On Tuesday, the Student Union released the list of candidates running in their winter election, which will take place on Friday, Jan. 26. Student Union Secretary Carol Kornworcel ’26 sent an email to students providing candidate biographies and other announcements concerning the Student Union. Nine positions with a total of 11 seats are up for election. 

Midyear Senator (1 seat)

Luke Farberman ’27 is running for the position of Midyear Senator. He hopes to aid midyear students’ transitions into campus life and “ensuring the university does its part in upholding principles of sustainability for the future.” Farberman said he will implement what he learned from his involvement in a town committee as a Senator. 

Ziv/Ridgewood Quad Senator (1 seat)

Harrison Madnick ’25 is running unopposed for the position of Ziv/Ridgewood Quad Senator. He served as a representative in his high school’s student government. As a Senator, he plans to advocate for all problems in the two quads and “ensure the safety and enjoyment of all this semester.” 

Rosenthal/Skyline Quad Senator (1 seat)

Allie Lanham ’26 is running unopposed for the seat of Rosenthal/Skyline Quad Senator. Her goals include fostering open communication between students and the Student Union in order to “help all students feel like a meaningful part of the Brandeis community, where all voices are heard and considered.”

Racial Minority Senator (1 seat)

Ilana Ocampo ’27 is the sole candidate running for Racial Minority Senator. She was the co-president of Kindness Day and helped start a Latin/Caribbean dance club. She hopes to advocate for the “wonderful minority group” she found on campus, as well as bolster underrepresented voices in school affairs. 

Allocations Board Racial Minority (1 seat)

The candidate running for the racial minority seat on the Allocations Board is Sandy Chen ’27. She hopes to ensure that the Student Union supports all campus organizations. She hopes to consult students on club funding during her own office hours. Currently, she is the MASMO on the communications committee. 

2-Semester Allocations Board (2 seats)

Three candidates are vying for two 2-semester seats on the Allocations Board. 

If elected, Anna Weiss ’26 plans to help cultivate the welcoming communities on campus by distributing funds “equitably and impartially.” Weiss is currently the vice president of Brandeis Model United Nations and has served as Head-Delegate, which has enabled her to make “many quick and objective decisions.” 

Jake Rosen ’27 is also running for A-Board. Rosen currently serves as the legislative director for Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee and first-year representative on the Masorti Student Board. His goal is to “help foster collaboration and cooperation on campus” by acting as a resource for the vast array of student-led organizations. 

Rashail Wasim ’25 is the current A-Board co-chair and is running for re-election. He says that during his tenure Marathon funding went smoothly, and he will run club workshops in February to answer any questions. He has “done what [he] could” to ease the frustrations of dealing with funding “on club leaders while maintaining a disciplined Student Activities Fund budget.”

3-Semester Allocations Board (2 seat)

There are three candidates running for two 3-semester positions on the A-Board. 

Joe Sun ’27 is running to ensure that University clubs do not face budget cuts like clubs at his high school did, where new clubs could not afford to form and existing clubs could barely stay afloat. Sun pledged to ensure that no newly chartered club will struggle to receive funding. 

Josef Kay ’27 served as the Secretary of Community Service in his high school’s student government for four years. During his tenure, he “witnessed the importance of accessing sufficient funds to create meaningful events.” As an A-Board member, Kay promises to help allocate funds equitably and to be a reliable contact. 

If he wins, Samuel Shmidman ’27 plans to aid and support clubs to “ensure they can continue to organize incredible events throughout the academic year.” He pledged to work “tirelessly” to make student-led events “engaging and memorable for everyone.”

Co-Head Treasurer (1 seat)

Two candidates are running for the position of co-head treasurer. 

Lucy Zhang ’26 served as a deputy treasurer over the past semester. As co-treasurer, she hopes to assist student organizations “fulfill their needs” and foster communication between clubs and the Department of Student Engagement. 

Robert Sun ’26 also served as a deputy treasurer and is running for the position of co-treasurer. He was the director of finance for the TAMID Consulting Group at Brandeis and was a treasurer in high school. He was also “an international finalist in competitive events related to financial operations research and financial management for DECA.” As co-treasurer, he plans to facilitate accessibility to the treasury, maintain communication and transparency with clubs and introduce “town hall” discussions.

Associate Justice (1 seat)

No one is listed as a candidate for this position.