Clark Hall Pub tops EngSoc platforms

Presidential candidates cite racist incident, financial accountability as priorities

Mitchell Curly
Mitchell Curly

Engineering Society presidential candidate Mitchell Curley says the situation surrounding Clark Hall Pub inspired him to enter the election. He decided to run after being inspired by Clark Hall debates at last Monday’s council meeting.

Curley, Sci ’08, said he doesn’t see the situation as a daunting responsibility.

“Hopefully, if all goes according to the plan laid out by this current executive Clark will have several soft openings and a grand opening in September. If that’s the case, plans would be very steadily rolling if I were to take office.”

But Curley, a don at Jean Royce Hall and a member of EngSoc council, said there’s more to this election than Clark Hall Pub.

He wants to look at the EngSoc constitution and clarify parts of it, emphasizing that EngSoc is accountable to the EngSoc council, even in the summer when council isn’t in session.

“Right now, the constitution is very vague on the summer duties of the exec,” he said.

He also wants to address the tension between engineering students and the community, including the issue of racism.

Last November, four males in engineering jackets forced a female professor off a sidewalk, taunting her with racial slurs

“We were making good progress on town-gown relations until the incident with a few students and some racist comments,” he said. “It’s obvious that some people don’t think too highly of us, and I would like to see that change. There’s a lot of good going on in the Engineering Society.”

Presidential candidate Jordan Black, Sci ’09, said he toyed with the idea of running for the position for about a year but the closure of Clark Hall Pub solidified his decision. Black was a Science Constable during his second year and was part of the small contingency of former SciCons and FREC committee members who controlled the pit at last fall’s Grease Pole event.

“Having to deal with Clark closing was very personal for me,” he said. “What happened with Clark was really a symptom of what’s been happening with the whole society.” Black said he wants to focus on implementing a standard ledger system across the society. He also wants to re-examine EngSoc’s internal structure to create a more streamlined operating system.

Black’s three main platform points include creating a unified, long-term strategic plan for the society as a whole, centralizing the services’ banking, examining EngSoc services and committees to make sure they’re working together to meet the needs of students and fostering trust between the students and the society.

He agreed the only way to prevent further racist incidents is to get a clear message across to students early and often.

“There’s not much else you can do.”

Other candidates running for EngSoc positions are Mackenzie Dixon, Jr. senator, Nathan Hird-Younger, Jr. senator, Marinos Tryphonas, vice-president (operations), Chris Bimm, vice-president (society affairs), William Nishimura, vice-president (students development) and Carolina Pinzon, vice-president (student development). If no one is nominated to run for vice-president (academic), voting members of EngSoc council will appoint someone.

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