Seton, Redmond Unite Behind Stewart Vision

Noah Z. Seton '00 and Kamil E. Redmond '00 have taken disparate paths to their Undergraduate Council candidacy, but they are in agreement on the value of past council experience and the balance their ticket provides.

Seton, the presidential candidate, was the president of the Harvard Republican Club and is a disciple of the conservative, campus-based philosophy of current President Beth A. Stewart '00.

"We are focusing on attacking everyday problems student have," Seton says.

A council member for three years, he is vice chair of the Student Activities Committee, worked on this September's election commission and heads the recently-created council task force on University Health Services (UHS.)

Stewart, at the council meeting last night, endorsed Seton, emphasizing that he would carry on her vision of student services with renewed vigor.

"[Seton's] dedication rivals that of anyone in this room, myself included," Stewart said. "Because of his commitment, the council has really been in his hands for sometime now," she added.

This year is Redmond's second on the council, and she has served on the Committee for Undergraduate Education as well as the Election Commission. She also sits on the Black Students Association's executive board and has headed the council's task force on faculty diversity.

Redmond, who is also a Crimson editor, ran for the vice presidency last year and strongly opposed Stewart's conservative stance.

But she now says that was the wrong debate. A council devoted to social conditions in Burma is not serving students, she said.

"I've seen the inner workings of the U.C. and realized what it can do well and what it can't do well," she says.

Stewart, for her part, respects and now endorses her former rival.

"No one has so publicly poured her soul into the council," Stewart says.

Seton and Redmond have found common ground on the primary importance of student needs and both say their unlikely collaboration can only help make a stronger ticket.

It was this broad-based appeal that attracted Redmond to ally with Seton.

"I wasn't really sure I wanted to run, but then I realized the balance of the two of us on the ticket would be good," she says. "We hope to be able to reach out to every student group on campus."

These practical concerns drive their candidacy and make any ideological differences secondary.

"I don't think a liberal will care that it's me helping to fix the advising system,"Seton says, "or a conservative will care that it'sKamil helping to fix UHS."

Because many of the candidates share a commonvision of student service-centered changes, Setonand Redmond say that their experience sets themapart.

Seton cites his time as co-chair of the HarvardDining Services committee that produced Fly-bylunches as an example of his ability to implementcommon goals.

"All the platforms might be similar, but whoare the candidates who are going to be able to getthings done?" he says. "I think we've got a recordwe can run on that other candidates don't."

They emphasize funding for student groups andother improvements to student quality of life,such as advising system reform, improvement ofsocial events and dining hall guest passes.

Seton worked on the Committee on College Lifethat pushed for the $25,000 grant package tostudent groups.

"So many of our great organizations are run outof a dorm room and a desk drawer," says Seton, whohas been involved with the Institute of Politics.

The emphasis on student groups goes hand inhand with a depoliticized counsel, they said.

"Kamil and I share the idea that there are someissues the council deals best with," Seton says,"and others student groups deal best with."

Redmond says this is especially true for theethnic issues, in which she has a strong interest.

"Ethnic Studies Action Coalition and the[Progressive Students' Labor Movement] willaddress progressive issues more fully than theU.C. ever can," she says

Because many of the candidates share a commonvision of student service-centered changes, Setonand Redmond say that their experience sets themapart.

Seton cites his time as co-chair of the HarvardDining Services committee that produced Fly-bylunches as an example of his ability to implementcommon goals.

"All the platforms might be similar, but whoare the candidates who are going to be able to getthings done?" he says. "I think we've got a recordwe can run on that other candidates don't."

They emphasize funding for student groups andother improvements to student quality of life,such as advising system reform, improvement ofsocial events and dining hall guest passes.

Seton worked on the Committee on College Lifethat pushed for the $25,000 grant package tostudent groups.

"So many of our great organizations are run outof a dorm room and a desk drawer," says Seton, whohas been involved with the Institute of Politics.

The emphasis on student groups goes hand inhand with a depoliticized counsel, they said.

"Kamil and I share the idea that there are someissues the council deals best with," Seton says,"and others student groups deal best with."

Redmond says this is especially true for theethnic issues, in which she has a strong interest.

"Ethnic Studies Action Coalition and the[Progressive Students' Labor Movement] willaddress progressive issues more fully than theU.C. ever can," she says