College/Year: Pierson ’04

Hometown: Voorhees, N.J.

Major: Cognitive Science

Justin Cohen said he wants to see some cooperation.

Cohen, who is running for Yale College Council treasurer, said in his campaign statement he would like the YCC to work more closely with the residential college councils. Cohen currently serves as president of the Pierson College Council.

“There is a huge disconnect between what goes on in the college councils and what happens in the YCC. I want to bridge this gap and make the YCC more accessible to the colleges,” he said in his statement.

Cohen, who was traveling and unavailable to comment on his candidacy, stressed the assets of his status as a YCC outsider in his statement. He emphasized his involvement in student activities and his “fresh perspective.”

“As an active member of the Yale community I am very familiar with the issues that are important to the undergraduates,” he said.

Cohen said he would like YCC to keep students more informed about its proceedings. He said he thinks YCC officers should hold regular forums in the colleges. He also said he thinks the YCC should tell students more about its expenditures.

He also said he would like the YCC to spend more time on student-life issues and less time “debating watered-down resolutions.”

Cohen said in his statement that he likes the idea of YCC sponsoring a fall event next year to take pressure off Spring Fling. He also said he would like to evaluate what he thinks is insufficient College funding for undergraduate organizations.

–Caroline Massad