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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SSVP candidate focuses on student health and safety

Turquoise “The Witt Fit” flyers were moved off the coffee table to make room for brownies and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies at Weinberg junior Leah Witt’s Student Services Vice President campaign meeting Sunday night.

Witt and her roommates, who double as her campaign managers, spent the day baking. They left the first batch in too long, though, they said, laughing and excitedly talking all at once as they told the story.

Witt, a pre-med anthropology major from Wisconsin hoping to work in public health, joined Associated Student Government last spring and was co-chairwoman of the Safety Sub-Committee, a part of the Student Services Committee. Much of her platform is focused on student health and safety issues.

“I think experience is really important because so much of the job is finding out who’s the best administrator – what’s the best way to approach this,” she said.

She recently helped organize a push for condoms in dorm vending machines and hopes to expand the service. To improve dorm safety, she said she plans to explore installing security cameras at entrances and hiring professional security guards if elected.


Look and listen…

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In addition to her health and safety concerns, Witt said she would work to expand Tech Express and would continue to fight for a South Campus Cafe. The plan for the cafe was never rejected outright, Witt said, and it requires more student persistence.

She also wants to work with the administration to improve Norris University Center and to create a rollover system for meal points. She said she will lobby administrators for all-campus wireless Internet and more reliable NUTV if elected.

Witt said she worried about finding time to study for her upcoming MCATs while campaigning, but that after the test she will have enough time to devote to ASG.

“I think that (taking the MCATs and campaigning) more than anything else speaks to her ability to budget her time and to fulfill multiple responsibilities and to do each one well,” said Weinberg junior Claire Bergeron, one of Witt’s campaign managers.

Her other campaign manager and roommate, Communication junior Julie Braeutigam, said Witt will listen to others and take advantage of their skills.

“When she’s at the board meetings, she’s not going to be one that’s dominating the entire conversation,” Braeutigam said. “Like everyone should, she recognizes that some people have stronger qualities in certain areas.”

Listening is an essential part of being SSVP, Witt said.

“I think their job is to listen to student complaints, concerns and ideas and put that into creative ideas to make student life better,” she said.

Weinberg freshman Amanda Yentz said she joined the campaign because she enjoyed working with Witt on the Safety Sub-Committee and thought her platform was do-able.

“She’s just so friendly,” Yentz said. “She’s so sweet, but at the same time she gets down to business.”

Reach Diana Samuels at [email protected].

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SSVP candidate focuses on student health and safety