Have you dreamed of hearing “Hail to the Chief” played for you? Now’s your chance!
That’s right. SA Elections are finally here! Why would you want to run for an office? For one thing, it’s a great way to get involved in HBS and get things done. The SA has accomplished a lot this year, all based on recommendations from the annual student poll in the spring. The list includes adding a prescription drug benefit to the healthcare plan, providing alternate off-campus housing resources, and dedicating more Career Services resources to international job searches. So being an elected SA official is all about impact. A chance to influence the overall student experience at HBS. Plus, it’s a chance to practice your learnings from LEAD.
Now that you’re convinced that you just have to run (if not, then convince a friend and remember to vote on the 28th), what positions are available? There are two Co-Presidents, 1 CFO, and 3 members of the Social Committee (Excellent teamwork experience for those interview questions.). Detailed descriptions of the positions and campaign regulations are on the SA website at sa.hbs.edu.
The Co-Presidents run together as a slate. They are responsible for developing the draft of the SA Agenda, the list of things that the SA hopes to accomplish in the next year. According to current SA Co-President Mark Plunkett, you “get to work on a variety of issues facing the school.” You have some latitude in shaping your experience based on the issues you choose to pursue. The Co-Presidents preside over the Senate, act as a liaison to the administration, and communicate with the student body.
The CFO is, of course, in charge of the money. He or she maintains the accounts of the SA, prepares the budget, and distributes cash. Clearly, the CFO is everyone’s favorite person. In addition to the finances, the CFO also is part of the SA’s Executive Committee and assists the Presidents in other school-wide matters. Greg Gerstenhaber, current SA co-CFO, says that the CFO is “involved in weekly exec meetings and provides input. The job allows plenty of flexibility to be involved in many different aspects of the SA.”
The Social Committee consists of 3 members who run together as a team. They must be from three different sections and include at least 1 male, 1 female, 1 U.S., and 1 international student. They are THE people in charge of the HBS social agenda and coordinate all of the fun social activities that we do here at HBS, including TGIFs, and the Hollidazzle Ball, among others. They are the liaison with the administration and faculty on social matters, and communicate with the Senate.
To run for one of these positions, just fill out a position paper with the issues you think are important and turn it in by Friday, Feb. 22 at 5 pm to MBA Student Life. The campaign regulations on the web have more details. For the Presidential slate and Social Committee, you can either form a group on your own or attend the Q&A session on 2/19 in Aldrich 209 to meet up with other interested candidates.
