"Joke" ticket inspired real change
Andy Nelson
former vice presidential candidate
As Notre Dame's "exciting" student body elections descend upon our icy campus, I wish to remind you all of a couple of crazy guys who attempted to get elected last spring.
Chris Zimmerman and I were deemed the "joke" ticket of last year's race, but as I look at this year's campus developments, it seems as though we were more successful than anyone expected us to be — and we weren't even actually elected.
We wanted to trim the fat from student government, which has put on the freshmen 15 several times over. We were told, however, that we should learn to work "with the current system." Not long ago, Erin LaRuffa and Jason McFarley of The Observer graded student government, and those grades were short of the Dean's List. Also, the University recently decided to form a task force to examine the role of student government on campus and what that role should be in the future.
We wanted to renovate LaFortune. We were told that it could never happen, that it would cost too much. Now, Starbucks, Sbarro and Eddie Peppers (whatever that is) are on their way to our lovely student center.
We wanted to evaluate the grading system so that excellence would be rewarded more fairly in each college. This fall, to the chagrin of the class of 2005, new Dean's List requirements were announced. Grades in the College of Engineering are no longer held straight up against grades from the Mendoza College of Business.
We wanted to add more all-school masses, and this year's tickets are all promising the exact same thing for next year. Apparently, good ideas can come from a couple of "jokesters."
As you can see, Chris and I have accomplished more this year than the actual elected student body officers. Seems odd that a couple of guys who were treated as a joke last year inspired so many actual changes this year.
Andy Nelson
former vice presidential candidate
junior
Fisher Hall
Feb. 1, 2002
All Viewpoint Stories for Monday, February 4, 2002
