Student Body President Candidates

Safi Zenger

Hello beautiful Reedies! <3 My name is Safi (she/hers), I’m a sophomore art history major, current senator, and I’m running for Student Body President!! There’s a long list of reasons to run for SBP, but I think my short simple answer is that I would be deeply committed to the wellbeing of the Reed community, especially those who are minorities. When I ran for senate, I ran on a platform focused on supporting BIPOC students. That’s what I’ve been trying to do this past year, and I’m not ready to stop any time soon. Additionally, as SB President, I would be committed to full transparency, clear and consistent communication, and accountability (both of ourselves as a student group, and accountability of admin). An abbreviated version of my goals includes: enhanced communication and documentation of senate work, increased accessibility and transparency, institutional support for identity groups, and general continued support of BIPOC students like myself. I’ve been on senate every semester that I’ve been at Reed, I started as secretary and became a senator a year ago this time, and on senate now, I serve as the chair of Appointments Committee. My experience at Reed has been shaped by my involvement with senate, for better or for worse, but that means I’m acutely familiar with how senate functions. I want to be a resource, to be helpful, to support, and to listen, and I think I have the experience, the knowledge, and the enthusiasm to do all that to the best of my abilities. <3

Anyway, that's pretty much it. I hope you're having a good day <3 Email me at smzenger@reed.edu if you have any questions. I love you! You're beautiful!

Student Body Vice President Candidates

Margot Becker

Hey Loves! My name is Margot (They/She), I’m a sophomore comp lit major at the end of my first year on Senate and I’m running for Student Body Vice President (SBVP) this semester! The main reason I’m running for VP is that, considering my year of experience on Senate, I think that I have the skills and experience to support the President, Treasury, and Senate. One of my major goals for the VP position is to try to bring individual Senators’ personal projects into the public eye so that the Student Body can actually see us in action. I want the Student Body to understand how Senate makes change, and I want to help the people (whether in Senate, Treasury, or SB funded positions) who make change get the credit they deserve.

Of course, as VP, much of my work would also be standing by the mission of my first campaign: working to break down the barriers that make it hard for people who have to work to pay for school and living expenses, and who are institutionally discriminated against by the nature of an elitist institution. With another year on Senate, I would want to continue to work to find ways to make access to Reed’s education more equitable. The Workstudy program, for example, is certainly a good way to help students make the money they need to pay for school and survive, but doesn’t take into account the fact that Reedies should be people first, students second, and workers third. Similarly, BIPOC and queer students don’t have the same experiences in the classroom as their white, cis, straight counterparts due to the ingrained and largely unaddressed biases of profs and other students. Both of these are massive issues on campus, and I can’t claim that I’ll solve anything in another year. But I can promise that I know what I can do, and I’ll work hard to make Reed the place we all deserve and hope it can be. If you’re interested in any of my past or current work, please feel free to reach out to me at margotbecker@reed.edu or just by coming up to me when you see me on campus! That's all for now. I love you all, and stay sexy.

-Margot

Student Body Senator Candidates

Lennox

Howdy y'all, I'm Lennox (Any/All), a freshman from rural South Carolina. As a queer black Reedie I think one of the biggest issues we face here is loneliness and alienation. Across the board student engagement is down, I think as a result of admin response to Covid and Quar/screen fatigue, and I want to focus on getting Reedies back together and fostering as much communication as possible between as many people on campus as possible. Hopefully we can foster new groups and expand our control of student spaces, while also increasing student autonomy and making sure issues are raised to the community and resolved in a better manner. One issue along this line that I am particularly passionate about is accessibility, making every space on campus accessible to every community member has to be at the forefront of inclusivity and development on this campus. Lastly, I support increased representation for Low-SES and BIPOC communities in the student body, faculty, and administration, and I am also an advocate of increased transparency for decision making on campus.

Nana Branker-McLean

Hey Y'all!

I'm Nana (she/her), freshman Psych/Spanish major.

