Rene H. Shen ’05 said Mahan and Blickstead put together an advocacy group to get feedback from student leaders about what they wanted from the council.

Though her bid against Mahan in the run for Kirkland House representative proved unsuccessful, current head of the technology team for the campaign A. Eleanor Luey ’04 similarly vouches for the duo. She says her former opponent approached her soon after, in hopes of striking a collaboration.

“What Mike and I are offering is a willingness to bring in student leaders and connect them to the deans,” Mahan says. “We want to share access...we’ll use the knowledge and skills of different groups.”

Mahan and Blickstead contend that they’ve reached out to first-years and will continue to do so if elected. On Friday, the two hosted a town hall meeting open to first-years, though only four turned up.

“Even if people don’t come, it’s important that we offer a forum to the freshmen,” Blickstead says.

To increase their accessibility to first-years, Mahan and Blickstead say they plan to hold office hours and host study breaks, as well as swing by Annenberg to grab the occasional meal and chat with first-years.

Additionally, the two want to refurbish Loker to make it more accessible.

“Many freshmen have complained that they don’t have a suitable social space,” Mahan says.

“We want to turn Loker into a great social space by tearing down the dividers, moving Loker study groups to the Science Center, putting in a late night, student-run grill and putting up a stage for student performances,” Mahan says.

And it seems as if Mahan and Blickstead’s bid to attract the freshmen demographic may be met with some success.

Liza A. Strakhov ’07, who was at the town hall meeting, says “They looked like they were really going to follow through on their promises.”

Strakhov says she would probably vote for the pair, though she admits that she’s also not very familiar with the other candidates.

Mahan asserts that he has the backing of several deans, including Dean Thomas A. Dingman and Dean Jeffrey Wolcowitz.

“When they found out that I was running, some deans asked if they could support me. I said I thought that might make me unpopular,” Mahan jokes. “Then I suggested that they support my opponents instead.”

The running mates allege that this support—and their established relationships with the administration—will ensure that portions of their platform be enacted.