Preliminary Odds as Field Emerges

April 11, 2008 3:05 am Leave a Comment

By Ryan Russell

Disclaimer: Take these predictions with a grain of salt. I obviously have no idea who will win, but I’m basing these guesses as objectively as possible on how receptive I think students will be to each individual’s personality and campaign.

President:

Rich Tao – 2:1

Why He’ll Win: Extremely likeable candidate with a deep understanding of Yale College’s current problems and historical position.

Why He’ll Lose: May lack ruthless political nature necessary to mobilize student body vote.

Harrison Marks – 3:1

Why He’ll Win: Experience and drive. As the reigning Treasurer, Harrison can point to his experiences on the e-board as a concrete strength. Harrison has been eyeing the Presidency for quite some time and has steadily built up his contacts throughout the school.

Why He’ll Lose: Blind ambition. Harrison’s apparent “March to the Presidency” has soured many students opinion of him as another YCC tool.

Katrina Landeta – 8:1

Why She’ll Win: Very involved with AASA and community service groups. May attract female vote.

Why She’ll Lose: Seems to be pretty overmatched by other candidates in just about every important Presidential characteristic.

Vice-President:

Emily Schofield – 2:1

Why She’ll Win: Undeniable Election and Executive Board experience.

Why She’ll Lose: Yalies may look for a changing of the guard on the E-board.

Jarrett Burks – 15:1

Why He’ll Win: Extremely likable individual who may have some sort of trick up his sleeve.

Why He’ll Lose: Lacks YCC and student government experience necessary for crucial Vice Presidency position.

Treasurer:

Jon Wu – 2:1

Why He’ll Win: Very likable, hard-working candidate with the ability to mobilize the freshman vote. O ya… and this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b7-dOl5OWg

Why He’ll Lose: Might be too much too soon. J Wu held down a FCC Presidency and YCC representative spot this year. Student body may resent his quick ascent up YCC ladder.

Will Alexander – 3:1

Why He’ll Win: Also a very likable candidate who has built solid contacts throughout the student body.

Why He’ll Lose: Will’s athlete and fraternity base is probably the least voting-day reliable on campus.

Secretary:

Abigail Cheung – Push

Why She’ll Win: Ability to mobilize freshman vote.

Why She’ll Lose: Lacks YCC experience.

Jasper Wang –Push

Why He’ll Win: Experienced, well-spoken YCC candidate who worked on solid YCC projects including Job-shadowing day and Credit/D/Fail reform.

Why He’ll Lose: Might lack the charm to turn the crucial freshman vote.

YSAC Chair:

Not sure about any of the candidates but I’ll give the edge to Colin Leatherbury because of his experience with Spring Fling.

UOFC:

No Idea.

“So what rules can we break?” Is Old Campus the Next Kenya?

1:44 am Leave a Comment

By Zach Marks

The room was rank with the scent of awkward tension and eager anticipation. Friends made uncomfortable small talk about final papers and how great the weather was today (to be fair, it was pretty awesome). But were they still friends? Sure, they were. But were they really? No.

Tonight was the all-important election orientation meeting where YCC candidates learned it was time to stop being polite and start getting real. Election committee members Karan Arakotaram ’10 (who gets props for helping me with my prob set today) Geoff Buller ’09, and Aniket Shah ’09 were explaining the rules and regulations to ensure a clean race, but the candidates weren’t listening. They were thinking of one thing and one thing only: winning. Well maybe not YSAC Chair hopefuls Kristian Henderson ’09, Colin Leatherbury ’09, and Jon Terenzetti ’10. They all asked some pretty thoughtful questions. (Hands down the best comment of the night was Henderson’s: “So what rules can we break?”) But the rest of the candidates didn’t flinch. Not even when Taber started sippin that haterade and callin me out completely unprovoked. (I mean, I’m just sitting there, taking notes, checking out Katrina Landeta’s pretty campaign posters and she smears me like I’m running against her.)

The candidates do seem poised for an intense campaign, but I also have a feeling we won’t be hearing about many violations this year, if any at all. The election committee has done an impressive job streamlining the previously bloated election guidelines, clarifying overly complicated rules and nixing some ill-conceived ones. “If it didn’t really make sense why they were there in the first place, we got rid of them,” Buller said. The committee stands to benefit from the expertise of Aniket Shah ’09, who spent winter break monitoring Kenya’s chaotic presidential elections. “Let’s just hope that the YCC election is safer for Yale than the Kenyan election was for Kenya,” Shah said. Amen.

Stay tuned for more on tonight’s meeting. I have mad video footage. I just need to figure out how to upload it.

Yes Wu Can

1:33 am Leave a Comment

By Zach Marks

This video is sick. No more words necessary (although there are lots lots more below the fold). Will Alexander, looks like it’s time to step your game up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b7-dOl5OWg

(This blog software is really cramping my style. I should be able to include videos in the blog shortly.)

This video is pure genius. I mean, I like Jon Wu. We worked together on Eli Days, a mentoring program for New Haven high schoolers in February. But that’s not why I like this video.

After the show it’s the after party: Jon Wu after wrapping up production of “Yes Wu Can.”

(more…)

Best Friends Forever?

April 10, 2008 9:17 am Leave a Comment

By Zach Marks

From today’s YDN story on the YCC elections:

“We all know each other very well,” [YCC presidential hopeful Katrina] Landeta said, referring to her competitors, both of whom she counts among her close friends. “So it’ll be interesting to see how the next few days unfold. But regardless, we all very much respect each other.”

