Chances are, you've heard of Anthony Vitarelli.
Often dressed in a sports coat and tie, Vitarelli is one of the most visible leaders and ubiquitous names at Duke. Now, after a busy term as Campus Council president, he hopes to accomplish a wider range of goals by becoming the next leader of Duke Student Government.
Although the Vorhees, N.J., native has concentrated on Campus Council, the junior public policy studies and economics double major has a range of leadership experiences to draw from, including co-founding an environmental organization called the Duke University Greening Initiative and serving a term as a DSG senator his sophomore year.
"Being Campus Council president has given me the experience in obtaining student input when making decisions that impact undergraduates, " Vitarelli said. "My experience with the Greening Initiative taught me how to manage a large, well-funded organization.... I would look forward to the challenge of expanded administrative jurisdiction."
Although Campus Council governs decisions related to housing and residential life, as DSG President, Vitarelli would expand his focus to students' physical and mental health, the importance of increased academic opportunities and the regulation of the impacts that campus construction creates. Vitarelli pointed to students not taking advantage of Counseling and Psychological Services, the lack of pass/fail classes or other options promoting academic risk-taking as issues for DSG to address.
"The DSG president should offer a broad vision for the organization, " Vitarelli said. "The president should not micromanage small projects.... The role should be used to affect long term, large scale change for the University community."
Vitarelli also hopes to improve the accountability and accessibility of DSG by such measures as holding weekly office hours in the Marketplace and on the Bryan Center walkway, enforcing more stringent attendance rules at DSG Senate meetings and creating a DSG Senate website where students can check senators' voting records and activities.
"DSG should be responsive, efficient and flexible," Vitarelli said. "[DSG] should not lose the ability to respond effectively and rapidly to any unexpected administrative decision or campus event."
The race for DSG president has narrowed, after junior Aaron Dinin dropped out of the race last weekend, to two Campus Council officers, Vitarelli and Communications Coordinator Pasha Majdi. They have been on the Council together three years, but Vitarelli says that the race will not affect their friendship.
"Pasha's a great guy, " Vitarelli said. "I've known him since the beginning of freshman year, and I have only good things to say about him."
Vitarelli's time in Campus Council has allowed him to work closely with administrators. Deb LoBiondo, assistant dean of students for residence life, who acts as an administrative advisor to the Council, recommended Vitarelli wholeheartedly.
"Anthony 's one of the finest student leaders with which I have had the pleasure of working in 25 years," LoBiondo said. "He is solid, well-spoken, very concerned about students, compassionate and not afraid to challenge the process."
Sue Wasiolek, Dean of Students, has also worked with Vitarelli, on Campus Council and with other groups, and cited his commitment to the University.
"One thing that comes across strongly and clearly is that he really cares about Duke," Wasiolek said. "I remember vividly sitting on a panel... and students were talking about study abroad, and Anthony said he wouldn't consider studying abroad because he liked it here too much."
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.