I'm running for Student Body Senate because I want to see Reed's Admin be held accountable. Our Admin has done too little to provide aid to students struggling both financially and mentally. Where is all the tuition we are paying really going? Why must we have to seek off-campus mental health providers for problems related to our institution? i.e The stress of grades, Imposter syndrome, on-campus sexual assault/harassment, financial stress, etc.

As part of my campaign, I want to be able to host open discussions on Race and Diversity at Reed focusing on microaggressions and performative activism , where BIPOC feel as though they can speak freely and openly without judgement or fear of their concerns not being seen as valid. While our school isn't the worst when it comes to diversity, there is definitely more that can be done. As well as, having more funding for Reed's Identity clubs.

In addition to this, I want to start an on-campus program, in partnership with SHARE to provide funding to survivors of sexual assault, harassment, and race related aggression. I hope to provide on campus counseling and designated safe spaces for survivors to feel safe until their assaulter is removed from campus. I will accomplish this by analyzing Reed's Endowment Fund and our yearly tuition to fund this program.

Nina Baca

Hello, my name is Nina! I'm a freshman Psychology and Computer Science major. I'm hopeful to contribute to student senate and help implement changes at Reed.

My goals for senate are centered around aided advocacy for our students and changes in Reed's mental health accessibility. I hope to help our student body gain a voice in our campus.

—I plan to create a paid student-run website on Iris that would connect therapists/doctors/diagnostic centers to all students. It is far too difficult for us to access basic therapy and healthcare.

—Also, I would advocate for creating a public forum in weekly emails dedicated towards campus grievances. Students would be given access to a submission email where they can voice their worries and suggestions in a public platform.

—I strive to push more funding towards financial aid and ease the route into finding additional scholarships or off-campus jobs for struggling students.

—Finally, a service I would hope to implement is a Commons Dining food delivery option for our students who struggle with chronic illness or simply exhaustion. Too many students skip meals to avoid the walk to the Dining Hall.

Overall, I hope to be an advocate for students. From the creation of mental health support groups to connecting students to basic healthcare to standing for POC voices in our community, I believe in connecting students with their rights and access.

Mack Marsaw

Hello everyone! I'm Mack I'm a sophomore GLAM major and Pre-health (as if Reed College wasn't difficult enough). I'm also y'all's MC editor! I'm from Dallas, Texas, I use all pronouns, and if you've never seen me...I am black (which is my biggest flex).

I am running for senate and there are some things that need to be addressed, specifically with the DAR. Like many people on our campus, I am neurodivergent and I deal with a variety of issues that affect my success at Reed. Many people I talked to last year and this fall semester have all had complications with receiving help from the DAR. For me, I was told I'd receive aid and then never received it. As many of you know, when you don't receive proper aid and advocacy for your disability it makes life at Reed difficult and stressful. YOU deserve help. YOU deserve to NOT be punished for something you can't control. YOU deserve to feel like you've given Reed your best. Whether your disability is physical or mental you deserve proper accommodations that are there when you need them.

I cannot promise anything, but signing this petition supports someone who will advocate for you. I am a stubborn individual and I will put in the work to make y'all's lives easier. If it means sending/responding to hundreds of emails, so be it. If it means being in meetings all the time, fine.

Sign my petition if you believe that DAR needs change. Sign if you want a senator that cares about all students with disabilities. I will do my best to advocate for you because I love you all. You all deserve better. Seriously, aren't you tired? :3

P.S Im so petty so if the DAR crosses you they cross me and that’s a problem no one wants to have.

Jefferson Ratliff

Hi! My name is Jefferson Ratliff (He/Him), I am a first-year political science major and I am excited to be running for Student Senate.

Student government should be about serving the needs of every Reedie. Students need a voice that can hold the administration accountable and ensure fair pay and treatment for student workers.

Listen to Students:

The Senate needs to work on listening to the concerns of students far more. I think that this can be addressed in many ways.

