Trinity sophomore Parker McConville

Trinity sophomore Parker McConville said he is running for the position of DSG vice president of student affairs "to do what he loves-serving others."

McConville, who has been involved with community service since the eighth grade and currently volunteers at the Lincoln Clinic in Durham, said that if elected, he would push for increased interaction between University students and the Durham community.

"I like to get involved with community service, and even if I wasn't running for DSG I'd be doing the same things anyway," he said.

McConville said he does not have a specific political platform, but he wishes to address the concerns of the student body. He wants students "to know what's going on, to make students feel like part of the process [and] to make students' life easier." One of his proposals is to set up an e-mail group for the presidents of student organizations that would spread information relevant to students quickly across campus.

He said he plans on addressing several specific student concerns. One is the freshman dining plan, which he said restricts the dining options for first-year students. He said he would like to see a plan for first-year students similar to the debit "points" plan for upperclassmen, who are billed only for what they actually purchase and not a fixed amount.

McConville has lived on North, West and "on East through [his freshman] sister vicariously." He said his experience of living on most of the four campuses has led him to be concerned about the residential options of students. People should not have to live where they do not want to live, he said, adding, "If people want to live on West, they should be able to."

The role of DSG vice president for student affairs should be viewed as "an advocate for students to deal with the administration," McConville said. "Students are the greatest asset this University has. My voice would be heard. I really would not necessarily do the best job, but I'd kill myself trying," he said.

This year, McConville, a history major, has served on his quad council and is a DSG legislator. He is also a member of the Dean's Advisory Committee and the Biennial Review Board, which monitors the activities and plans of fraternities and selective dorms.