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

A note from the Review Committee 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 highly recommended.

IHC Chair

Sophie Elam

(Candidate 1 of 4)

In my experience, one of the most positive and unique aspects of student life at Caltech is the House system. As we have all come to learn, each house contributes its personality to campus culture, and between the eight houses, students can find a family-like community where they feel they belong. My goal as IHC Chair would be to advocate for the best interests of the Houses and facilitate a healthy and functional partnership with administration so that the Houses may continue to maintain their cultures and traditions to the fullest capacity.

During my time at Caltech, I have had the privilege to serve in a variety of positions including Campus-Wide Orange Watch Coordinator, Fleming ARC Representative, Fleming Cannon Master, and Fleming Title IX and Peer Advocate roles. In each of these I feel I have gained valuable skill sets that enhance my ability to serve as a suitable IHC Chairperson. In order to effectively fulfill the expectations of these responsibilities, I have established relationships with multiple administrators in a variety of contexts, cooperated with students and excomms of each house, and developed efficient communication and organization stills. That being said, I feel that I am well equipped and prepared with relevant experiences to meet the demands of the IHC Chair. Further, through my work as a PA and as Orange Watch coordinator, I have built a reliable and cooperative relationship with Vanessa Tejada, who will be the primary administrator working with the IHC next year. I am confident that because of my background and connections, I am in an ideal position to best advocate for students and the Houses, and ensure that their desires and concerns are expressed to administration in the most effective manner.

Most importantly, I genuinely care about and am invested in the well being of my peers and the Houses, which I believe I have demonstrated through my comitment to being an advocate, representetive and supportive resource for anyone who needs it. Thus, it is with great enthusiasm I pursue the opportunity to serve Caltech undergrads as the next IHC Chair. Please reach out to me if you have any questions or want to talk! I’m easily accessible through email (selam@caltech.edu) or Messenger!

Kyle Piper

(Candidate 2 of 4)

Hi! I’m Kyle Piper. I am a Junior MechE, and you’ve probably all seen me around campus, even if we haven’t met. The pink hair is hard to miss.

I’m running for IHC Chair because I want to amplify the voice of students, see Caltech policies more closely reflect the pre-COVID era, and keep the administrative side of student initiatives running smoothly. Every one of you has most likely already experienced events I have organized. For the past two years, I have worked on all construction and safety approvals for events in Venerable. I arranged the guidelines to safely build a mini-golf course in the hallways of Venerable during rotation. Last year, as the construction lead for OPI, the Venerable interhouse, I attended countless safety meetings with ORE. This year, I took on the role of OPI event coordinator, and successfully worked out new, post-COVID-era guidelines for a party with 600 anticipated guests. From organizing safety guidelines for unique activities, to taking phone calls in the middle of class, I know what it takes to keep house events running smoothly.

Beyond my experience working with every member of the ORE events committee, I’ve been heavily involved in house culture my entire time at Caltech. I know how important the houses are, and these are the steps I will take to keep the houses feeling like home for the next generation of students. Firstly, as Caltech starts holding us to modern safety standards, I will ensure our events are not canceled or limited. I will take steps to close the communication loop with ORE and keep events safe without sacrificing our traditions. Secondly, my experience coordinating big events means I also know how to work in a group. I’ve worked alongside most of the new house presidents before, and I know you’ve elected great people. I’ll respect their time, delegate work efficiently, and maintain clear communication. Last, and most importantly, I know that I can be wrong. When your presidents tell me I’ve made a mistake, I’ll listen. I have been the only candidate running for IHC Chair regularly attending IHC meetings for the past few months, so I’ll be able to make sure the presidents have an easy transition.

I refuse to make promises I can’t keep, so my only campaign promise is that IHC Chair will be my first priority. OPI is this Saturday. Come see for yourself what giving my 100% to a project looks like. Let me give your houses 100%. Let me give your presidents 100%. Let me give you 100%. Vote Kyle for IHC Chair.

Tanmay Gupta

(Candidate 3 of 4)

Hey Everyone! My name is Tanmay and I’m a junior physics major. Along with the rest of the class of 2024, I began Caltech online. And now, after two more years of Pandemic restrictions, I want to experience all that Caltech can be before I graduate.

