Candidate Statements

A PDF with these statements along with candidate pictures can be found here.

Note from RevComm Chair: Donut does not support all the formatting in the submitted version of statements. Consulting the document linked at the top of the page is recommended.

CRC Unaffiliated Representative (1 candidate)

Purvi Sehgal (psehgal@caltech.edu)

Hello everyone! My name is Purvi Sehgal, and I am a frosh in LLoyd running for CRC Unaffiliated Representative. The honor code is at the core of the Caltech community, so I am committed to upholding it as the CRC representative. I am a great listener and do not let preconceived judgements affect my decisions, so I am confident that I can give everyone a fair trial. As CRC rep, I hope to make trials faster and improve communication between students and administration. I want to represent all of you at the Conduct Review Committee, and I hope you will give me the opportunity to do so!

ASCIT President (2 candidates)

Aditi Venkatesh (aditiv@caltech.edu)

Hi everyone,

My name is Aditi Venkatesh and I am a junior physics major in Ricketts and Avery. I have been a member of ASCIT for the past two years as Director of Operations and I believe this experience, as well as my accomplishments while serving on the Board of Directors, make me the best candidate to be your next ASCIT President. Those achievements I wish to highlight include:

● Renovating the SAC:

○ SAC Study Room - Added new chairs, sofas, bookshelves, projector and whiteboard supplies

○ SAC Locker Room - Organized a SAC Locker Room Cleanup to free up storage space for new clubs

○ Jam Room - Repaired broken instruments and added stands, and repair and cleaning materials

○ ASCIT Storage Room - Systematized and facilitated house requests of interhouse supplies

● Planned and conducted Club Fair 2020 and Club Fair 2021

● Reallocated funding to better suit the needs of clubs during the pandemic and ensure proper resources for the 2020-2021 school year; Redistributed funds over the subsequent 2021-2022 school year to account for the increase in new clubs on campus

● Collaborated with administration to convey and address student concerns as a representative on the Student Wellness Committee and the Club Committee to convey student concerns to admin and work together to figure out solutions

● Helped run social events with other members of ASCIT BoD including: ASCIT Formal, ASCIT Desiigner concert, Secret Snowman, ASCIT Chocolate Tasting, ASCIT Movie Night, ASCIT Game Night and Midnight Donuts

● Worked with Donut Development Team to add new features and improve usability

I have enjoyed working on these projects and would love the opportunity to continue to do so to a greater extent as ASCIT President. If elected, I hope to continue my work and further accomplish the following goals:

1. Bring Back Traditions and Full Scale Events on Campus

For the first time in two years, undergraduates are being allowed to resume, albeit slowly, parts of pre-pandemic events such as interhouses, house dinners, and in person club meetings. As President, I plan to work with the IHC and administration to bring back campus events in a manner that prioritizes the wishes of all undergraduates over those of the administration, while also abiding with the COVID conditions on campus. This will certainly improve the quality of social life for the student body and is especially important given that many of us have not yet experienced many of the activities that decades of Caltech students have come to love and enjoy.

2. Increase Funding for Dual House Events

To promote house culture throughout campus, as President I would like to provide houses the opportunity to run more events by increasing the budget for dual house events. This increased freedom and funding will hopefully lead to more dual-house events, thus increasing the total number of social events on campus, boosting house culture, and encouraging further inter-house friendships. Some previous examples of successful dual house events that I have funded include Fleming-Page Trivia and Avery-Lloyd Lunar New Year.

3. Combat the Housing Crisis on Campus

Throughout July of last year, we saw first hand the result of a situation in which there are more students than can be accommodated by Caltech housing. During room picks, many students were unfairly kicked off campus after being guaranteed a full four years of housing, and others were forced into inadequate, converted Marks Braun doubles. In order to prevent students from being placed in unfavorable housing situations again, I plan to work diligently with administration to create a more fair housing system in which, for example, housing fees would be reduced for those students placed in Marks Braun “doubles” and a list of Caltech subsidized off campus housing to help students kicked off campus find reasonably priced, reliable housing close to campus as well as potential roommates.

4. Improve Mental Health Support on Campus

While serving on the Student Wellness Committee I used the data from the Campus Climate Survey to increase awareness and advocate for bettering student mental health to all levels of administration. I plan on continuing to do this as President by working with Student Wellness Services to hire more diverse counselors and therapists to decrease wait time for therapy appointments, working with the PA Program to make Head PA a paid position and remove the limit for returning PAs, make Orange Watch a paid position through the Work-Study Program and reintroduce the Freshman Mentoring Program I helped develop during the pandemic, during which an upperclassman gets paired with a freshman to mentor, to strengthen freshman support on campus.

