Fourteen new WCSA Residential Representatives were elected to office last week. These members will make up the Residential Affairs Committee which is responsible for studying and initiating appropriate actions on residential living issues that concern students.
In addition to Residential Representatives for dormitories, representatives were elected from the SLUs.
“This year, Anthony and I felt that SLUs need more representation on WCSA, so we have made room for two SLU reps this year,” said Carly Halall, vice president of WCSA and chair of the residential affairs committee.
Sophomore Alex Kerensky, one of the new SLU representatives, said she is dedicated to make positive changes for the SLU community as well as the rest of campus.
Kerensky said some people are intimidated by SLUs and she wants to make the benefits of SLUs available to the rest of campus.
She said the SLU community can sometimes come off as exclusive at times, but they have a lot of great things going on that all of campus would enjoy.
One of Kerensky’s main goals is to convey to the student body what WCSA does.
“I’d like to make WCSA more transparent and less of a mystery,” said Kerensky. “I am also looking forward to working with Sean Kinghorn on the sustainability committee to further the environmental advancements on campus.”
Sophomore Anthony Fisher, a recently elected second-term residential representatives, also said one of his goals is better communication between WCSA and the rest of the student body.
“Every candidate on every campaign trail, national or small scale, will say they want transparency; this is such a generic term,” said Fisher.
He said his goal is to make WCSA more transparent by allowing the student body to voice their opinion freely.
“Through the mediums of our easily accessible web sites, public forums, surveys, and tabling events, I feel we can grasp the student body’s opinion,” Fisher said.
Fisher said the aspect of residential life that needs to be changed the most is removal of off-campus privileges.
“Many students go away to school for the sole purpose of learning to mature and become independent. How will a student be able to do that if they live in dormitories for four years?
Fisher said that the university should promote independence
“Some may say that the Greek community does allow some independence, however there is nothing like having to pay bills, cook, and clean in your own residence,” he said.
Sophomore Alvince Pongos, a new residential representative, said he looks forward to being a leader on campus.
He compares his position on the committee with nature.
“My goal as a representative is to be like water.” Pongos said. “I hope to reflect the voices and passions of the student body, to adapt and work with the limits of our resources, and with this to move mountains and carve our mark into the world.”
He said the most urgent issue on campus is the overcrowding in dormitories, specifically Smith.
“The problem with overcrowding is that it hinders the students’ ability to accomplish some of the goals of college life,” Pongos said. “Some of the goals of college life include gaining knowledge and with this reserve of knowledge to find inspiration and with this inspiration to create.”
He said overcrowding in dormitory life hinders every level of progression in this system.
“Our minds function like a flowing river. When there is clutter and overcrowding, our thoughts become dammed,” said Pongos.
“Thus, we become beings of stagnation, unmoved and bounded, he said. “However, when our environment is clear, the flow of progress is boundless and moves beyond the horizon.”
Improving and sustaining an environment that benefits the growth of students is another one of Pongos’ goals.
“It is understood we are partially products of our environment,” said Pongos.” “Thus, it is a constant endeavor to create an environment that will aid in the intellectual, emotional, and maybe even spiritual growth of the students.”
Pongos said he will accomplish improvement through gaining knowledge of self and his environment and using the information to make changes.
Pongos said the first step of solving a problem is finding out what the problem is.
“By keeping an open ear, and empathetic heart, I hope to gain understanding of the needs of the student body.”
“By gaining knowledge of systems of political leverage at OWU I hope to make efficient positive change.”