I want that Caltech student experience I’d heard so much about when applying. All the rich house culture, exciting pranks, and cross-house events that seem to have dwindled in the last few years. I want students to have freedom again so we can keep ourselves from going insane. At a place like Caltech where the academics are already crushing, house culture and events allow us to balance our life. Without them, attending a place like Caltech would not be feasible. And the best way I know how to bring that change about is to lead the change myself. I have sat in IHC meetings for the last month and am ready to transition over and work with the new presidents, all of whom I know myself.

Some things I’d like to focus on in the coming year: Help repair the student-admin relationship. There’s so much animosity between students and admin. Granted, it’s for good reasons, but it doesn’t have to continue being that way. With different admin like Vanessa taking over as liaison, it’s an opportunity for a fresh start. Uphold pre-Covid precedents and set new ones to make sure student events can be held unhindered. Caltech admin is concerned about liability, but that shouldn’t mean every little event is hindered. There needs to be trust on both sides and I hope to help instill that with carefully thought out proposals and seeking reasonable justifications. Seek and be transparent. When everyone is able to know exactly what is happening, there is less distrust and rumors. If admin wants us to trust them, I will pursue them until they are an open book.

As the current chair of the SFC committee, an active Title IX ad, and having organized several events over summer, I know how to work with jaded adults. I have experience dealing with admin and faculty on many levels. In particular, I know how to put on a smile when we need to and bare the teeth when it’s time to. I will be the mediator that helps deliver student’s wants and needs.

Caltech’s houses and residences already provide a family and community to support everyone here. I want to help those houses continue being homes away from home, each with their unique traditions and events that give them their personalities. Rather than smothering them as they have been recently, they should be celebrated. I will advocate for this crucial part of student life. No matter how much admin may want to avoid us. I will work with a phenomenal new set of presidents and the student body to make sure our needs are met.

Vote for me to finally experience everything we don’t even know we’re missing out on!

Jonathan Booker

(Candidate 4 of 4)

Hi everyone, my name is Jonathan Booker, and I am running for IHC Chair! I am a sophomore from Ricketts Hovse, and I am studying Physics and Computer Science. I am currently the ASCIT Secretary, so I am the guy that has been spamming everyone’s email inbox every day. I am running to be the next IHC Chair because I want to preserve the rich culture and trusting community that accompanies life at Caltech. I am from a small town in the middle of nowhere. This means that I am one of the few people that has not had the resources and a supportive community until arriving at Caltech. I feel that it is my obligation to help preserve this environment for every other person that also has not had a lot of opportunities before arriving to Caltech. The best way I can protect this environment is to preserve the structure that enables student autonomy within the community. This structure is the house system. To ensure that the house system is preserved, I believe that I should take on the soul crushing responsibility of leading it. In other words, I want to be the next IHC Chair.

Why I am the best person to be IHC Chair

Throughout my time within the Caltech community, I have served as a Ricketts Representative to the BoC during an unprecedented case load that has never been seen within the history of the Institute. Additionally, I am serving of the SFC Special Topics Committee investigating the effects of COVID on the Caltech community; we have uncovered revelations that will result in a solution to a multitude of problems that have resulted as an effect of the pandemic. Finally, I have taken on a numerous number of initiatives as ASCIT Secretary and a member of student leadership: I have found and restored 60 years of student government records, including both ASCIT and the IHC that dates to WWII, that gave new insights into the significant events within the institute’s past. I secured $14,000 of additional funding to buy equipment including a brand-new set of sound equipment, the ASCIT Popcorn Machine, and the ASCIT Cotton Candy Machine that any group, especially houses, can utilize at any event. Finally, I was instrumental in revitalizing the CRC, which has been inactive for half a decade, and pushed through amendments to the ASCIT Bylaws that finally reflected the CRC process and codified the rights of students and houses within honor-code violation investigations - a task that I was told by countless upperclassmen was impossible to complete. Finally, I aided the previous IHC during rotation last year in the following ways: I coordinated with the transportation office to get every prefrosh a metro-card so they can explore the Pasadena area while they await results. I forwarded every single announcement from each house about their respective rotation events. Finally, I updated three classes of student’s photos on Donut. This task was neglected for 3 years,

This laundry list of accomplishments and experiences shows how effective I have been in a position of leadership, especially when accounting for the fact that I was only ASCIT Secretary. As IHC Chair, I promise to keep this drive and use my position to take my effectiveness to the next level.

I will campaign on three things. Rotation, revamping sub-committees, and transparency.

