The seven candidates for the athletics, services and environment branch of the Senate are Emily Feng, Wendi Oppenheim, Daniel Reiff, Callie Roberts, David Robertson, Alex Schnoff and Ann Tai. The voting process will take place on Monday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. via a link that will be sent to each students’ Duke email account. The Chronicle's Danielle Muoio spoke with six candidates about their campaigns. Daniel Reiff declined an interview.
The Chronicle: Why are you running for this position?
Emily Feng: I want to get involved with something I know as my second home and also be in the position to make it better.
Wendi Oppenheim: I’m good at identifying complex issues when they arrive. I want to be involved and help the student body be happy. I cofounded a non-profit organization in high school…. I interned this summer with senator Frank Lautenberg in New Jersey—I worked on the environment team.
Callie Roberts: I’m interested in doing this… because I was just elected for the presidential campus stability committee so I want to work closely with DSG and collaborate with both the CSC and the senate so we can really get things done well.
David Robertson: I feel like I’m a confident leader, I have put a lot of experience into dealing with other people and I like to get involved.
Alex Schnoff: To better the community of Duke. I’m looking forward to working with older students and working with the duke community.
Anne Tai: I just want to make our lives easier, and I want to do something for Duke.
TC: What’s your platform?
EF: A lot of the ideas that I have are about taking all of these different student groups and different events going on and giving information about transportation and giving students information on how to access them.
WO: It doesn’t make sense that the [freshmen] athletes have to rush back to the Marketplace to have a free meal instead of bonding with the rest of the team. The whole meal plan in my mind [is flawed and needs to be changed].
CR: I want to implement the compost system. I’ve already talked to the Vice President of the senate and she said that was a great idea so my idea has already been improved.… I want to advertise the club and intramural teams so that they could get more fans and organize transport to their games.… I want to fundraise for padlocks [that students could use at the gym]… [and] organize self-defense and safety knowledge for each dorm.
DR: [I want to make] the bus system more reliable…[also] we have a lot of school spirit for basketball but not for other sports, and that is something I’d like to change.
AS: We need to make it easier for kids to recycle. [Also] more services where if kids want to eat and relax [that there is] an outside area for kids to do so.
AT: [I want to] use free stuff to attract students [to games] on weekdays when not many students are drawn to the games… I would [also] get the students signatures [to] find out what are the best hours for the buses to run more frequently.
TC: What’s your opinion on the new Football Gameday?
EF: I’m not a huge proponent for re-instigating Tailgate, but I think the new regulations are too strict.
WO: My opinion is that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. This is just the beginning stage of Gameday—there is still progress that needs to be made.
CR: I’m willing to work closely with the administration to find a balance with what they think is appropriate and what the students would like to change from it.
DR: I think that it’s a healthier alternative, but I think that there are still kinks that need to be worked out… it’s a better track to foster school spirit.
AS: I think there needs to be a reinstatement of Tailgate.
AT: I think that if the Duke students want the change, then I will [change it]. I will give a poll if elected and ask the people what their opinion is on that.
TC: If elected, what is one thing you would truly hope to change?
EF: The transportation system.
WO: The meal plan.
CR: The main thing that I want to get implemented is the compost system.
DR: More reliable C-1 buses.
AS: The life of campus. I think that we need more events for people to interact more. [Also] people need to get more athletically involved.
Anne Tai: [I want] to use free stuff to attract students to games on weekdays.
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