5. Make ASCIT Finances More Accessible to Campus Organizations

ASCIT controls the finances of many of its sub organizations including the ARC, IHC, Tech, Big T, Little T and many clubs. Currently, in order for each organization to use its allocated funds it must ask ASCIT for a specified amount for each item or event. As Director of Operations I have already begun working on changing this system, and as President I plan on continuing to institute a process that allows each individual entity under ASCIT the autonomy to access their own funds. This can be done by granting p-cards, creating a separate account, and allowing open access to funds so organizations are able to plan and run events and publications more smoothly.

6. Address Food Issues on Campus and Make ASCIT Events more Food Inclusive

Over the past year we have had problems with vegetarian and vegan options and limited religious options and cafeteria times for those participating in Ramadan, Passover, and Lent. Also, there have been reports of mislabeling of food items with allergens. I plan to work with the head of the food committee and CDS to address these issues. Traditionally ASCIT events such as Midnight Donuts have not included vegan or gluten-free options. As ASCIT President I hope to work with the new Social Director to make students with dietary restrictions feel more included in our food related events. I have already started doing this by ensuring that there were vegan, gluten, and nut free options for most recent Pi Day.

My other goals include:

• Developing an ASCIT Student Project Fund to provide students with ideas on how to improve campus the funding to truly enact change
• Working with Caltech’s Board of Trustees to bring the Mannion house back to campus
• Make DEI an official subcommittee of ASCIT through RevComm
• Bringing back the Bike Lending program at the SFL Library

I believe that in my past two years on ASCIT, I have gone above and beyond the traditional responsibilities of a Director of Operations to improve the student experience and would continue to do so as President. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to email me at aditiv@caltech.edu or find me on Messenger (m.me/aditi.venkatesh.10). Thank you!

Kavya Rajagopalan (krajagop@caltech.edu)

Hi everyone!

For those who do not know me already, my name is Kavya Rajagopalan, and I am running to be your future ASCIT President! Over the last year I have had the privilege of being your ASCIT Social Director, and have been dedicated to throwing unique and exciting events especially given these unprecedented times. From organizing events such as the first ever school-wide Halloween event, Winter Carnival, Pi Day, Midnight Donuts, the largest ever ASCIT Formal, and more - I have acquired an arsenal of skills which I believe will allow me to advocate and do a lot more for the student body!

My current experience has equipped me with extensive working knowledge of how to facilitate large scale events on campus and how to work closely with administration to act in the interests of the student body. I hope to utilize such experiences to ensure that the goals of the student body are met in all areas of student life - a task I believe I am very equipped to handle in this coming year.

I have spent the last year incredibly committed to creating new and novel experiences for students around campus. I hope that in this next year, I can continue the work I had already begun as Social Director and also work more closely with students to learn and promote their other interests as well!

The student experience has been very important to me throughout my time at Caltech, and as ASCIT President, my goal is to continue to foster a strong working relationship between all of the offices of ASCIT and the general student body. As ASCIT President, I would hope to serve as the primary liaison between administration and the student body in order to promote the wide variety of projects which occur on campus. I am a huge proponent for responsibility and advocacy, so as President I would encourage students to reach out as consistently as possible - either in person or via anonymous forms which we will keep in circulation to address student needs.

Future Plans as President: (1) Some projects I have started working on and hope to move forward on with the future Social Director entail the following:

• Creating a scaled up school-wide Halloween Party
• A Holiday themed gala
• Multicultural Fashion Show
• Water Sports Day

(2) Additionally, I would like to work with our ASCIT Director of Operations and ASCIT Treasurer to improve the accessibility for clubs and other campus organizations to efficiently access funds. This includes granting p-cards to all clubs, which would enable more club events to host frequent events, and would improve the communications between club Excomm’s and ASCIT.

(3) Another goal I hope to work with IHC and all the ASCIT Offices on, is to change the current event registration process. I hope to work with administration to create a more efficient, less rigid and more transparent event registration process so that clubs, individual students, and houses have less restrictions on the events that they may host.

