UCS President
Arthur Matuszewski '11
Arthur Matuszewski thinks the Undergraduate Council of Students needs to better represent the student community.
"UCS has to reorient its priorities about what it is and who it is serving," Matuszewski said, adding that "UCS is following the administration and then getting students to follow the administration."
Matuszewski, an independent concentrator in the social philosophy of shaping world views and former editor-in-chief of Post- magazine, said he envisions UCS as the missing link needed to empower students as its predecessor, the Cammarian Club, did in the 1970s. We must "try to return UCS to its past ideals, which were community and looking at the world at large," he said.
The Queens, N.Y., native, who said he has "lived the life of a Brown student as fully as possible," served on UCS for a semester before he became disillusioned by its bureaucratic structure, he said.
He has served on the College Curriculum Council executive board since his sophomore year and has been active in the collaboration between Brown and local prisons through the Brown Education Link, which brings professors to local prisons to speak, and Space in Prison for the Arts and Creative Expression.
These experiences off campus have made him "see how fortunate we are here" and have been a large part of his learning experience at Brown, he said.
He said UCS must address student concerns rather than sitting by as students become apathetic. "UCS is an institution and was created by individuals, and when individuals stop believing in institutions, they are no longer valuable to the community."
Diane Mokoro '11
Diane Mokoro thinks the Undergraduate Council of Students can become a powerful advocacy group if it increases collaboration with the committees to which it appoints student representatives.
The current UCS vice president said the council can gain more leverage with the administration if it better engages diverse groups — including committees like the Residential Council and the College Curriculum Council — in conversation. She said she envisions UCS as a "hydra-type, many-headed monster" that must create "a natural and intrinsic link between UCS and the student body."
UCS will also play a vital role in determining the plans for construction of new residence halls next year, she said, and understanding student needs will be necessary to communicate with the administration.
The Lowell, Mass., native cited her experience with the internal structure of UCS and her ability to delegate tasks as essential to achieving these goals. "Having a realistic vision and knowing the concrete steps of how to deal with administrators" is essential, said Mokoro, who served on the communications committee last year.
Mokoro worked on election reform in runoff procedures this year. After researching different systems across the U.S., the international relations and public policy concentrator advocated for an instant runoff procedure that will be voted on this week along with the candidates.
"I was the kind of student who never expected to get into Brown," she said. She wants to make sure Brown is still "lovable" 30 years from now.
UCS Vice President
Ben Farber '12
Ben Farber thinks a visionary leader must find a balance between focusing on small-scale improvements and broader-range goals.
Farber believes his extensive experience as this year's chair of campus life provides him with the experience to assume the position of vice president.
"I expect that new members and committee chairs would be able to turn to me for advice," Farber said, adding that he can provide a "strong support system" while also holding a firm understanding of the way in which UCS functions internally.
Farber has led many smaller initiatives this year, including implementing continental breakfast at the Verney-Woolley Dining Hall and bringing a specific brand of hot sauce to the Sharpe Refectory. He also said patio seating outside of the Sciences Library and cigarette depositories outside of Keeney Quadrangle will be forthcoming.
He mentioned several potential projects for next year, such as conducting a heating audit across campus, investigating improvements to the housing lottery through an online system and increasing lighting on the Main Green.
As the second in command, the Moorestown, N.J., resident said he would be "thinking on a broader scale" without for- getting the substantive change that can occur at the smallest level.
"My list of goals is based entirely on feedback and will continue to expand and change," Farber said. "Our job is to be responsive to the student body."
Farber said he wishes to translate his passion for Brown into making visible improvements.
Reed Frye '11
Reed Frye believes in the value of community input and doesn't think a vision of change can come from an established UCS member.
"A lot of UCS members agree that what we need is a large vision," Frye said, but added that he believed it is difficult to enact such large changes without community participation.
Frye, who has never served on the council, said increasing a community audience at UCS meetings is possible by improving advertising, having more faculty speakers and possibly providing food. "UCS consistently underestimates how important it is to have the community there," he said.
Frye also cares about achieving pragmatic goals on UCS such as improving shopping period and establishing waiting lists for seminars, but he does not believe serving on UCS in the past is vital to solving these issues. "These are logical issues that logical people can find answers for," he said. Vision, on the other hand, requires a unique perspective.
The public policy concentrator said he is "willing to provide and advocate for the structural changes that will put Brown in a high place."
Frye cited the "erosion of the New Curriculum" through "with distinction" marks as one of the large issues Brown should look at.
While Frye has not served on UCS before, he has experience with encouraging increased dispersal of information to the community. Frye works for the Providence Plan, a nonprofit group that organizes research for community action groups so that they can understand trends in Providence.
Evan Holownia '11
As chair of the communications committee, Evan Holownia has first-hand experience with attempts to increase contact between UCS and the student body.
"UCS needs to be responsive and take the temperature of the student body," Holownia said. Only then can it take "proactive and concrete steps," he said.
Office hours, a YouTube page, Twitter and Morning Mail are just a few of the ways UCS has increased its connection to students, but "communication externally is something we need to continue working on," Holownia said.
Holownia thinks improving communication is truly "about improving the Brown experience for the student body."
Holownia also thinks internal communication over time can be improved through better record-keeping and alumni relations so that UCS can learn from past leadership rather than having "to reinvent itself" with every transition. He said he has worked this year to have chairs document what they have accomplished throughout the year.