Creating a space in SB info for students to submit comments to be read by the Senate and addressed at Senate Public every Friday.
Communicating clearly to students that your senators are here to assist Reedies by addressing their issues with the policies of not just student life but of the administration as a whole.
Make sure students know how to access resources on campus.

Proper Funding for Essential Student Groups:

Every Reedie pays $310 towards the student body fee. These funds are crucial to ensuring that student life is a lively and healthy environment here, and they need to be spent in a positive, more productive way. There are some groups that funding should not come up for debate. Organizations like the Period Kollectiv, The Quest, and KRRC should never have to worry about insufficient funds.

Protect Student Space:

The Senate must also be the most vocal advocate for student autonomy on campus, making sure that Reedies’ ability to access the spaces dedicated to them are free and open without unnecessary barriers. The Student Union should be open 24/7 as a place for students to socialize, study, and exchange intellectual dialogues that have defined Reed's unique culture for decades.

Advocate for Learning Different and Neurodivergent Reedies:

The Senate also needs to expand its role in providing peer-based academic support for students. To put it simply, Reed is hard, and many students would benefit from having support spaces from their fellow members of the student body in addition to the tutoring provided through Reed. This is especially important for neurodivergent students who suffer from learning differences and academic anxiety. Having peer tutors who are trained to accommodate people with learning differences is key in making sure that every student is getting the support they need.

If you have any questions about my platform or just want to ask me a question on my stances on the issues feel free to email me at jratliffjr@reed.edu.

Quest Editor Candidates

Sabrina Blasik

Hi! My name is Sabrina Blasik (she/her), I’m a sophomore English major, and I’m running to be an editor of the Quest!

I’ve been writing for the Quest for nearly my entire time at Reed. For the past year, I’ve run the Bird of the Week column, where each week I discuss a different bird that can be found here on campus! It’s really fun to write, and allows me to spread cool facts about cool dudes. The column has appeared in nearly every Quest edition since October 2020.

Every once in a while, I also put out a big article about something serious happening on campus; in Spring I wrote about the resignation of the previous nuclear reactor director, last month I collaborated on the Quest’s piece about Dr. K’s notorious email, and most recently I wrote an article that dives into the current staffing difficulties in the CS department.

I love the Quest, I love writing for the Quest, I love the community I’ve found through doing this, and I love serving Reed’s student body by providing accurate, uncensored reporting of important campus happenings. In the age of social media, when news spreads easily on social media, it is the duty of the Quest to dig deeper than any one student can and tell important stories that wouldn’t otherwise be told. This responsibility is only more important now that the Quest is one of the few campus news sources that is not monitored by the administration, and I take it very seriously.

As an editor of the Quest, I will:

Advocate for monetary compensation for Quest contributors. The fact that writers have to take valuable time out of their already busy schedules to write for the Quest without any sort of compensation is a barrier for many students— especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds who may not have the free time to spare. As a newspaper run by students, it should be as easy as possible for students to get involved, but money is a barrier to many students who may want to be involved.
Work to uphold the Quest’s role as an independent news source serving the needs of the student body. The ability of the Quest to communicate information about systems of power at Reed to the wider student population is extremely important; this is true of its breaking news coverage, but also of Senate Beat, and of articles that seek to educate students about campus resources. I seek to defend the Quest’s independence and continue providing important information about present campus life.
Reach out to the Reed community. It can be easy to think of the Quest as just a pile of paper that appears miraculously each Friday in Common’s. But the Quest is so much more than that, and it can be easy to overlook. Quest contributor’s meetings and editing nights are open to the public, but I’d like to explore more accessible ways to let people peek behind the curtain and see how the Quest works its magic. I also think it would be exciting for the Quest to host fun events every so often, to strengthen its bonds with the student body.

Generally, I want to maintain the Quest’s role as an independent news source while also making it more accessible to all students. You can find most of my articles under my byline on the Quest’s website and you can read the Bird of the Week every Friday in the entertainment section! Please consider voting for me!