(4) Additionally, with the ARC Student-faculty-conference coming up in this next year, I would work diligently alongside our ARC Chair to guarantee that the students have a larger role than ever in dictating their own academic experience in both the SFC and in regards to regular course concerns.

(5) ASCIT also currently has a mental health initiative with the Student Wellness Services adopted this year by our current President. My hope is to continue her work and develop ways in which we can encourage and improve upon mental health advocacy + services offered to students on campus. This past year alone, ASCIT President had a major contributing role in the staffing increase in the counseling center, and my goal is to strengthen communications between SWS and Administration so that we can improve awareness and accessibility for all students to mental health resources regardless.

With these goals in mind, I am very excited and dedicated to hopefully making this all come to life. Thank you for having me as your ASCIT Social Director for this past year, and I only hope that I have the opportunity to engage more with the community and to work towards creating a Caltech which is more accommodating to all students! If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to krajagop@caltech.edu and I will be sure to respond as soon as possible!

Cheers! Kavya

ASCIT Director of Operations (1 candidate)

Shwetha Kunnam (skunnam@caltech.edu)

Hi guys,

My name is Shwetha Kunnam and I’m a junior in Page House majoring in EE. I’m running to be your next ASCIT Director of Operations!

My qualifications include being your Campus Wide Orange Watch Coordinator and serving as leadership for a couple of clubs, including Caltech Quizbowl. As OW Coordinator, I worked closely with the Title IX office and the current and past ASCIT/IHC. I worked towards formalizing the program, organized trainings throughout the year, and organized shifts for parties, ASCIT Formal, and assorted events. I am also in the process of trying to secure actual compensation for Orange Watchers, something that I will continue to work on if I become Director of Operations.

Due to my experiences with club leadership, I have a good understanding of the needs of the average Caltech club. Two things I want to do are look into getting clubs with larger budgets their own P-Cards and regularly opening up a second round of funding for clubs in the spring. Listening to the needs of club leadership is also very high on my list of priorities, please let me know if you have any ideas, questions, or want to chat!

One of my talents is identifying relatively small, actionable improvements and I will continue doing this on ASCIT. There are lots of overlooked changes I have advocated for at this lovely institution, from getting a publicly posted ingredients list for Mongolian sauces to the Marks/Braun petition for free housing. Other miscellaneous things I want to do:

● Advocate for better food options for people with dietary restrictions

● Negotiate fairer prices for room and board, especially considering the relatively large size of this year’s freshman class

● Work with groups that are trying to get more gender neutral bathrooms

My favorite thing about Caltech is definitely the people :) and I want to give back to you guys by working with the rest of ASCIT to organize sick events and make it easier for you guys to organize your own events! I will work with student organizations and interested individuals to make your parties, gatherings, functions, festivities, etc. happen. As OW Coordinator, I was able to see every event registered in the past 8 years or so and you have some banger ideas, so let’s make them happen. You guys can call or text me anytime at 3016584787. If you don’t have a phone, feel free to email me at skunnam@caltech.edu.

Love,

Shwetha

ASCIT Vice President of Academic Affairs (ARC Chair) (2 candidates)

Adishree Ghatare (adishree@caltech.edu)

Hi, my name is Adishree, and I’m running for ARC chair.

A little about myself — I’m a sophomore in Page House, majoring in CS and CNS. My term as Page House’s ARC representative just recently ended, and I am excited about the prospect of continuing to serve you on ARC.

In my year as ARC rep, I am grateful to have gotten involved in each of the multiple ways through which ARC serves our community. Most of all, I’ve loved advocating for my peers, including helping AIAA leadership petition the SURF office to allow ten additional SURF students this summer and listening to students’ course concerns to develop actionable feedback for professors. I reached out to faculty asking about research opportunities they had for undergrads during the school year and organized responses to update our research page, as well as automating this process to make it easier for future years. I’ve worked with other members of ARC to set up opportunities for students to connect with faculty, like organizing the SFL lunches we hold every term. Throughout the year, I’ve actively made myself available to members of my house, often providing advice on peers’ communication with professors/deans, and made sure to give several reminders for each of the all-too-missable Registrar deadlines.

My main goal on ARC has and will continue to be increasing access. This takes form in continuing previous efforts, like ARC office hours, SFL lunches, mentorship programs, registration/option advising events, and importantly, prioritizing the role that ARC has in advocating for DEI-related course concerns. Additionally, I’d like to work with the new ARC reps to increase the access that members of the student body have to their representatives through residence-wide events (including for off-campus students), such as destress events during exam periods. I am especially excited to take what I’ve learned in this past year and work with the incredible new ARC reps to advocate on your behalf and build a more constructive and enjoyable academic experience for and with you.

