StuCo Presidential Candidate Q&A: Matthew Robbins, Soule Hall

Why do you want to be StuCo president?

I want to be StuCo president because I want to reform Exeter. Our Student Council is inefficient and at most we get one major policy passed a year. I want to change that. I want to create a student council that has an appreciable, democratic and positive effect on the population of the school. We should aspire to more as school. Michelangelo once said, “The danger for most of us lies not in aiming too high and falling short; but aiming too low, and achieving our goal.” I want to tackle important issues and create a framework where StuCo is able to aim high and achieve goals that create positive change on this campus.

What are the ideal qualities of the StuCo president and why do you think you fulfill these ideals?

I think the ideal qualities of a Student Council president are ambition, analytical skills and persuasion. I believe I have all of these skills due to my experience in debate, being involved in discussions around policy and taking on leadership roles in a variety of capacities.

What policies do you hope to implement? Why?

I first would like to reform StuCo. I would cap the amount of select members of the council in order to make it more efficient. I would actually count the votes of members, and not just of random people who are in the room. I would also institute 11 new school-wide elected members, who would have jurisdiction over policy and would have greater voting power on policy matters. I would also create a system where if half the student body signs a petition, any referendum question can go on the ballot. After these reforms, I would first like to address issues of sexual assault, proposing awareness campaigns and that if you leave during the middle of illegal Vs due to a dangerous situation arising your punishment will be delayed until a full investigation is taken of the situation. The second thing I would do is create an open and transparent committee of people who work with the health department to provide student feedback and concerns. This committee would give reports to student council, but would be independently controlled. Third, I would create an anonymous feedback system between students and their advisors at the beginning of the year to clarify the role and goals of the advising system. I would also get rids of PIES in favor of more holistic and department-based system of students evaluating teachers. If the student body is dissatisfied with my performance as president, at the end of my first term, I will have a vote to determine whether I have the confidence of the council. If I do not, a new presidential election will be called where the voice of the people will be heard.

Do you have any comments about the outgoing administration?

I think the outgoing administration had good intention with trying to embark on a V’s reform with the goal of curbing sexual assault. But it is clear that the policy that is currently on the table is flawed and decrease the rights of all people, cis-gendered or not. Policy this year has also been very top down, there has not been much of a democratic aspect to the policy at all. Had the exec board and policy heads been more receptive of the people’s opinions we may have different, better V’s policy on the table.

What distinguishes you from the other candidates?

I think what distinguishes me from the other candidates is an ambition to change and overhaul the system. StuCo is in dire need of reform; it lacks the legitimacy to represent the student body. I am the only one with the guts and ideas to change StuCo and make it a more democratic and responsive body.