Donning a neon yellow T-shirt reading “Vote for Chris LoPresti” in block letters, Chris LoPresti ’12 sat down with the News on Thursday to outline his plan to make the Undergraduate Organizations Funding Committee more transparent and responsive to student needs.

The sophomore is running for chair of the UOFC, on which he has served for two semesters, and is pushing a platform of helping student groups save money and improving the UOFC’s Web site for easier student access to funds.

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LoPresti is a member of the fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon, sings in the a cappella group the Baker’s Dozen and will be the co-captain of the club golf team next year. The political science major said he is used to holding leadership positions after his experiences with these organizations, and after being president of his about 2,800-student public high school in the Chicago suburbs.

Because of his involvement in other student groups outside the UOFC, LoPresti said he understands both sides of the funding application process, having gone through it himself.

“I know how difficult it is to currently access our funding,” he said.

LoPresti said UOFC’s equipment program, which loans students equipment like microphones and speakers, needs to communicate more closely with student groups to ensure that everyone gets what they need. He said he plans to help campus groups cut costs for printing by investing in an industrial copy machine, the use of which would be free for student groups. To make the UOFC Web site more helpful, he said he wants it to link to information not only for UOFC funding opportunities but also for departmental grants or alumni donations.

Stephen Silva ’10, a co-coordinator of Queer Peers, said he asked LoPresti for help when seeking funding for his organization. He praised LoPresti’s immediate response and willingness to meet with him face to face to explain the “ins and outs” of the application process. John-Michael Parker ’10, a fellow SAE brother and member of the BDs, said LoPresti is responsible when it comes to balancing his commitments.

“He’s totally 10 steps ahead of everyone else,” Parker said.