Please feel free to reach out to me by email, social media, or in person if you have any questions!

Gabriella Twombly (gtwombly@caltech.edu)

TLDR:

Hello! My name is Gabriella Twombly. I was the Fleming ARC representative this past year, and I am confident in my ability to serve as your ARC chair. During this time, I have worked with both the previous ARC chair, ASCIT, and administration so I know what it takes to operate ARC smoothly. I am dedicated to bettering the student experience and increasing ARC initiatives to benefit the student body as a whole. While on the ARC, I have played a key role in SFL preparation, option advising, freshman orientation, requirement flexibility, research assistance, ombuds training, and class concerns with menu classes, Ma1c, Ma6, Ph1c, CS 24, Ma3, PS 12, Ch3x, Bi122, and BEM 102. My goals are expanding ARC programs, continuing to facilitate the transition to in-person classes, putting students in touch with opportunities including research, creating more cohesive student leadership, focusing on mental health, pursuing SFC recommendations, and being approachable. I would be honored to serve as your ARC chair and I am excited about the possibility to continue working with the committee to provide the best resources, communication, and opportunities possible for the Caltech community. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to me through my email (gtwombly@caltech.edu), messenger, or discord (Twombly#9245).

Hi everyone!

My name is Gabriella, but most people know me as Twombly. I'm a sophomore in Fleming (Flem full, Lloyd social) majoring in CS, and I am a member of the Caltech women's volleyball team. I have served on the ARC for the past year as the Fleming house representative. Although I was the representative for a single house, I take great pride in helping facilitate initiatives to assist the student body as a whole. I would be honored to continue serving on the ARC as your ARC chair.

Being so involved in ARC, I am very familiar with the requirements and expectations necessary to perform the duties of the chair. I have worked closely with our current ARC chair, Mohini, and our previous ARC chair, Megan, over the past year in different settings. I have played a role in successfully organizing events for the community, assisting rep transitions, communicating between students and administration, speaking in freshman presentations, and more. I have also served as a BOC, CRC, Athletic Committee, and YMCA representative so I know what it takes to work with other committees like ASCIT and administration to strengthen our relationship in a way that benefits the student body. This will allow me to hit the ground running after a successful transition as chair.

I have loved putting together events to help students take advantage of the opportunities Caltech has to offer as well as navigate their academic careers. The ARC has allowed me to do just that. Several projects I have had the pleasure of working on both on and off the board are: Student Faculty Lunches: I have played a key role in organizing student faculty lunches for the past year including the transition to in-person lunches again. Along with the SFL committee, I reached out to students and professors, organized meals, prepared the lunch areas within COVID protocols and more for all parties to enjoy and form a closer bond.

Option advising: I have taken part in option advising events that the ARC hosts, offering assistance to freshman and other students, especially for questions regarding CS and HSS requirements.

Freshman Orientation activities: I helped create and lead presentations given by the ARC to incoming students as they acclimated from virtual to in-person events as well as becoming a member of the Caltech community. This included directions to resources and tips for them to be successful students in their own ways.

PE requirements: I worked with the athletic committee on increasing the flexibility of the PE requirements for all students and discussed ways to strengthen our wellness programs.

SURF/Research assistance: I have shared resources on where to look for SURFs, how to find research, and offered assistance with the SURF application process. I hope to expand this through more ARC programs, the houses, and our website.

Class concerns: I have maintained open communication and assistance with class concerns through the transition from virtual to in-person classes as an ARC member and ombudsman. I have worked with professors and TAs on issues concerning menu classes, Ma1c, Ma6, Ph1c, CS 24, Ma3, PS 12 (recitation slides), Ch3x, Bi122, and BEM 102 to find a solution that betters the students’ learning and experience in that class.

Ombuds training: I have helped with ombuds training for both virtual and in-person classes in an effort to better communicate between students and faculty. This way everyone has a more enjoyable academic experience. YMCA Mentor Program: I have worked closely with the ASCIT president and ASCIT secretary on the steering committee for the YMCA mentoring program where we mentor young girls in setting and reaching their goals and more.

