Kelch and Oldja Are Best Choice
Lauren Oldja and Steve Kelch have already proven themselves to be responsible through their duties to the UA and other student groups, and I have great respect for both of them. They both act with the same high level of integrity on a personal level that they display through their work in student organizations.
I’ve also worked with Steve through many of my roles in student leadership, including the UA Senate and in planning orientation for the class of 2010; he is not only adept at getting things done effectively, but he is also a friendly and charismatic person who is easy to talk to and fun to interact with.
In my experiences, student government is deeply entrenched in bureaucracy. I’ve had to deal with a load of B.S. in representing Simmons Hall as a UA senator and now as its president. I know firsthand how frustrating it can be to get things done when it’s easier to just be disgusted by the politics. Steve and Lauren have both shown a profound ability to work through the red tape without becoming drones of the system — this, I think, is both uncommon and admirable. As a ticket, these two candidates would be a powerful leadership for the undergraduate population. The fact that they have already started implementing many of their platform ideas is testimony to this.
Lauren and Steve also have a wide range of living experiences between them. Lauren has been a long-term West Campus resident and has seen the varied cultures of the west side dorms. She has also lived across the river, and understands the difficulties that FSILGs face on a daily basis. Steve maintains strong ties to the east side while also serving as the president of his fraternity in Cambridge. Their combined experiences on campus and in FSILGs guarantee that all undergrads will be represented by their ticket.
I know that Lauren and Steve will serve our student body well as UA President and Vice President. It goes without saying that they have my highest endorsement.
Agustya R. Mehta ’08 is the president of Simmons Hall.