Notre Dame's Freshman Class Council (FCC) elected its officers last Thursday and is already working on its plans for the coming year. Malcolm Phelan, who was voted president, said the Council's main goals are to represent the Class of 2012 and to build a sense of community within the class.
"As we go forward we want us to be the class that people talk about years later, the class that just clicked," said Phelan. "We want to build that sense of family that keeps people coming back for years... to build the incredibly sense of community that is so characteristic to Notre Dame
He said the FCC was responsible for the Halloween dance last month and has plans to sell t-shirts and make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for homeless shelters in the area. There is also talk of a possible dance in the spring and giving out free hot chocolate on the quad, said Phelan.
Phelan was elected FCC president. Jay Kenney was voted vice president, Shannon Crotty treasurer and Michael Ryan secretary.
The election took place later than in past years because it took longer than usual to get representatives from each dorm, Sophomore Class Council vice president and advisor to FCC Kate Clitheroe said.
Student government received special permission to extend the deadline of the election for this reason, she said.
The officers were elected by their fellow FCC members, which consist of one representative from each dorm, Kenney said. Each candidate gave a short speech, and following the speeches, those running left the room and those not running voted, he said.
While there were many people running for each position, Clitheroe said that this election was not as competitive as last year's contest.
"The freshmen are really more enthusiastic than competitive. They really weren't cutthroat about it. They're all pretty good friends by now," Clitheroe said.
"I've never seen such gung-ho people," she said of the members of the FCC.
Phelan agreed and described his fellow FCC members as "incredible and full of ambitions and ideas and energy."
Phelan told The Observer that the FCC's advisor called their ideas "ambitious," which he thinks is an accurate description of what this year's class council will be.
"It may be ambitious but I think with the group that we have, we actually can get stuff done," said Phelan.
He said the FCC plans to send surveys out to the freshman class to get input from students and that dorm representatives are going to make themselves available to their fellow freshmen.
"We're going to need [the students] help in doing this. We can do nothing without the support of the freshman class. It is our job, not to lead them, but to support them," Phelan said.
He told The Observer the members of the FCC want "to do our absolute best to make ... what the kids would like do ... a reality."
