College/Year: Pierson ’04

Hometown: Marmaroneck, N.Y.

Major: Political Science

Rachel Barish said she wants to be Yale College Council vice president because she wants to bring people together.

“I’m running for vice president of YCC because I really believe in its potential for being a coalition-builder between student groups and speak to the students through that,” Barish said.

Barish said that she wants to improve the liaison program between student groups and the YCC.

“As vice president I would be in charge of that, so, as vice president, I would really, really make sure the representatives worked on that,” Barish said.

Barish said that she would like to increase student support for the YCC. She said she would have representatives e-mail out resolutions before debates, so that they could get input from other students. She also said she would like to have representatives give updates on resolutions that get passed.

“I plan to have office hours for the officers and really publicize that,” Barish said.

Barish was the Freshman Class Council’s Issues Committee chairwoman last year and is a YCC representative from Pierson College. She is also involved with the Yale Hunger and Homelessness Action Project, the Yale College Democrats, and voter registration, Teachers In Elementary Schools, and Instrumental Connection. Barish said that although she is very busy, YCC is her main focus.

“YCC is really what I have devoted myself to,” Barish said. “I really think I have the experience with how YCC works to really take that next step and become an officer.”

–Martha Fulford