
Farber: My single highest priority as president would be to increase (Undergraduate Council of Students) outreach in an effective way. I felt that as vice president I didn't have as much ability … to direct the outreach efforts of the council, and … there are a lot more initiatives that I would like to undertake as president.
Why would you be a better UCS president than Nelson?
I think I have more experience … in taking student feedback, converting it to proposals and advocating for practical, concrete change on campus, and I think that … the relationships that I have with administrators on campus … will enable me to help next year's committee chairs and next year's general body members to enact change on this campus.
Do you support the University's expansion of its research presence?
I do support the University's expansion of its research presence as long as it's done in a way that does not negatively impact the undergraduate experience. I think that when research is expanded at the University, it can go one of two ways: It can either take away a lot of professors' time that would otherwise be dedicated to teaching and advising … or it could be something that undergraduates are involved in, something that enhances professors' teaching and something that overall presents more opportunities for academic growth of undergraduates.
Do you support the administration's efforts to reform the tenure process? How do you think it will affect undergraduates?
My biggest priorities when it comes to the issue of tenure are that research is not the only factor … and that teaching and advising are also serious considerations.
I would want to make sure that those two factors are considered because those are two aspects of professors' jobs that most significantly and directly affect undergraduates.
What is an action taken by the administration you've supported in the last year and why?
I definitely support … the creation of the committee on (the Reserve Officers' Training Corps). I'm glad that such an important community decision is being considered seriously and that broad input from … the entire Brown community is being considered. I'm pleased such decisions aren't made with haste.
What is an action taken by the administration you've opposed in the last year and why?
I currently am in opposition to … the new undergraduate athletics fee. … Not because I don't recognize the need for a greater athletics budget or the fact that I think it's too high, but … that I haven't seen any concrete improvements made to the athletic experience of undergraduates in exchange for that fee, and as president, one of my priorities would be to ensure that undergraduates see improvements.
Ralanda Nelson ‘12
Herald: What would be your single highest priority as president?
Nelson: After speaking with students, … my highest priority as (Undergraduate Council of Students) president would have to be their highest priority, and I see that as being the housing situation currently.
They really want to see UCS dedicate a large portion of its time next year to the housing situation and gaining student feedback and student opinion.
Why would you be a better UCS president than Farber?
I hate comparing myself to Ben because the reason I'm running is solely based off of my abilities, my evaluation of those abilities and my vision for next year.
But I think that my resume and the work that I've done and the work I will continue to do, with or without the title, speak to my tenacity and, I guess, my passion for changing Brown to be a better Brown. And I think, above all, I would be the best UCS president next year because I know the needs of the University.
Do you support the University's expansion of its research presence?
I think that I support it as long as it doesn't take away from a researcher and professor's ability to advise and that there are always new opportunities and especially financial resources for undergraduates to be a part of that research. I think that the Brown undergraduate experience really shouldn't take a back seat to the University's expansion of research.
Do you support the administration's efforts to reform the tenure process? How do you think it will affect undergraduates?
I think that there were a lot of inconsistencies with the way in which tenure was achieved. … So I think I would be in favor of them re-evaluating the tenure process.
I think that it will enable perhaps conversations around tenured faculty — do our tenured faculty speak to mentorship and advising of the undergraduate student, and what does that relationship look like?
What is an action taken by the administration in the last year you've supported and why?
I do support the conversations that the administration has opened up about (the Reserve Officers' Training Corps).
I feel like the process in its entirety … has been very transparent and very clear as to how we're going into these conversations, what we're looking at and that we definitely want undergraduate student perspective.
What is an action taken in the last year by the administration you've opposed and why?
I've just been really confused about how direct student feedback is being used by the University … to deal with what students have posited as their qualms with the housing crunch.
As a student leader, sometimes I'm confused as to where that feedback has gone.
David Chanin ‘12
Herald: Why would you be a better Undergraduate Finance Board chair than Lee?
Chanin: I guess what separates us the most is, first off, I have more experience working with student groups.
For the last two years, I've worked directly with student groups, whereas Jason, as vice chair, has only worked with student groups for one year.
What would be your single highest priority as chair?
I think just making the funding process a lot easier on groups. I think my experience has been that a lot of groups are frustrated with how long the process takes and how sometimes it's often confusing and not clear why UFB is allocating what.
To me, UFB's purpose is to make sure that student groups have the resources they need to accomplish whatever it is that they set out to accomplish, and I want that process to be as easy and transparent as possible.
What would you do differently than Adam Kiki-Charles '11, the current UFB chair?
I think Adam's done a great job this year, and I think he's set the seeds of a lot of good ideas, and I hope that next year's chair … really keeps up with those procedures and policies he's implemented and doesn't let them fall by the side. I think one thing I'd do differently though is working a lot more with the administration … to ensure that student groups' needs are being met and that money is being used in a very efficient way.
Jason Lee ‘12
Herald: Why would you be a better Undergraudate Finance Board chair than Chanin?
Lee: I have more of the relations on campus to find better sources of funding. I mean … tapping into the alumni network, where a lot
of student groups have been around for quite some time. … Those alumni would definitely be willing to contribute to the group, in that they got something out of it with their time at Brown.
I've been a lot more motivated and responsible. … One of the issues is, I guess, time commitment to the board, where I've almost always been on time, never been absent — as opposed to, if you actually look at the minutes, you'd find that the other candidate is otherwise.
The opponent's project this year was actually the online budgeting, which he says is for next year.
I think in terms of motivating all members, in terms of getting all the projects done, I've done a good job of that.
What would be your single highest priority as chair?
I'd think it'd be to find other sources of funding.
I mentioned the alumni funding. … And two, finding a way for the school to cover it because (some groups) are such a valuable part of this campus.
What would you do differently than Adam Kiki-Charles '11, the current UFB chair?
I think something that we need to work on is more insight into our own finances as well. Institutional memory is a huge problem for UFB, where the boards often change.
