Hallahan appoints chief of staff
By MATT BRAMANTI
News Writer
Student body president-elect Pat Hallahan appointed freshman Emily Chin as his chief of staff for the 2003-2004 academic year.
Chin, a resident of Welsh, currently serves as student union secretary. As chief of staff, Chin will lead and coordinate all activities of the Office of the President.
Chin, who managed the campaign to elect Hallahan and his running mate, Jeremy Lao, said the trio "complement each other well."
"Pat and Jeremy both approached me" about the appointment, Chin said. She expressed confidence that her experience in student government will lead to a successful year.
"I saw the internal student government workings first hand," Chin said.
Hallahan heaped praise on the rising leader. "Anyone would be willing to work with her," he said. "She has a way about her that's very professional and very warm." He went on to express confidence in his staff with Chin at the helm. "With Emily and the group we've put together, we can be effective in addressing students' concerns," Hallahan said.
Hallahan echoed the sentiment. "She's only a freshman and she's been very involved and active already," he said. "She comes in with a level of experience that not many freshmen have."
Chin said her focus would be on fulfilling the campaign promises she helped Hallahan and Lao engineer, including improved communication with University officers, academic programming and working to bring dances back into the residence halls.
"Opening the lines of communication" is vital to "creating more of a respect for the student body from the administration," Chin said. The new officers hope to unify student opinion on the dance issue in order to present a cohesive case to university leaders.
"Once that opinion is demonstrated through [Student Senate and Hall Presidents Council] resolutions, it shows a unified support that we can take to the officers and board of trustees," Lao said.
"We're hoping to get some type of compromise with the administration — or at least get some type of response about why they took [in-hall dances] away," Chin said.
During the election campaign, the Hallahan-Lao ticket called on university administrators to make the results of teacher and course evaluations available to students. Chin said the measure would accomplish her goal of improving teaching quality.
She also plans to spearhead more academically oriented events, including a lecture series featuring distinguished Notre Dame faculty and alumni.
Chin characterized the transition from Libby Bishop's presidency as "smooth."
In February, Hallahan resigned as Bishop's chief of staff in protest of her report to the Board of Trustees, which he called "watered down." Hallahan attributed the disagreement to a difference in leadership styles.
"I've been a friend of Libby's for a long time and I still will be," Hallahan said.
Chin agreed, saying the incoming and outgoing presidents are on great terms.
All News Stories for Monday, March 24, 2003
