When the officers of the Class of 2005 were planning this year's apparel orders, they had to ask themselves, "Are flip-flops cool or do we just think that because we're girls?"
This year, the junior class officers are all female, and the lead officers — president and vice-president — are new to their positions.
Last spring Azalea Kim '05 and Toni Seaberry '05 defeated two-year incumbents Beau Harbour '05 and Federico Baradello '05 for the positions of president and vice-president, respectively. Returning for their third year as class officers are secretary Surabhi Saraswat '05, treasurer Emily Moxley '05 and social chair Stephanie Scott '05.
The current officers said they did not think the turnover in the top positions indicated dissatisfaction in the actions of the former government.
"The general sentiment was that regardless of how the current officers were doing, [students] didn't want the same five officers," Scott said. "It was not a rejection of what had been done; they just wanted to try something new."
Seaberry said she decided to run so that she could provide a different perspective of campus.
"There was nothing wrong with the previous administration," Seaberry said. "Just because something is good doesn't mean you cannot want to make it better."
Moxley noted the success of the past government in the imitation of classes since. The previous officers initiated the sweatshirt design used by the classes of 2006 and 2007 and first used Rockefeller College, rather than an eating club, as a site for formals.
Alyssa Monsen '05 said she felt that student indifference about the government possibly prompted students to vote differently.
"My suspicion is that apathy towards student government perhaps caused the change," Monsen said. "I know some people who said 'I don't feel connected to this student government,' so they voted in the 'other' category."
Junior year typically represents a transition year for student government, as formals are no longer the officers' social focus. Seaberry said one of the main events this year would be a job workshop to help junior class members find internships.
"A large part of [my platform] was just a different outlook on what class government should be," Kim said. "We want more speakers, more music, more events, and just to get the Class of 2005 to stop and get to know each other."
Other upcoming projects include new class apparel and an ice cream truck study break. This year the class government has already sponsored a trip to Six Flags Great Adventure, a DJ Bob study break and a panel in conjunction with its grandparent Class of 1955.
The officers said the dynamics of an all-female government are slightly different.
"It's hard not to have a male perspective, especially on apparel," Saraswat said.
However, Scott emphasized that the officers are making every effort to ensure they represent the entire class.
"We've been very conscious of trying to cater to the other 50 percent of our class that is male," she said.
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