But Barkley says that Lee’s work with administrators in the realm of setting up concerts does not measure up to Gusmorino’s discussions with Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis ’68 about issues like universal keycard access.

Popular People

Despite this disadvantage, Barkley predicts that Lee’s popularity on campus will win her the election.

Both Lee and Fernandez have substantial name-recognition among undergraduates resulting from their work with council and their involvement in social organizations.

Lee is an officer of the Seneca club, an all-female social organization, while Fernandez is a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and recently co-founded a new female final club called the Isis.

Lee and Fernandez say that these women’s groups, part of a social scene they have navigated extremely successfully, have provided them with more than just a social outlet—and their platform reflects it.

Both candidates say that improving social opportunities at Harvard is important to them.

One of their campaign promises is to create a “livelier Harvard” by moving the HCCs concerts to a bigger arena, like the football stadium, and forming a first-year social committee as a counterpart to House Committees.

The candidates say that their involvement in women’s groups has also opened their eyes to women’s issues the council should address.

Lee says they will lobby for an impartial advocate for victims of sexual assault who take their cases before the Ad Board, and notes that they would like to pay particular attention to official and unofficial women’s groups, so that the council can address their concerns.

Working Hard

The ticket’s participation in women’s groups and other extracurricular activities, like the prefect program and the Cuban American Undergraduate Student Association (CAUSA), could be seen as a liability in the council positions that require such a large time commitment.

However, Lee says that she is willing to forego her commitments to other activities if she thinks it is necessary to be a more effective council president.

Gusmorino says he has no doubts that Lee will be a hard-working president if elected.

He recalls when a “doohickey” in the fried dough machine broke at Fall Fest this October and Lee went all the way to Porter Square to find a replacement part so students could have fried dough.

And Lee will need to work hard to sustain the success that Gusmorino has had with the council. The council has achieved almost all of its goals this year, including extending house party hours and developing a prize for superior advising.

But Gusmorino is convinced that Lee is the best person to succeed him.

“There’s no one I trust more to fill my big orange shoes,” he says.

—Staff writer Anne K. Kofol can be reached at kofol@fas.harvard.edu.