It was only a few months ago that walls of 245 Lexington Avenue were plastered with election posters for the many student leadership positions that play an integral part in shaping life on campus. Prominent among those elected were the new presidents of the Torah Activities Council (TAC) and Stern College for Women Student Council (SCWSC): Sarah Alt and Chana Posluns, respectively. Both seniors who will begin their fifth semesters on campus this fall, Alt and Posluns have been working tirelessly with the members of their councils to plan events and programming for this coming academic year. In an interview with the Observer, Alt and Posluns discussed their motivations for running for office and and their goals for this academic year.
Have you been involved with student organizations before?
Alt: I have not been on any boards, but I have been involved in Mechina, a basic Jewish Studies program at Stern that is a set of courses as well as a club; QUEST, a Jewish leadership training seminar run by CJF, which I was part of last semester; and I have been on the soccer team for the past two years.
Posluns: I have been involved with a number of student organizations including YUPAC, the Republican Club, the History Club, LadyMacs (basketball team), Social Justice Society, Stern Tutors at Norman Thomas, WYUR (radio), the Pre-Law Society, and the Business Management Club.
What motivated you to run for president?
A: I was looking for ways to be more involved on campus because I love Stern. Stern has given me a lot in terms of education. For example, when I first came to Stern I was in Mechina, and based on what learned there I decided to become a Jewish Studies major. Therefore, I wanted to give back, but I wasn’t sure what to get involved with. Originally, I didn’t even think about trying for TAC president, but after a lot of support and encouragement from my peers and teachers, I decided to go for it.
P: I believe that someone who serves as a student leader in any capacity should recognize the great aspects that already exist within the institution, but also realize that there are certain things that can be changed and improved. From the moment I arrived at Stern I was able to see the incredible opportunities that it presented me, and I loved it instantaneously. However, no college, or any institution for that matter, is perfect. And yes, although I have enjoyed the time that I’ve spent at Stern thus far tremendously, I have a vision for what the school can be and for certain voids that currently exist that can be diminished. It is because of the love for Stern that I already possess, as well as the recognition that there is room for improvement that I decided to run for the position of SCWSC president.
How often do TAC and SCWSC collaborate and for what kind of events?
A: Essentially, we collaborate for main events like the Chanukah concert, Yom Ha’atzmaut, welcome back bash, the planner, etc. Specific holiday events, shiurim, or bringing a Rosh Yeshiva to the campus are TAC specific. If we want something big to happen, we collaborate. We like to work together – we don’t want to be seen as separate, unaffiliated entities. In order for the school to be successful, we need a unified campus.
P: There are a number of organizational and planning aspects that have the potential to be jointly run, and depending on decisions made by the leaders of the councils, there is a different level of overlap each year. Although each of these councils serves a different purpose, and perhaps trying to achieve our own goals, I believe that at the end of the day we have one main focus in mind. Our focus of serving the student body is one and the same. Yes, it is true that TAC is more specifically focusing on the enhancement of Jewish life on campus, while SCWSC is focused on a broader mission of overall extracurricular opportunities, but at the end of the day, we are all just trying to make Stern the best place that it can be.
What goals do you have for the academic year and how do you plan to implement those goals?
A: One of the things we want to do to unify the campus and to do that, we must absolutely engage the first-time students. We can do this by introducing TAC at orientation, having focus groups, and making ourselves accessible. We must also engage the YU campus; we have a lot of communication, and we work hard to organize programming that will attract both the male and female students, such as the TAC-SOY Shabbaton.
Another unifying goal for this year is to create events that combine both Judaic and General Studies clubs – say, combine the Arts Club (SCWSC) and IGive (TAC) and make events that would bring those two clubs together and create achdut.
It is also very important for the students to know that we care about what they want, and we will introduce changes based on that. There was a petition at the end of last year to have a rabbi come monthly to Stern; because of that petition, we plan to make that wish a reality. YU and Stern are places where you can make and create your university experience.
P: My main goal is to create an environment of inclusion, where everyone has the opportunity to get involved and make a difference in campus life. I plan to implement this by listening to the voices of the student body! I hope to be an approachable figure, that everyone feels they can be in touch with, speak to about ideas, and together brainstorm and create new initiatives that are valued by the students. I can always be contacted at scwscpresident@gmail.com or at (917) 757-6347.
Do you have a vision of changes you hope to see by the time you leave office?
A: A more unified campus, and also a more spiritual campus. That is, the feeling I had when I first came to Stern was that Judaism was cultural, not spiritual. I want people to be going to Stern not just because it is a Jewish school, but because they want to be exploring their Judaism. I want the student body to feel that their Judaism is being appreciated and respected.
I would like the TAC board to be viewed as people that can be talked to, and that students who approach us should feel that we heard them out and were their friends as well. We should be relatable as well as role models of middot, leadership, and morals.
I would also like to see more people running for student leadership positions. The general feeling I’ve gotten on campus is that people aren’t being encouraged to be leaders.
P: Honestly, just a more united and involved student body. I really want every student to feel like they are an important member of the Stern community, and that their unique contributions make a difference.