As students begin shopping for next semester's classes on ACES, they face another choice that could potentially affect future course catalogues-the next Duke Student Government vice president for academic affairs.
Sophomores Julia Chou and Chelsea Goldstein and freshman Gregory Morrison are in a three-way battle for the position that represents student interests in decisions on curricular matters, student-faculty interaction and course registration. Voting will be Thursday.
Senior Gina Ireland, the current vice president for academic affairs, although impressed with all of this year's candidates, said voters should look for a candidate who is willing to put in the time to see projects through their terms.
"I think if I were going to give them one piece of advice, it'd be to continue on projects we've started on," she said, adding that the projects vice presidents for academic affairs work with often take many terms to succeed.
Progress on revised underload and pass-fail policies as well as work with pre-major advising and the majors' unions were some of this year's highlights, Ireland said.
Despite being the only freshman in the race, Morrison said he does not believe he is at a disadvantage.
"I think it helps because I come in with a fresh perspective," he said. "I can speak with administrators and approach things from a new direction. I bring something new to the table that they probably have not heard before."
Morrison is a senator on the Academic Affairs Committee and said his experience is one of the strengths of his candidacy.
Goldstein currently serves as DSG executive secretary. Like Morrison, she cited the importance of experience.
"More so than any of the other vice presidencies, you can really lose half your term trying to find your way unless you've already got a feel for the process," she said.
Goldstein's campaign has broached cyberspace, parodying the famous "I've Got a Crush... on Obama" viral video. "I've Got a Crush... on Chelsea Goldstein" has received more than 700 views on YouTube.
Although Chou is the only candidate without prior DSG experience, she said her outsider insight is a strength.
"I think it's really helped me because I've poured a lot of myself into researching the processes of DSG and looking for new perspectives," she said. "Instead of expanding already existing policies, I'm focused on coming up with new ideas."
Chou added that she is interested in forming relationships between the Office of Student Activities and Facilities, the Career Center and majors' unions to help students think about using a liberal arts education to pursue jobs outside preprofessional tracks. She also said she had already begun talks with administrators on instituting a new merit scholarship for current financial aid students who demonstrate leadership in community service.
Goldstein said she hopes to increase flexibility in students' ability to underload their schedules and make it easier for courses to be taken on a pass/fail basis.
She would also like to work closely with the Office of Study Abroad and make it easier for students to receive course credit from study abroad programs not affiliated with the University, she said.
Flexibility is also a recurring theme in Morrison's ideas about how academic affairs can be improved at Duke.
"I think the overarching theme of my platform is allowing students to assume more responsibility and freedom to distribute time," he said. "Policies should be flexible so students can pursue passions and leadership positions in ways that fit their majors."
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