Sophomore Mike Lefevre spends hours every night responding to students who e-mail him about buses not being on time, specific menu requests and other day-to-day campus living concerns.
The current Duke Student Government vice president for athletics and campus services said student perspective informs his presidential platform, which he characterized as practical rather than idealistic. This year, his position in DSG has put him in touch with ground-level University operations and allowed him to forge relationships with administrators, he said.
"I want to be the president who gets things done," he said.
Through discussions with administrators, Lefevre said he has learned that the University is considering eliminating the C-3 bus and altering the board plan to further restrict where students can eat, which would generate increased revenue for the University.
"I want to make sure that as we go into uncertain economic times, administrators don't take advantage of students," he said. "I want to bring all the administrators together and stand up for what students really need. Strengthening the student voice is what we really need."
The public policy studies major from Philadelphia said his favorite aspect of his personality is what he refers to as his "chewing gum brain."
"When I get something in my head, I can't get it out," he said. "When I figure out something I want to get accomplished, I stay up all night until I can find a way to get it accomplished."
After college, Lefevre said he plans to spend a few years driving a freight train, but while at Duke, he will continue to devote his time to guiding projects to completion. He cited several projects that have produced tangible results for students as a result of what he considers his ambitious, creative approach to problem-solving and passion for transportation issues.
Lefevre, however, has been criticized by Duke Democrats for what the organization perceives as an "anti-union" stance regarding Dining Services workers in Lefevre's Memorandum on Dining that was posted on his campaign Web site. Lefevre has since taken the memorandum down from the site and said that he is not anti-union but "pro student experience."
He said the section of his memo that was construed as "anti-union" was prompted by the common student complaint that dining service in the Great Hall and Marketplace were not up to standards.
Earlier this year, the Zipcar program had been put on hold due to technical problems with payment, but Lefevre said he did not want the minor logistical issues to hinder the project's success.
"Ultimately, we got Zipcar because I knocked on [Vice President for Campus Services] Kemel Dawkins' door every week and said, 'Where is Zipcar?'" he said. "When I talked, they listened."
Another accomplishment that resulted from Lefevre's relationship with University officials was the new guest parking pass option, he added. He worked with Chuck Catotti, director of Parking and Transportation Services, so those who visit Duke students can park their cars on campus for $3 per day.
Catotti said he and Lefevre meet fairly regularly and have also discussed Zipcars, parking fines and improving environmental sustainability on campus.
"My experience with Mike is that he is organized, energetic and seems to have a sense of what makes sense and what is important," he said. "Mike's a smart guy, and he does his homework."
Junior Vivek Upadhyay, an athletics and campus services senator, said Lefevre is qualified to be president even though he is the only sophomore running. Lefevre noted that he enjoys working closely with the senators on the athletics and campus services committee and helping them with their individual projects.
"[Lefevre] never actually makes you feel like you're working under him," Upadhyay said. "He has the unique ability to represent the students and have a good relationship with administrators."
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