A Quick and Easy Guide to the UC Election

Undergraduate Council Voting Season is upon us! If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the plethora of posters that have suddenly appeared on every possible surface, or you are still trying to digest what happened at Crimson Crossfire, have no fear: we’ve got you covered. Keep reading for an overview of the tickets and their platforms. Remember that the outcome of this election lies with you. So vote! But do it before noon this Thursday, November 20, or it won’t count.

Heine and Turban

As this year’s sole sophomore ticket, Luke R. Heine ’17 and Stephen A. Turban ’17 are already making a splash (literally: they brought a pool to the Science Center Plaza). During Crimson Crossfire, they handed out crayons and coloring sheets. They also received press for replacing dining hall newsletters with their watermarked campaign messages in an impressive 11 out of 13 dining halls. Their campaign platform is a little vague: shifting the focus of the UC from parliamentary procedures to the students of Harvard. All in all, the pair aims to increase diversity and “level the playing field” of Harvard; one of their primary goals is to push for the UC to resume funding alcohol for student groups.

Kanuparthy and Horvath

Meghamsh Kanuparthy ’16 and Ema H. Horvath ’16 are quite a team: while Kanuparthy has served as UC historian, secretary, and is currently treasurer, this is Horvath’s first run in the UC—she is primarily an actor. However, the duo argues that if elected, they will bring a fresh pair of eyes to the Council. Their platform consists of four “deliverables”: guaranteed summer storage in Houses, the opportunity to influence how Houses are renewed, better funding for new or smaller student groups, and increased social space in the Smith Campus Center.

Nasrollahzadeh and Goyal

Ava Nasrollahzadeh ’16 and Dhruv P. Goyal ’16 are seasoned campaigners known for their polished presentation. Their platform centers around the color purple, infographics, and the four F’s: funding, food, freshmen, and fear of missing out (FOMO). Overall, the pair hopes to make the UC more accessible to students, advocating for “A UC That Begins With U.” Nasrollahzadeh and Goyal both draw from previous experience on the UC (for Nasrollahzadeh, it’s serving as Student Relations Chair; for Goyal, it’s serving on the finance and education committees) as proof that they can get things done. Check out their spiffy website for more information.

Yang and Jackson

If you’ve seen a pair of Wonder Women dancing around to Pharrell’s “Happy” recently, you’ve probably seen Happy Yang ’16 and Faith A. Jackson ’16, whose campaign slogan “Be Happy and Have Faith” describes their overarching goals: to support student happiness and mental health on campus, and to restore faith in the effectiveness of the UC. Their website lists their main initiatives: the creation of inclusive social spaces, namely in one in the Smith Campus Center; more student input in the campus sexual assault policy; and a UC that’s more responsive to the student body.

And there you have it! A brief rundown of who’s who and what’s what. Now go vote!