Mead, Newsom nominated for presidency

In a meeting last night marked by a serious discussion of the issues and a little bit of nudity, the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate nominated Senators Randy Newsom and Joe Mead to challenge each other in the 2003 presidential race.

Though both candidates expressed hopes that this year''s presidential campaign would focus on the issues, several senators suggested that there were few tangible differences between Mead''s and Newsom''s platforms. Voters will chose between the candidates in an online election next Wednesday.

Mead and Newsom both cited the importance of instituting need-blind admissions, becoming involved with the planned expansion of the campus center, and working with the Task Force on the Undergraduate Experience.

The small meeting, which traditionally allows for the formal nomination of candidates and the announcement of individual platforms, began unconventionally this year when Stacy Ulrich, a member of the Committee on Student Life (CSL), streaked the assembly. "I can guarantee you that this is the first time we''ve ever had a streaker at a meeting," Newsom said.

Despite the unexpected opening, the candidates quickly refocused their attention to communicating their platforms to the senators and culture representatives assembled at the meeting.

Newsom spoke first and identified his "biggest goal" as turning the TCU Senate into a resource available to every student. For quick, short-term results, Newsom advocated Senate involvement in small projects such as extending fitness center hours on Saturday nights and altering dining hall hours to more closely fit students'' schedules.

Newsom''s long-term goals include working with the administration to change the alcohol policy and the block schedule, bringing more alumni back to campus, and connecting Tufts'' undergraduate and graduate constituencies.

Additionally, Newsom proposed restructuring future orientations so that guides would explain not only where services and staff were located, but also what they do. This change would shift students'' focus from merely "navigating Tufts to [knowing] how to use Tufts as a resource," Newsom said.

Mead also identified student outreach as his primary goal and pointed out his aptitude for the presidency with references to his service on several organizations'' executive boards and on many Senate committees. "As Senate president, it''s all about work," Mead said. "It''s all about what you can do for the students."

Among Mead''s proposed services for students are recruiting more restaurants and shops to the Merchants on Points System (MOPS), which currently allows students to purchase food from several local restaurants using Dining Dollars and Points Plus.

Mead also hopes to improve Senate management of projects by developing a more involved training session for new members.

But a few senators were wary of the candidates'' promises, and inquired about what they had accomplished this year to reach out to student groups and different communities on campus. Both Newsom and Mead assured that while they had not reached out to every group yet, they fully planned to if elected president.

Mead and Newsom, who are also both brothers in fraternities, both mentioned the need to improve communication between the administration and members of the Greek system.

"It is clich?© that the administration tells the Greek system that it isn''t living up to its standards," Mead said. He advocated more Senate involvement with administrators and suggested that members of the Greek system set more definitive guidelines for behavior.

Newsom agreed that the Greek system was in need of change, though not using the current methods. "We can''t have an administration that only talks about the Greek system when disciplinary action is needed," he said. "The Senate needs to take a more active role in making the Greek system safe not only for the people within the system but also for those outside of it."

The candidates do differ in their proffered solutions to the outreach problem, however. While Mead fully supports the recently-proposed outreach bylaw that would divide the student body into groups personally assigned to one senator, Newsom feels that the bylaw may be too limited and stressed the need to develop a more open and approachable Senate. Newsom maintained, however, that he supports the bylaw''s overall concept.

Newsom and Mead will address additional issues at an open debate next Tuesday in Hotung Caf?©.