Slate prepares for “full force” O-Week effort

Fourth-year SG President Youssef Kalad has called on SG to make student outreach a priority during Orientation Week. “We need to be out in FULL FORCE at these events to develop momentum heading into the year and find those first-years (and even non first-years) who are passionate about UChicago,” wrote Kalad in an email to SG officers detailing SG’s O-Week schedule. SG will participate in orientation events including the Family Resources Fair and the 2015 class photo (at which Kalad will deliver remarks to the first-year class), and host a BBQ bash.

Kalad, who as a second-year served as an Orientation Leader, hopes to convey that SG welcomes people with diverse interests. “The message should be that if you care about anything at all…do SG,” he said in a phone interview.

O-Week is a key time for SG to recruit first-year College students to run in the College Council (CC) elections, held on the third week off fall quarter. The number of candidates in the first-year elections has risen in recent years from 15 in 2008, to 19 in 2009 and 20 in 2010. Asked whether he has set a specific goal for how many candidates run this year, Kalad refused to provide a number, emphasizing that his slate, Live Chicago, plans to create opportunities for both elected and nonelected students. “I’d rather all people think they can be involved [in SG] without any barriers,” he said.