Rotation

This will be the first year that rotation will be normal after the pandemic. We need to move on from what was and move on to a new version of rotation that is still faithful to its original intent. As IHC Chair, I will continue the efforts of the former IHC to further refine the rotation process and tweak the algorithm to ensure a fair gender distribution amongst the house while further consulting the CCID to determine the best way to fairly account for non-binary, gender-queer, etc. individuals. Last year, there was a noticeably higher than normal number of rotation violations. I will aim to decrease this number by advocating for the fair and effective use of the mechanisms defined in the IHC’s Definition. Finally, with my experience assisting the IHC this past year, I am the most familiar with the interworking’s of rotation.

Sub-Committees

Revitalize AdComm, FoodComm, StewComm, & Interhouse Sports:

There are so many problems that the IHC can encounter within the next year that no one can anticipate the magnitude or the nature of those problem. So, as IHC Chair I want to revitalize the role AdComm, FoodComm, StewComm, & Interhouse Sports IHC-Subcommittees play in student life to help solve future problems that are unpredictable. Concerning AdComm in particular, I want to mandate that the chair calls a meeting once per a suitable regular interval of time. In the short term, I want them to work with SWS, CCID, the Dean’s office, or whichever necessary office to solve problems – such as the institute failing to meet disability accommodations - that are disproportionately affecting including but not limited to neurodivergent individuals or students with mental health issues. In the long run, I would like AdComm to take on any issue that disproportionately effects a traditionally marginalized group within the Caltech community. Additionally, I would like for AdComm to take charge of volunteer programs that are currently implemented by the ASCIT Board of Directors to advocate for the underprivileged outside of the Caltech community.

I want to reboot Interhouse Sports and Discobus by finding the funds to buy an actual Interhouse Trophy and a Disco Trophy for houses to compete over. Ideally, I would like results publicly tabulated throughout the course of the competition.

Transparency & Relationship with the Board of Directors

The most forgettable aspect to many about the IHC Chair is that they are also a member of the Board of Directors as the V.P. of Non-Academic Affairs. The final pledge that I make is to be as transparent as possible about the proceedings of the IHC without injuring the long-term goals of the IHC. As IHC Chair, I promise to relay all information to the Board of Directors, especially when it comes to interactions with administration. However, while doing so, I will continue to respect the privacy of others within the community and keeping proceedings that require it to be carried out discretely under-wraps to eventually be reported.

Foreword

If you have made it this far, yeah, I know I wrote a lot. I really appreciate the time you spent reading this long statement. I have put a lot of effort this past year to make life for us undergrads more tolerable while we endure the academic rigor at Caltech. Surprisingly, I want to put in even more because I know I can make the greatest impact compared to anyone else. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me over Facebook Messenger, over email: jbooker@caltech.edu, or on Discord: Jbooker053#9278

TL;DR After writing this long but necessary statement, I ran my statement through Chat GBT. Here is the result.

This statement is a candidate's statement for an election for the position of IHC Chair at Caltech. The candidate, Jonathan Booker, is a sophomore studying Physics and Computer Science and currently serving as the ASCIT Secretary. He wants to preserve the culture and community at Caltech and protect the house system that enables student autonomy. He believes he is the best person for the position because of his experience in leadership positions and his accomplishments, including serving as a Ricketts Representative to the BoC, investigating the effects of COVID on the Caltech community, restoring 60 years of student government records, securing funding for equipment, revitalizing the CRC, and updating student photos on Donut. He promises to focus on rotation, revamping sub-committees, and transparency if elected. Regarding rotation, he aims to refine the process, ensure a fair gender distribution, and decrease violations. He also wants to revitalize sub-committees such as AdComm, FoodComm, StewComm, and Interhouse Sports to solve problems and advocate for underprivileged groups within the Caltech community. Finally, he promises to maintain transparency and have a good relationship with the Board of Directors.

BoC Chair

Terry Huang

(Candidate 1 of 1)

I'm Terry and I am running to be your next BoC Chair. Being BoC Chair does not only include having integrity, but it also entails being reliable, understanding, and most of all fair. I have exemplified these traits during my time as a representative of BoC as well as serving as BoC Secretary the previous year. As an active member of BoC leadership, I have worked endlessly to improve the system and pass fair and reasonable judgement and aid in the consistency and fairness of all cases. I believe that with the traits I possess and my experience on the board I will best serve the community as BoC Chair.

