Through her student government experience, Leigh Hamilton ’15 said she knows budgets.
Hamilton, who is running for Yale College Council treasurer, has served as Berkeley College Council secretary and a member of the YCC 10K committee this year, and she said her participation in the YCC events and academics committees has prepared her to address the challenges a treasurer faces. She said she hopes to bring more flexibility and transparency to the YCC budget.
Hamilton said “I think a treasurer should be cognizant of the fact that there will be great last-minute and spontaneous ideas, and that should be built into the budget so that those events can happen,” she said.
A lack of funding has thwarted several creative ideas for YCC events this year, Hamilton said. As treasurer, Hamilton added that she hopes to work closely with the YCC events director to provide funding for projects that arise throughout the year.
Hamilton said she plans to publish a projected budget at the start of term and a final budget at the end — both of which would be released to the student body. This year, the YCC did not vote on its budget until halfway through spring semester, Hamilton said.
“As it is, there is a lot of power for the treasurer to just use money as they see fit,” she said, adding that she hopes to include student opinion in her decision-making as treasurer.
She added that she will continue working on projects she has taken up this year. She plans to alter the structure of the 10K Challenge to ensure that ideas are selected and implemented in the same year, adding that funds for the project have not been allocated for two years.
Danny Avraham ’15, who is running uncontested for YCC president, said Hamilton played an important role on the academics committee, which he chaired this year.
“She is extremely responsible, and she took a lot of initiative to propose new ideas and then follow through with them,” he said.
Outside student government, Hamilton holds a leadership role in Pi Beta Phi sorority, plays on the women’s club soccer team and serves as a Berkeley College master’s aide.