I have taken these projects on with great enthusiasm and, as your ARC chair, would continue to do so. I am also open to expanding ARC events into other areas in order to offer more comfort, flexibility, and assistance. I hope to uphold ARC’s involvement in the academic community by:

Expanding ARC programs to make sure we meet the needs of our students regarding scheduling, adapting to Caltech academics, advising, and other events by suggestion. I am hoping to increase access to these events by getting involved with the IHC.

Continuing to facilitate the transition off pass/fail and to in-person classes. I understand it has been a difficult time for many. I hope to work with faculty and students to find ways that will smooth this transition. This could mean communicating with ombuds, finding ways to increase collaboration, communicating with professors, and trying to make more supplemental materials such as TA notes and recordings available to students. This would alleviate stress for students who still feel uncomfortable with in-person classes, those who are sick, or those students who are struggling

Putting students in touch with opportunities. There are so many amazing opportunities and events happening on campus that many students are either unaware of or unsure of. This could be with regards to courses, faculty conversation, experiences, research, and student resources. I hope to work with ARC to find a way to make these opportunities more easily accessible through our website and more.

Creating more cohesive student leadership: I want to use my experience as a representative on different committees to push initiatives with more than just the ARC.

Focusing on mental health: Caltech is rigorous. It can be very stressful and isolating. Many times we forget to take care of ourselves. I plan to work with administration and the occupational therapy office to better the resources available for the well-being of the student body. I want to promote a healthier academic culture with proper recovery, collaboration, self-care, and nutrition where we view students as individuals.

SFC Recommendations: I will take into account SFC suggestions and pursue them within options and on a school level to present to the deans and in faculty board meetings.

Being approachable: I hope to be a friendly presence in the Caltech community and act as a resource for any students with questions or concerns. I plan to offer office hours (virtual/in-person), attend house dinners, and be transparent with ARC projects.

I would be honored to serve as your ARC chair and I am confident in my ability to successfully take up the position. I am excited about the possibility to continue working with the committee to provide the best resources, communication, and opportunities possible for the Caltech student body. I know I will dedicate the time necessary to make the Caltech experience more enjoyable and bearable. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to me through my email (gtwombly@caltech.edu), messenger, or discord (Twombly#9245).

ASCIT Director of Social Activities (2 candidates)

Tanmay Gupta (tggupta@caltech.edu)

Hi Everyone! My name is Tanmay and I am a smore in Lloyd majoring in Physics and minoring in Aerospace Engineering. I’m running to serve you as your ASCIT SocD! It truly brings me great joy to see people having fun, interacting with each other, and making connections. I want to make even more of that happen on campus.

WHY I’M QUALIFIED & WHAT I’VE DONE:

I only arrived in the USA this past summer during SURF, but just in those 10 weeks, I organized many social events for those who were around and the FSRI prefrosh. With my access to Cahill’s auditorium, I hosted Movie/TV nights multiple times a week and Karaoke night almost every weekend, along with a trip to see the LA Phil, a trip to see a hilarious Improv group (TISC), a trip to The Huntington, and more. I immensely enjoyed meeting new people and helping people make connections with one another, all while having fun together. With my increased knowledge of LA/Pas and the access to facilities being ASCIT SocD will give me, I am confident I can bring that same fun to all of you.

I routinely organized campus-wide events with 600+ people in high school and am ready to extend my experience to the 1000 students we have at Caltech. My prior experience handling logistics for large groups of people means I can jump right into organizing events for you.

WHAT I WILL DO: iFest: International Festival! I am very excited about this project. Caltech is becoming an increasingly diverse campus with people from around the world, from different states, and from many cultures. I want to celebrate our backgrounds and bring them together so we can all learn more about one another while: enjoying delicious FOOD from different countries/states, cultural performances from our student groups, and regional games! Along with this project, I’d like to try new things like a Wet n Wild day on the Beckman lawn, as well as maintain traditional ASCIT events. Facilitate student group activities. If you and a group of friends want to go see a concert, take a hike, or do another group activity, I will help you work with ORE to subsidize your costs and get more people involved. Having organized many of these excursions over the summer, I know more people are always interested to join when they hear about an event. This way students can decide what they want to do and do it with more people for cheaper. Weekly drop-in events. Instead of just working on large projects (like Halloween, Xmas, Holi, etc), I want to set up smaller weekly events as I did over the summer. Movie nights in Cahill/Ramo auditorium, karaoke nights in the SAC, and any other ideas you have. These provide an unstructured and constant stream of opportunities to have fun when you or your friends are looking for something to do on a random Tuesday evening. Work with house leadership/SocDs to see how ASCIT can support them and create more inter-house social opportunities. Similarly, I am committed to working with admin and advocating for students’ needs, especially after these last two years. I love seeing smiling faces, feeling the excited energy, and hearing the laughter of friends having fun. As your ASCIT Social Director, I will maximize your time smiling, feeling excited, and laughing. I am very much a team player and am here for you. Feel free to reach out to me via email (tggupta) or social media. If you are just as excited as I am to make the most of next year, please vote for me. My motto for next year: Have No Regrets!

