Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

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Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

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Focus on feasibility

For Courtney Brunsfeld, campus celebrity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Speaking at dorm munchies and posting campaign fliers Wednesday night, Brunsfeld was recognized by many students from her work as Associated Student Government’s student services vice president this year and by the large picture that graces her campaign posters on sidewalks across campus.

But while Brunsfeld might have a famous face, she hopes students take notice of her ideas and her experience working with administrators when voting for ASG president on Tuesday. Brunsfeld, a political science and history major, said she has used campaign week to meet with students, identify their concerns and share her vision for the upcoming year.

“This year, because I’ve been on ASG and worked on a lot of projects, I have a lot better name recognition,” she said. “But I’m running the same kind of campaign (as last year).”

Running for student services vice president last year, Brunsfeld was the ASG-outsider candidate, having no experience within the organization but having served as president of College Democrats. After defeating her two opponents without needing a runoff, Brunsfeld learned the ins and outs of ASG by working with other executive board members and serving on campuswide committees.

Because of this experience, Brunsfeld said she chose to focus on feasibility for her campaign.

“People make a lot of empty promises,” she said. “They may sound good at the time, but they really aren’t feasible. A lot of (my ideas) are new improvements or new additions to existing projects.”

Brunsfeld identified increasing student input in administrative decisions and improving communication between students and ASG as her most important platform goals. She said she supports current ASG President Jordan Heinz’s plan for student representation on Northwestern’s Board of Trustees.

“(The board is) the ultimate place for students to get input to the administration,” she said.

She said the relationship between ASG and the student body needs to be improved from both sides, as students should have a better understanding of ASG’s activities and the organization should seek student ideas more actively.

“That is how we gain credibility as an organization,” she said.

As far as specific projects, Brunsfeld’s platform mentions renovations to Norris University Center, increased ASG involvement in Homecoming festivities and closer relationships between ASG and cultural groups on campus.

Throughout her time as student services vice president, Brunsfeld has worked with Women’s Coalition to improve lighting on campus, with the housing committee to develop new meal plan options and an improved housing lottery, and with Residential Life to provide cable television in dorms.

Former Residence Hall Association President Grant Pauly, a McCormick sophomore, said Brunsfeld demonstrated endless effort for student issues on the housing committee this year.

“She was just always on top of everything and one step ahead of what the committee was going to do each meeting,” said Pauly, who also served on the committee.

But some ASG senators and officers have criticized Brunsfeld for the low turnout on this year’s ASG Spring Break trip. Brunsfeld said ASG should evaluate the importance of the trip in the future and possibly delegate to someone else, “rather than having (the student services vice president) choose between working on the Spring Break trip and working on campus safety.”

If elected president, Brunsfeld said she hopes to help students effect change on campus, a goal she called the major motivation of her campaign.

“Students can make changes on this campus, and students should fight for other students,” she said.

Courtney Brunsfeld

School: Weinberg junior

Hometown: Moscow, Idaho

Leadership experience:

_Ѣ Current ASG student services vice president

_Ѣ College Democrats president sophomore year

_Ѣ Member of Norris Center Advisory Board

_Ѣ Housing committee and food services committee member

Platform goals:

_Ѣ Increase the productivity of ASG by actively pushing for Norris renovations, getting more involved in planning Homecoming, assisting the School of Music Advisory Board with fund raising and developing stronger relationships with cultural groups

_Ѣ Monitor the productivity of student/faculty/staff committees by instituting a review process to ensure accountability

_Ѣ Give students greater input with administrators by adding members to the existing facilities management and development committees and the alumni association

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Focus on feasibility