Katrina’s not lying. Facebook confirms that these three have caroused on at least several occasions. Here the three can be seen in a ménage a 8 of last year’s Freshman Class Council, where Katrina served as activities chair and Rich and Harrison served as chair of the whole body for a semester each:

More creepy Facebook stalking below the fold.

(more…)

What does it take to be Number Two?

April 9, 2008 4:15 pm Leave a Comment

By Zach Marks

A wise man named Nelly once asked, “What does it take to be Number One? Two is not a winner and three nobody remembers.” Well Emily Schofield might beg to differ.

Word on the street is that Schofield filed papers for a re-election bid for the post of YCC vice president. Some might recall Schofield’s memorable run to the vice presidency last year when she made it out of a packed field of worthy candidates, including then YCC Treasurer David Roosth ’09 and TD Representative Danny Seifert ’09 who chaired a sick Freshman Olympics two years ago. What followed was some of the best political theatre of our time as she and Ryan Russell ’09 (who spits hot fire alongside on me on this here blog) took part in a dog-fight of a run-off in which she was able to get out the Branford vote just a tad more effectively than Russell could mobilize his base of athletes and frat boys.

This year, Schofield has held it down as VP, often working behind the scenes on the nitty gritty chores necessary to keep the well-oiled Taber machine churning along. She confesses to staying up to 3 or 4 am most nights taking care of the tedious tasks of governance – putting representatives in touch with administrators, setting agendas for meetings and the like. This all seemed in preparation for a grand run at the presidency. After a year under Taber’s tutelage, she’d be ready to take the reins and ball. So when I heard she was gunnin for veep again, my natural reaction was of course, “WTF? Is she scared of running against her fellow e-board member Harrison Marks ’10? Don’t be scurred, Emily! Don’t get punked by a sophomore!”

Turns out she’s not being punked. She’s just really feeling, in her words, the “internal HR role of the VP [more] than the external PR role of the prez (gross simplification, i know, but still to a degree very true).” What? Someone in the YCC doesn’t like seeing their name in print?

We’ll see if Emily sticks to her guns and doesn’t make a last-minute switcheroo to run for top dog. The current presidential field of three sophomores who will likely split the ’10 vote might be too tempting a field to jump into.

Let the games begin!

April 8, 2008 1:14 am Leave a Comment

By Ryan Russell

I’m not normally a blogger, but when Zach Marks and I discussed the possibility of helping cover this year’s YCC Executive board election for the YDN, we knew this was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up. I mean, it’s been great walking around campus as the two biggest losers for the past year, but I for one am relishing in the opportunity to watch this year’s election drama unfold! Granted, the election committee has cut down on the campaign length and streamlined the endorsement process, but that sure hasn’t stopped the backstabbing and back room deals that have taken place before the election, nor will it cut down on the late night bickering about campaign violations, endorsement procedures, and advertisement infringements that undoubtedly will occur during the election. I mean… who wouldn’t want to cover this??

So with the election around the corner, be prepared (again) for the barrage of e-mails, that flurry of fliers, and those annoying late-night dorm room visits so that the candidates can secure that all important last vote. These unsolicited disturbances will surely test your patience and if you’re like most Yale students, a fundamental question is bound to cross your mind:

Why the hell does all of this even matter?

It matters because your life will be affected by the outcome in some way or another. Believe it or not, the YCC has a hand in almost everything that deals with student life here on campus. Sure, you’re aware of how the YCC habitually underperforms in providing acceptable acts for Spring Fling (I mean, Jay-Z and DMB can’t be too difficult to book… right?); but how about financial-aid reform, gender-neutral housing, last weekend’s “Party Train”, or maybe something as simple as providing locks on bedroom doors? Yep, the YCC has a hand in ALL of that and most likely a ton more that you have no idea about. The tone of for next year’s council will be set by the executive board Yale students elect next week. We’ll be here to help cover the lighter side of the campaign and also help you get to know these candidates.

It’s that time again…

12:52 am Leave a Comment

By Zach Marks

It’s that time again. When inboxes get clogged with campaign mail and Tyco makes bank from printing candidates’ posters, table tents, stickers and billboards. When people you’ve never seen start kissing your ass for votes and the word “tool” is heard in dining hall conversations with alarming frequency. Yeah, you know what time it is. YCC election time, baby!

I know, I know. No one likes having their common room invaded by pandering presidential hopefuls, but hold back that hateration just a minute. We have five competitive races and at least three impressive candidates running to fill the shoes of President Rebecca Taber ‘08: Katrina Landeta ’10, a representative from Branford, who’s worked on gender-neutral housing and CommUNITY week, and is president of KASAMA, Yale’s Filipino student group; Harrison Marks ’10, who won a fierce race last spring to be this year’s YCC treasurer, where he’s created the “Student Development Directive,” an idea that landed him a sweet headshot in the YDN and landed “Mean Girls” in Bass Library; and Richard Tao ’10, a representative from Silliman who spearheaded the YCC’s work on financial aid this winter and served as chair of the Freshman Class Council last year.

These posts will be short and sweet and updated whenever a candidate is seen talking with his or her hands, so peep this blog on the regular.

Yale Daily News

Tag Archive: Yale Decides 2008