He also recognizes the importance of initiatives to improve the student experience, supporting the availability of all syllabi online and increasing advising opportunities so that sophomores and transfer students can "feel better integrated."
Holownia transferred to Brown from Tufts University after his freshman year and is now triple-concentrating in classics, public policy and history. He said he hopes his energy and commitment will translate into positive work next year regardless of the election's outcome.
UFB Chair
Salsabil Ahmed '11
Salsabil Ahmed, the current UCS-UFB liaison, thinks the Undergraduate Finance Board needs to be the "central resource" for student groups on campus when they are planning events.
The public policy and commerce, organizations and entreprenuership concentrator is no stranger to organizing events herself, estimating that she has helped organize over 20 events as Brown University Activities Council vice-chair, a member of the Bruin Club and secretary of the 2011 Class Board. She thinks UFB needs to do a better job with transparency so groups can have realistic expectations for the funding they may expect.
While there are already detailed minutes of all meetings, she said closed deliberations should be opened to student groups not being considered for funding within that meeting itself so they can see first-hand how the finance board employs the guidelines for funding.
Ahmed also thinks groups with similar experiences would benefit from brainstorming together. She envisions monthly meetings for all cultural groups, for instance, in order to find "collaborative" ideas for ways to increase the value of the resources they do have.
The Lisbon, Conn., native has also worked on many initiatives to reduce costs to student groups, including working on the Capital Closets project to be implemented next year, which will rent out event supplies such as speakers to Category III groups at a reduced price. She has also "spearheaded the tableslipping phase-out" and believes the finance board must find a good advertising alternative for next year.
"I am 100 percent confident I have the best leadership for the job," Ahmed said.
Adam Kiki-Charles '11
Adam Kiki-Charles joined UFB because he wanted to know how requesting funding for events actually worked.
This lack of campus-wide understanding of how UFB works is one of the largest issues facing the finance board for next year, Kiki-Charles said.
The political science and economics concentrator said that since all students pay the activities fee through tuition, "everyone should know how to access it if they have got a legitimate claim to it."
Kiki-Charles said the current chair, Jose Vasconez '10, has been very effective in improving relationships between administrators, UFB and students, but he believes initiatives to improve accessibility must continue.
Certain steps must be taken to improve how UFB relates with the student groups it is working with this year. "We should send minutes directly to the groups to explain rationale" for decisions, Kiki-Charles said. Training of representatives must occur earlier, Kiki-Charles said, possibly beginning with a meeting in May to outline the plans for the following year.
The Deer Park, N.Y., native, who attended high school in Bermuda, said he thinks the student activities fund amount limits what can be done, adding that UFB should have a specific endowment for student activities.
As chair, he said he believes it would be important to reach out to alums to tell them that they can donate to the student activities fund.
Kiki-Charles said "the chair has a unique position for setting the tone for the entire board."
UFB Vice Chair
Jason Lee '12
Jason Lee believes UFB must understand funding from the student group perspective in order to be effective.
The biology and likely economics concentrator says his experience on the "receiving end" makes it "far easier to understand what (groups) are asking for." As the current social chair of the Korean-American Student Association, a Sales Associate for The Herald and a previous member of Model U.N., Lee sees the issues from both ends.
This experience, along with his role as a UFB representative, has been vital in shaping his views on many of the key issues that UFB will face in the coming year.
Lee disagreed with the recent cut in funding in advertising for student groups, which he said funds essentially only one set of posters. He said tableslips were likely "one of the most successful methods" for advertising, and UFB must work with UCS and Brown University Activities Council next year to ensure that advertising does not suffer.
Still, he said UFB should look at creative ways for cutting costs without employing a "minimalist point of view" such as ignoring the importance of food and decorations.
He also sees how the finance board's lack of professionalism at meetings can be a turnoff for presenting groups. The Los Angeles resident said increasing professional behavior and improving connections between at-large representatives and groups will inspire better confidence in UFB.
"We have this reputation for screwing people over," Lee said, adding that UFB should be "known as a group that helps things happen instead of the group that just says no."
Tyler Rosenbaum '11
Tyler Rosenbaum thinks UFB may need to increase its funding of student groups while the effects of the recession are still being felt.
"I think we could definitely step up during this time of financial distress," Rosenbaum said, specifically because the student activities fee has not been cut despite the economic difficulties.
"Precedents are important," Rosenbaum said, "but when there has been a landslide in the economy that is unprecedented, I think we can be more generous than we have in the past." The Seattle native, a Herald columnist, mentioned funding instructors for dance teams as an example of the type of aid UFB should consider.
Rosenbaum has had a lot of experience with both UCS and UFB, serving as the chair of the academic affairs committee before becoming the UCS-UFB liaison and eventually becoming the secretary for UFB this year. As secretary, he has put detailed minutes online, which he believes is one step in increasing transparency. He also said letting people into closed deliberations would help to dispel the "smokey room vision" students may have concerning UFB's funding decision process.
Rosenbaum has also been involved in the Capital Closet initiative, which he said will reduce costs for both groups and the finance board.
Rosenbaum thinks UFB has the capability to be a dynamic force on campus, so long as it increases dialogue on issues such as tableslipping.
"When I first joined UFB, my mentor on the board was like ‘you are never going to want to leave,' " Rosenbaum said. And the mentor was right, he said.
