Kaplan Campaigning As a Unifier, Healer

Benjamin R. Kaplan '99-'98 is not Yoda. He is neither short, green nor bald. He does not have pointy ears. But just as Yoda facilitated Skywalker's rise to stardom, Kaplan hopes to facilitate the fortunes of students by becoming president of the Undergraduate Council.

Kaplan's campaign signs may contain jesting references to Yoda or the Kaplan SAT program, but Kaplan himself is serious about reforming the role of the presidency.

"Right now the U.C. president is a partisan figure," says Kaplan. "I think the U.C. president should be more or an arbitrator."

Part of his plan to depoliticize the council has been his refusal to accept a running mate. Kaplan says several vice presidential candidates approached him but he turned them down.

A council without factions, Kaplan says, will restore its credibility and allow the talents of its members to shine.

"Get some talented people together and good things happen," Kaplan says. "That's kind of the idea of Harvard."

Cohesiveness will also allow the council to tackle issues Kaplan sees as important: Core reform, improvements to the MAC, the creation of an inter-club Congress and e-mail communication between representatives and their constituents.

But perhaps Kaplan's most distinctive stand has been on the issue of fundraising. Kaplan says he does not believe the Student Affairs Committee and the Campus Life Committee should have to fight for money.

"We can increase the size of our pie and not have to make these sacrifices," Kaplan says. "There exists a mentality that it's wrong if we're making a profit."

An example of his skill in managing finances, Kaplan points to his own campaign. According to Kaplan, he has managed to get more for his money by getting his materials printed at a secret and ultra-cheap location he will reveal after the campaign.

These prices, along with his experience in design and a dedicated group of assistants have helped him maximize his presence on campus, Kaplan says.

Regardless, Kaplan will soon be maximizing his presence through other means. Besides aspiring to be a syndicated columnist, Kaplan says he has already completed his first book titled, "Helping Ourselves."

That, and defeating the Dark Side of the Force.