BoC Secretary

Rachel Reyes

(Candidate 1 of 2)

Hello! My name is Rachel Reyes and I am excited to be running for BoC Secretary. I believe that my good organizational skills, meticulousness, and ability to work well with others make me a strong candidate for this role. As we all know, at the core of Caltech is the Honor code that reminds us that “no member of the Caltech community should take unfair advantage of any other member”. As BoC Secretary, I would be dedicated to upholding the Honor Code and ensuring that all members of our community are treated with respect and fairness. In my four years of leadership experience from being Treasurer, Secretary, Historian, and Vice President, I have learned the importance of honesty, hard work, and dedication. As part of the executive board for two years, I was able to help create a positive and productive team environment, and I am excited to bring those skills to BoC. I would be very grateful to have your support. Please consider voting for me as BoC Secretary!

Heidi Redmond

(Candidate 2 of 2)

Hello everyone! My name is Heidi Redmond. I am a Junior studying Chemical Engineering, and I am running for the position of BoC secretary. For the past year I have been serving as a BoC Representative for Venerable House. During this time, I have developed a true admiration for the work that the BoC does to protect the community, work that almost no one sees, which has driven me to sit for more cases than required for every term that I was a Venerable BoC Rep. In addition to this, over the past few months, I have gained experience as acting BoC secretary to prepare for the role.

I greatly value the honor code and the privileges it brings to us as Caltech students, and I am dedicated to upholding the spirit of integrity within my own life and within our school.

Additionally, I believe that the BoC members and leadership have a responsibility to all members of the Caltech community to be genuinely invested and engaged in the proceedings of BoC cases and outcomes. As BoC secretary, I will do my utmost to support this engagement organizationally and ideologically.

Lastly, the BoC not only represents a place where students get to actively take part in shaping the future of Caltech and the honor code, but also, more importantly, it is a body which directly shapes the lives of the people around us, the lives of our peers or even ourselves. The BoC secretary is the first person a respondent meets when students enter a full board hearing, the culmination of the BoC process. As secretary, I will strive to be a presence that is not only fair, but also kind as I help to guide students through the BoC process.

I strongly believe that to be a member of the BoC is a privilege in itself, that it is an honor to be selected from amongst our peers to protect all members of the Caltech community against violations of our honor code. I ask for this honor once more as a nominee for BoC secretary.

CRC Co-Chair

Winter Pearson

(Candidate 1 of 1)

I have had the unique privilege of serving as your student Conduct Review Committee co-chair for the past two years, and I hope to continue with the job!

During that time, my greatest accomplishment has been my work to revitalize the CRC, which has begun sitting cases again, for the first time in about 5 years! Additionally, I'm proud to have assisted with the creation of a newer and more efficient Honor Code Handbook, led the process of amending the ASCIT bylaws to reflect these changes, and generally worked to make the CRC's operation more effective and transparent.

I believe the CRC is essential to the structure of the Honor Code here on campus. The trust we have built for each other is enormously valuable, and it remains easily one of my favorite aspects of Caltech. Since frosh year, I have also served on the Board of Control. All of this work has been deeply fulfilling to me.

I hope that I have provided a familiar face for the CRC, answered your questions, and effectively advocated on behalf of our community. The nature of this role often operates behind the scenes, but I look for every opportunity to connect it to people. I am always excited to see what the CRC can be next!

Please reach out to me if you have any questions at winter@caltech.edu. Thank you!

Tech Editor

Michael Gutierrez

(Candidate 1 of 1)

Hey all, I’m Michael (or perhaps better known as Guutz), and I’d like to throw my hat into the ring to become your next editor for the California Tech. I’m running for this position with the promise that if elected, the Tech will return to a regular publication schedule. If you’ve ever gone back through the archives and read old issues of the Tech (I highly recommend it!), you’ve seen how much pride, passion, and care went into documenting each chunk of student life at Caltech. To me, it’s really inspiring to see the entire campus come together to tell our stories, whether good or bad, hopeful or dismal, jovial or heavy. It feels like these days, most of us stay sequestered in our respective corners of campus; my hope is that the Tech can help bridge these gaps and give us all something in common to talk about.

My qualifications:

• I can read and write English
• Passed my frosh hums
• Enrolled in a 9-unit journalism class next term so I’ll have time
• Most relevantly, I’ve been working with the current editorial staff of the Tech this term and helped publish this issue, so I know how things work already

My agenda, if elected:

• Regular publication schedule (at least monthly)
• Personally solicit interviews and articles from students, faculty, and staff about current campus happenings
• Get the California Tech website back online (I’ll develop it myself if necessary)
• Bring back the puzzle section!

Looking forward to working with you all! Take it easy :)