In this year's strong field of USG Presidential candidates, one stands out. A clear vision for improving campus life, a record of concrete accomplishments, realistically achievable goals and a thoughtful approach to the job make Leslie-Bernard Joseph The Daily Princetonian's choice for President.
A sophomore in a field of juniors, Joseph stands out as the most articulate, observant candidate. He points to social fragmentation as Princeton's most important problem, and he's done a lot to make things better. From a 2006 class trip to Six Flags last spring to the "soul and Seoul" study break for black and Korean students, Joseph has planned and run events that bring disparate elements of campus together. One of his smartest ideas is to make social alternatives complementary to the street, scheduling them at different times instead of head-to-head with the parties on Prospect. He is also alert to the policy issues that any USG President must navigate — indeed, his past success demonstrates an ability to learn and lead within bureaucracies. Nobody could (or should) radically remake Princeton's social scene, but we feel confident Joseph will make a significant, incremental positive difference. He is an outsider to USG, so he'll have to learn quickly — a challenge we feel is more than offset by the energy and drive for change he will bring to the office.
Among the other candidates, Matt Margolin is another plausible choice. His interest in concrete issues, like improving the University's astoundingly bad mail delivery system, is well-placed. But he lacks a clear set of immediate priorities, and his track of hard work with limited results leaves open questions about his effectiveness. Amy Saltzman and Jacqui Perlman, both of whom have extensive USG experience, promise competent but status quo leadership. When we interviewed each candidate for 20 minutes, Perlman came across as alarmingly comfortable with the USG's current administrative stagnation. Saltzman, who has done pioneering work on big issues in the past, was disappointingly vague about what she would do in the future. Johnny Chavkin has proven himself effective on honor code reform — an effort he promises to continue if elected — but lacked a clear sense of the larger role of USG president. Gabe Doyle offers interesting but monumentally impracticable ideas.
Leslie-Bernard Joseph is our best hope for putting the USG to work as a tangible positive influence in the life of the typical Princeton student.
Schendle would bring enthusiasm to V.P. post
Among the pack of four sophomores, Frances Schendle rises to the top as the best choice for USG Vice President. After gaining experience in student government as the freshman class president for the Class of 2006, Schendle is now ready to serve the entire undergraduate community. One standout among her innovative set of goals involves implementing a used Pequod resale system, for courses in which the packet of readings changes only slightly from year to year. She also hopes to improve campus exercise facilities by extending hours, purchasing more machines and looking into the possibility of "student only" hours. Above all, Schendle's enthusiasm for the position and easy interactions will make her an excellent Vice President. Daily Princetonian editorials are written by the Editorial & Opinion Editors, Managing Editors and Editor-In-Chief.
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