AAS Senate Election Candidate Statements 2016
Issue   |   Wed, 04/20/2016 - 00:52

Judiciary Council Chair

Jacob Zeigler ’19
I may have been built for the judiciary council. My summer job had me reviewing Kentucky building codes, and I loved it (go ahead, ask me how many restrooms your hypothetical business would need.) I’m approachable and trustworthy, at least according to the multiple strangers who have asked me to watch their phones and bags in the train station. I’m excited to invest my time and judgement into the well-being of our campus. With your permission, I’d like a seat on the JC to step up the impact of all of our good life choices. Thanks!

Senators for Class of 2017

Paul Gramieri ’17
Hi! As your AAS treasurer for the past year, I had the privilege of funding events on campus while meeting with students and navigating Amherst’s bureaucratic administration. Next year, though, I am hoping to step away from funding to focus on the great class of 2017 to make our last year here the best one yet. I’ll continue the work I started this year to advocate for expanding student resources, especially the resource centers, the counseling center and the Q Center, and will work to reinstitute Mountain Day and ensure that our class has an on-campus Senior Week. Thank you!

Senators for Class of 2018

Mohamed Ramy ’18
Ahlan, all! Next year, I hope to be one of our class senators again, bringing engaging projects — such as Secret Letters — and dedication to tackling critical issues facing our campus. During this year, I have witnessed the problems of the senate as well as its initiatives and committees that help make our campus better. I am now in a better position to participate in the senate. I will endeavor to cater to the needs of our campus and support the new vision of our electoral board. In collaboration with my fellow senators, I wish to italicize experiences at Amherst.

Natasha Kim ’18
I’m running for re-election to represent our class for a third year! I hope to continue serving on the curriculum committee and working to implement serious improvements to the advising process and facilitate more shared intellectual experiences in the student body. I want the curriculum to serve students better instead of being a source of stress and will continue advocating for more flexible academic policies. Additionally, I hope to continue my work to improve the way reports of bias and discrimination are handled on campus by making the process more transparent and clear. Please reach out with questions or suggestions!

Areej Hasan ’18
Hello! I am running to represent the Class of 2018 in the AAS for a second year! I would love to continue my senate project of updating the online listing of clubs, to continue lobbying the board of brustees to add two seats for recent alumni, to continue trying to increase the credibility of senate as elections chair and to continue making orientation as inclusive as possible as part of the orientation committee. Most importantly, I would love to restructure the senate next year so that it actually helps students accomplish their own goals, not just financially, but also through institutional support.

Olivia Mastrangelo ’18
Having served on senate this year, I want to use what I have learned to create lasting change in the relationship between students and the AAS. I also plan to continue the working that I have started this year, like restructuring the arts committee and providing free feminine hygiene products in residential bathrooms. The AAS has flaws, but there is so much potential here to make our student government accessible and beneficial to every student at Amherst. I have a lot of hope for the AAS, and I hope you will vote for me so we can achieve these visions together.

Syed Abbas Shah ’18
Hey everyone. I have decided to launch a campaign for the senate as a honored representative of the Class of 2018. I hope to break the stifling hegemony of the top one percent over the electoral and governance processes of our esteemed institution. It’s time to return the power back to the 96 to 99 percent (90 percent confidence interval) of this country and break the stranglehold of political elitism, the political elite and the elite politicians. I hope, by being co-opted in the existing power structure, to return power to the disempowered and disempower the empowered, sending a powerful, empowering message of hope, resilience and inclusion.

Senators for Class of 2019

Will Zaubler ’19
Hello, Class of 2019. I would love to represent you all in the senate for a second term! Serving on the senate has given me invaluable experience, and I have followed through with the promises I made in my campaign platform and led many other initiatives — please see my Facebook page for further information! In a senate that can be bureaucratic, I am a senator you can trust who strives to have a meaningful impact on the Amherst community. To that end, if I am re-elected, I promise to continue to serve your interests and not the interests of my resume. #WhereTheresAWillTheresAWay
Jacob Silverman ’19
My name is Jacob Silverman and I’m running to continue representing the Class of 2019! I’m a member of the varsity cross country and track and field teams, budgetary committee and first-year life and orientation committee, and I am a current AAS senator. If re-elected, I plan to continue my promise of improving communication between the AAS and the student body as well as increasing the incentive for student involvement in the senate. We’ve done a lot of great work this year, and I hope we can continue the momentum into the next school year! Vote for Jacob Silverman for AAS senate!

Maeve McNamara ’19
My name is Maeve McNamara, and I would be honored to be a class senator for the second year in a row. During my time as a first-year senator, I served on the sexual respect task force and transportation committee. I organized “Everybody Has a Story Week,” a series of lunches between faculty, staff and students that facilitated “below-the-surface” conversations. I promise to continue this event and support events that involve community engagement and campus activism. I know that I will work hard to represent and listen to this community! Vote for Maeve, she’s still all the rave.

Kaelan McCone ’19
As a student at Amherst College, I’ve been a witness to a wide variety of changes in the last year. However, there is still an incredible amount left to do at this school. In lieu of all that has been done, my involvement in that and all that is left to do, I feel as if the next step in my involvement in the evolution of this campus is to run for the senate. As a senate for the rising sophomore class, I plan on using my position as a way to promote acceptance and tolerance on our campus.