Matticus Brown (msbrown@caltech.edu)

Hello all! My name is Matticus Brown, and I am running to be your next ASCIT Social Director. Right now, I am a Junior in Lloyd majoring in Mechanical Engineering. I’m currently a Title IX ad, a member of Orange Watch, and an admissions ambassador, and I have been an FCC welcoming new students to Caltech. I also have experience planning large events such as Lloyd ski trip, which involved managing many different moving parts and delegating to others. Moreover, in the past year I have helped with many of the ASCIT events such as the halloween event and the winter carnival, and thus have developed a knowledge of what needs to be done in order to make these events happen. Through this experience, I feel that I am well qualified to put on fun and exciting events this coming year, especially as restrictions are (hopefully) relaxed more. But in addition to planning fun events, there are a few priorities that I would also pursue as ASCIT social director:

1. Take into account student input into planning events, as the student body are the people who these events are for. I would accomplish this task by meeting regularly with all the houses’ social directors, thus garnering input from all the houses in order to receive a variety of opinions and ideas while planning events. Furthermore, I would like to take input from the whole of the student body in order to plan events that you all are excited about and invested in.

2. Continue annual events, both new and old. Especially with Covid, it has been difficult to maintain usual ASCIT events in a normal way, thus as restrictions (hopefully) relax more this coming year, having less restricted versions of these events will be a priority. In addition to this, I would like to repeat some new events such as the halloween costume contest/event and the winter carnival, in the hope of making these a tradition at this school that will continue beyond my tenure. Finally, I will also be focused on creating some new events in concert with the house social directors in order to support house culture and foster inter-house connections.

3. Balance the ASCIT social events budget. This past year, ASCIT was able to use a surplus of funds which stemmed from not having events while Caltech was remote. However, this coming year ASCIT will unfortunately not have this surplus of funding. Thus I will need to use knowledge and investments from years prior to put on the same high quality events as past years while also finding ways to either cut costs, or working with the new ASCIT treasurer to find other avenues of funding. By doing this, I will ensure that ASCIT social events become sustainable and can continue to improve into the furure.

I would love to be your next ASCIT SocD because I have seen first hand the ability of the ASCIT social director to put on events which bring the Caltech community together. I love the people at this school, and I want to be able to organize and make possible events which allow everyone to have a fun time (and maybe forget about sets for a bit). If you have any questions for me, feel free to email me at msbrown@caltech.edu or message me through facebook. Thanks!

ASCIT Treasurer (2 candidates)

Rachel Ding (rding@caltech.edu)

Hi everyone,

My name is Rachel Ding and I’m a junior in Page studying Computation and Neural Systems, and I’m running to be your ASCIT Treasurer. I’m excited for the opportunity to have a more direct impact on improving our experiences as undergraduates at Caltech. If elected as ASCIT Treasurer, my main goals include:

Managing the budget in a fair and transparent manner I have worked with the Caltech study abroad and fellowships office for the past two years where I gained experience validating budgets, travel itineraries and costs, and student proposals. Additionally, I was a part of my high school robotics team and founded a Unicef chapter there as well. Working on these over the years has given me perspective and understanding on the costs that go into purchasing club materials, attending competitions, founding new clubs, and many other hidden costs. I aim to manage and allocate funds in a fair, organized, and transparent manner to make financial processes for students and clubs as streamlined as possible. This extends to student publications, operations, special events, and ASCIT membership costs. Additionally, I will work to make budget proposals more publicly accessible to the student body to encourage feedback and achieve greater transparency.

