Princeton University

Lawrence Committee Elections

Current Candidate Statements:

President:

Yazuv Yetim

I am the current president of the committee and I would like to continue serving as the president for the Lawrence Committee next year, as well. I have been a resident of the Lawrence Apartments for 4 years. I have served as the social chair for a year, and served as the president for the last two years. I enjoy being a part of this committee and would like to use my experience for the upcoming year/years.

 

Vice-President:

Andra Geana

This is my third year in Lawrence; I’ve previously served as the GSG Representative, and, for the past year, the Vice-President of the Lawrence Committee. During my time in both positions, I’ve worked to keep open communication lines between the residents and the University, create opportunities for the residents to come together, get to know each other and discuss their concerns in a friendly, open forum, and generally keep living in Lawrence as the pleasant experience we’ve all come to expect. Serving on the committee has been very rewarding, and therefore I’d like to continue as Vice-President, and use the experience and insights I’ve gained so far to further improve our community.

 

Secretary:

Burcin Cakir

My name is Burcin Cakir. I am a graduate student in Electrical Engineering, and I am running for the position of Secretary. I joined different student organizations, and served as an active member of one for three years during my undergraduate study. Therefore, I have enough knowledge on the responsibilities of a secretary on a board. I believe that I will fulfill the requirements of the position quite successfully. As the committee secretary, my tasks will be to record the minutes of all meetings, publish the necessary announcement, preserve the written reports and share them with the residents of Lawrence Apartments. I would also like to be a contact point for the suggestions/complaints of all residents on the success of the committee, and raise them in the meetings.

Looking forward to helping Lawrence residents as the new secretary of the committee, and thank you for considering my candidacy.

 

GSG Representative:

Dima Gorenshteyn

I am the current the GSG Representative for the Lawrence committee and hope to continue in this role for the upcoming year. I am also a member of the Graduate Housing Advisory Board, representing Lawrence Apartments. I have served the Lawrence community by voicing questions/concerns that arise to the appropriate parties. This year I hope to encourage more dialogue with fellow residents by reaching out during Lawrence events as well as working with the housing board to poll and gather information which would benefit the community as a whole. I believe in the importance of this community and good representation, and I would enjoy continuing to represent Lawrence next year.

 

Social Chair:

Daniel Collins

Hi! I’m Dan Collins, the current Lawrence social chair, and I’m running for re-election. I took over the empty position earlier this semester and I’ve already taken charge and arranged the holiday social event. I’d love to continue to help make the Lawrence community more vibrant. I would have a variety of events, so that there’s something for everyone:

* A super bowl party at the beginning of next semester.

* An election-return watching event in the fall.

* Game nights and movie nights.

* And more!

I’ve found events like these have been a great way to meet neighbors, enjoy some food, and have a fun time without having to go very far – so

I want to make sure that others can do this too! I’ll also look for new ways to get community members together and to have more recreational activities around the complex. I’ve loved living here at Lawrence, and I hope that I can help make it even better for others!

 

Joseph D’Silva

My name is Joseph D’Silva, and I am a graduate student in the electrical engineering department. I am running for the position of social chair to improve the social activities in the Lawrence community. If elected, I will ensure that we have fall and spring semester barbecues and a Super Bowl pizza party. Additionally, I will work with the GSG to secure more funding for activities suggested by Lawrence residents, such as a wine and cheese party or a casino night. Lastly, I will campaign for improvements to the common areas such as a Netflix account for the TV in the common room and the addition of a pool, ping-pong, or foosball table for the common room. I previously served as social chair of the Graduate College, which gives me the necessary experience to make these things happen. Thank you for considering my candidacy.

 

Webmaster:

Sema Berkiten

My name is Sema. I am a fourth year PhD student in Computer Science Department. I have been living in Lawrence community for 3 years now and I would like to contribute to the community as much as I can. I want to declare my candidacy for Webmaster position where I believe that  my knowledge and experience can be best used. I look forward to this opportunity to involve with the community more and I appreciate for any votes in advance.

 

Tom Morrell:

I am running for webmaster of the Lawrence Committee to ensure that everyone in our community is informed about the work of the committee and news on campus that affects residents.  I have the background and abilities to improve how the committee communicates with residents.  New campus housing policies, weather emergencies, and lock changes are cases where the Lawrence Committee could have provided residents with additional information about how these changes would affect them.  As a member of the Council of the Princeton University Community, I have been involved with campus governance and understand how policies and decisions are made on campus.  My research involves computational modeling, so I have the skills to add new features and updates to the committee web page.  I look forward to serving the Lawrence community as webmaster.

 

Garden Coordinator:

Allison Chaney:

I have coordinated the garden this past year.  Members of the community helped me to extended the fences and gates to prevent rabbits from entering as easily. I also orchestrated a bulk seed order to save gardeners money, created a garden mailing list, and am currently researching how to build cold frames for the garden (I may start construction over the winter).  I also hope to establish communal perennial plants at some point.  I love gardening, and would enjoy continuing in this role.