Anshu Kotha

Hi!

Thank you for taking an interest in electing me for the position of Quest Editor!

I am a freshman and a Biochem Molecular Bio major. I personally really like to write in my daily life. It gives me a sense of peace when everything that builds up in my head is down on paper.

Bear with me while I plead my case for becoming your Quest Editor:

I really like the Quest cause I personally feel like it does a good job at touching on the different issues that go on around campus. As well as mixing in a variation of events that are conducted by many different clubs on campus.

I would like the Quest to be able to add a section for more serious issues that happen around campus. I know that many students on campus have been going through many different things. Like we have a blotter for the CSOs, I think it would be a great idea to have a section for students. This way you can get your feelings out while being anonymous.

As a woman of color I want people of color to be able to submit articles and feel heard and represented in the newspaper. I know a lot of people come from many different kinds of backgrounds and I hope that you all would feel safe and secure in writing articles about a variety of topics and not feel out of place.

I hope this convinces you all to vote me for Quest Editor! Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions about anything i've written about what the quest should be like.

I hope you guys decide to vote for me! I'm excited to hear from you all!

Albert Kerelis

My name is Albert Kerelis, I'm a sophomore this year and I'm re-running for Quest Editor.

At the beginning of last year I started writing for the Quest, picked up the Senate Beat column, and haven't really looked back. I started editing my second semester freshman year and have found that despite the meager pay and long hours, I want to keep doing it.

While a lot of people see the Quest as a body that publishes stories, a lot of the positive impact we as Quest editors can have is actually in helping contributors write those stories. On campus, we don't have a journalism school; if you want to learn journalism, the Quest is your only place to do it. A lot of my job consists of teaching people how to research, how to write, and how to feel confident doing that in a medium that often doesn't feel welcoming. It's intimidating and scary, especially when you're freshman who just got here, to interview administrators, email staff members for data or information, and then publish that for an audience of hundreds to read. A lot of the skill I bring to the editorial board is in making the Quest more accessible to students who might not otherwise pursue journalism.

While I think that the most important parts of the job happen in places my byline doesn't get attached to, I've done what I think is some pretty important reporting in the past. I've written piece's about a leaked staff and faculty email raising concerns with Reed's COVID policy, Aziz's conflicts with admin, as well as on the tumultuous string of SB Presidencies that semester. I also write a silly little column that is debatably about science.

Sajid Bin Mahamud

My name is Sajid. I'm a freshman from Bangladesh, intending to major in Mathematics (Conc. Stats). It's my first time staying 13,000 km (8,077 miles) away from home. It's a long distance when you think of it, but with each passing day, I feel closer to home, thanks to the Reed Community.

So why should you vote for me?

– I have spent a huge portion of my adult life (or maybe wasted, if you ask my Ma) writing dystopian fiction that I'd never publish. Living at the intersection of Huxley's Brave New World and Orwell's 1984, it's quite apparent to me that we indeed live in a dystopia (disguised as a utopia). So, it isn't that hard to write about one. A reason why I never published most of my writings is the political climate of my country and its fame for intolerance. Working as an Editor of the Quest will open windows of opportunities for me to pen my thoughts fearlessly.

– My role as one of the chief editors of my high-school magazine, Green valley, taught me something very important about writing for a closed audience – people care as long as we give them reasons to do so. My aim as a Quest editor will be to aggregate stories and materials that matter for the Reed Community, stories that are worth caring for.

– I haven't published anything on the Quest yet, unfortunately. If things go as planned, one of my pieces, (the first of a broader series) is going to be published this Friday. However, if you're interested in reading one of the older pieces I wrote, follow the link: https://tinyurl.com/vote4sajid

– If you're interested in reading more, send me an email! (sajidbmahamud@reed.edu)

Thanks so much for believing in me :')

Sajid '25 (He/Him)

Editor’s Note: Sajid is now a published Quest contributor, read his first piece here!

Fall 2021 Election Candidates