Before revamping the Young Trustee selection process, Duke Student Government Vice President for Community Interaction Lisa Zeidner spent hours in the library researching the procedure's history, trying to find the best way to improve the oft-criticized system. When the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day planning committee wanted a DSG representative to help increase student involvement in the scheduled activities, Zeidner, a Trinity junior, stepped in.
If she succeeds in her bid for the DSG presidency, her next target will be financial aid.
Zeidner suggested the underlying cause of the frustration many financial aid recipients experience may be a lack of communication between those students and the offices that process their aid packages.
"I want to make sure money gets to students," she said. "Duke's need-blind admissions is a source of pride. If it's not working right, [administrators] need to know."
Jim Belvin, director of financial aid, said he has not yet spoken with Zeidner about her suggestions. He acknowledged that DSG input has been helpful in the past, but said federal law limits drastic systemic changes.
"There is an extraordinary amount of federal regulatory structure that binds what we do. Some things are just the way they are," Belvin said, but also added he is willing to discuss possible solutions.
Zeidner said she is confident she can tackle financial aid problems within the bounds of the president's power. "I want to do to financial aid what I did to the Young Trustee process. I identified the problem and looked into the history of it," she said.
Earlier this year, Zeidner revised the Young Trustee selection process, a DSG task previously criticized for being too closed-door. Her work added information sessions for potential applicants and an earlier release of finalists' names.
"I had suggested that someone from DSG should take a careful look at the process before it got under way. Lisa did just that," said University Secretary Allison Haltom, who worked with the Zeidner to make the process more public. "In a thorough, well-organized way... she identified what worked and what did not."
Zeidner also intends to tackle adjusting DSG's infrastructure. One of the major problems with the organization this year, she said, was a difficult transition for incoming officers. She hopes to resolve this partially by holding an executive retreat to help new officers settle into their positions.
Trinity senior Maya Corey, Zeidner's immediate predecessor in the vice presidency for community interaction, described Zeidner as dependable and enthusiastic, but said a focus on the student body is more important than highlighting in-house changes.
"Sometimes the more important things are what they'll do externally, for the student body," Corey said.
This year, Zeidner's focus went beyond the student body and into Duke-Durham relations. To enhance town-gown interaction even further, she hopes to build on the progress she has made this year.
Zeidner was one of the primary organizers for MLK Day programming this January. Vice President for Institutional Equity Myrna Adams lauded Zeidner's ability to increase student participation.
"We have never had such a response from students before, although we certainly did try to involve them. I don't know what formula she used, but it certainly worked," Adams said, noting that Zeidner set "reasonable goals" for student turnout.
The last of Zeidner's goals is to maintain on-campus social life. Although she will not live on campus next year, Zeidner said her ongoing involvement in the University social scene makes her a "trustworthy" student representative.
"I am definitely social, but I take responsibility seriously," said Zeidner, who is the academic development chair of Delta Delta Delta sorority and Mirecourt selective house. "Being approachable means students can trust that I'm giving a good perspective to the administration."
DSG President Jeri Powell, who also lives off campus, agreed that a president need not live on campus to comprehend the University's environment.
"With the stresses of the job, it is important to find ways to claim some personal space, and I don't think living off-campus will affect her ability to work in any way," said Powell, a Trinity senior. She added that Zeidner "has a clear understanding of the role of president... and is committed first to the school, and not to the implied prestige of the title."
Although Zeidner's platform centers on several of the same issues prominent in Powell's campaign last year, she said her administration would be more active and outreach-oriented than the current president's.
"DSG a lot of times has the attitude that people have to come to us," she said, suggesting DSG compile a book highlighting the programming funds available to student groups. "We have to make a more active way of going to students, helping them contribute to discussion.
"I definitely want to set the precedent for active, engaged leadership," she continued. "A lot of the things we did this year were behind the scenes. We'll do it next year, but also bring DSG to students, be in their face a little more."
Peri Edelstein and Zack Tuck contributed to this article.
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