Transitioning to a better normal following the pandemic For many of us, our experience here at Caltech has been cut short and crammed into what remaining time we have left. As we transition from virtual to hybrid to fully in person and life as it was pre-pandemic, I will work hard to fulfill the needs and hopes of the student body. As a current junior, I have the unique position where I’ve experienced Caltech both before and during the pandemic. Therefore, I know how great the undergraduate life can be here and have hopes for how much better it could be. As ASCIT Treasurer, I will analyze the budget and re-evaluate allocations as we make greater transitions in the coming terms to maximize our experience and make up for those we missed out on.

Supporting and advocating for the students Over the past year, I have had the privilege of attending and helping out with ASCIT social events. I’ve spent time volunteering at the winter carnival, helping pass out pies on pi day, and setting up lights and decorations for the Halloween event. As Treasurer and thus a member of ASCIT, I take the role of helping to organize and facilitate these events seriously. This includes advocating for events and accommodations that benefit students and overall contributing my time and energy to ASCIT and the student body in more than a financial manner. I am confident that my organization skills and proven reliability will benefit our student body experience. And I am grateful for the opportunity to be in a position to advocate for us students and support ASCIT. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions: rding@caltech.edu!

Jonathan Booker (jbooker@caltech.edu)

Hi! My name is Jonathan Booker, and I am a rising sophomore Physics major in Ricketts. This year was the first year that we returned to campus after the COVID-19 pandemic. Although we have returned to campus this past fall, we have not yet returned to a sense of normalcy. Transparency within student government, administration, and the relations between have appeared to have been lacking. As ASCIT Treasurer, I want to help bring a new sense of normal, to revive, maintain, and improve ASCIT events, and to bring a new sense of transparency to not just club funding, but, most importantly, student government.

Qualifications

I have the skills to execute the position of ASCIT Treasurer, the drive to go above and beyond of what is asked, and the experiences that indicate the readiness to carry out this job. I have technology certifications in data technologies that enable myself to not just keep track of ASCIT finances, but to make them readable and accessible to the average Caltech student. I am currently a BoC Rep for Ricketts. Additionally, this past year, especially in the fall, I have worked and helped maintain finances for weekly events, and I am the current Treasurer for the skating club as well.

Revival of the California Tech

The California Tech is the student newspaper that ASCIT publishes. Like any other newspaper, the California Tech does not just act as a source of outdated memes and inside joke that only a few people are a part of; in fact, it also acts as a check on those who are in power within both Student Government and Administration by sharing only true facts in a fair and balanced manner. The Article X, SECTION 1, subsection (a) of the ASCIT bylaws say the following: “California Tech, a newspaper published at least once a week, except during finals and vacations” However, issues of the California Tech have only been published once within the 2021-2022 school year. This has caused a lack of transparency that has lead to a dysfunctional interconnection between the student government and administration due to the lack of accountability and communication. As ASCIT Treasurer, I plan to ensure that the tech meets this requirement as mandated by our bylaws.

Transparency When Allocating Club Funding

The amount of transparency when concerning the allocation of club funding has been notorious for years. At the beginning of fall term, each club sends a representative to an allocation meeting. As treasurer, I intend to not just communicate each club representative of the standards of funding allocation, I will intend to notify the ungraduated population as well as an effort to increase transparency. Additionally, I plan to work with other members of BoD and the Bursar’s office to figure out a way for club members to make purchases without paying out of pocket. I have observed that clubs having to be paid for out of pocket to be reimbursed later is a major concern amongst club officers. As a club officer myself, I to have ran into the issues that can arise from this practice. Further, my technological capabilities also allow myself to show the current state of ASCIT finances. Using this skill, I plan to answer any question anybody may have while having an open-door policy to anyone who is concerned about ASCIT finances.

Student Government Education

Finally, as ASCIT Treasurer, I plan to work with other members of the BoD to reinvigorate involvement within student government. Although the IHC provided a handbook to all incoming frosh at the beginning of fall term, the lack of continued awareness and voting apathy is detrimental to the undergraduate population. Already the lack of knowledge has resulted in many deficiencies within the student government and has enabled certain members of administration to eradicate house culture, student autonomy, and the honor code which is essential to any student’s academic success. However, recent efforts in last winter’s election led to voter turnout increasing by an unprecedented 400% and have started a dialogue amongst the student body. As Treasurer, I will continue to grow this effort.

Overall, I have fell in love with the culture at Caltech within my time on campus. I want to be involved and use my skills to preserve this culture as it brings out the best in us. I hope to make a significant impact as ASCIT Treasurer if elected.