On Dec. 7, 2006, Ryan A. Petersen ’08 and Matthew L. Sundquist ’09 were elected as Undergraduate Council President and Vice President. Two months later, their champagne-soaked locks have finally been washed, and the UC’s dynamic duo sat down with FM to talk timetables, public disorder and double-teaming.
1. First of all, congratulations on your win! Would you have imagined a year ago today that you would be UC President of Harvard College? Or that the Colts would win the Super Bowl?
RP: I imagine all the time! No, I don’t really follow football or understand it.
2. What was the first thing that went through both of your heads when you saw [Election Commission Head] Joshua G. Allen ’09 come to your campaign headquarters in early Dec.?
MS: When he walked through, I knew we’d won, and I was incredibly excited. It was very cool to be around my close friends and Ryan’s close friends and those who had helped us out along the way. Our campaign was incredibly grassroots. We didn’t really win based on ourselves in any way. We won, in a lot of ways, because of everyone who worked with us.
RP: I was drunk with excitement.
3. During the campaign this past fall, you both spent a lot of time going door-to-door in freshman and sophomore dorms. What was your favorite and/or weirdest moment with students you encountered—any naked and/or rude frosh?
RP: No one was naked, but one freshman burst into tears of happiness when I brought up the calendar reform.
4. One of the big things stressed in your campaign was the institution of calendar reform—moving fall final examinations to before Christmas break, and trying to give Harvard students back our sanity in the process. How will you implement this reform, and how soon can we expect results?
MS: I think that we will collaborate with student groups and try to demonstrate that there is student interest in the change. We will bring legislation not only through the UC, but also through the CUE [Committee on Undergraduate Education], and then to the Faculty Council, and then to the Board of Overseers.
5. You guys have done some great things for Harvard undergrads—universal swipe access, 24-hour Lamont, and the Lamont Café. Is there any way for you guys to introduce a bill to get people to shut the hell up in Lamont’s 5th floor reading room?
MS: I think that we generally leave the libraries to make their own policies regarding speaking.
RP: Perhaps we’ll create a task force on speaking in the library.
MS: Ryan and I actually want to create more red tape.
6. Dec. to Feb.: What have the past two months been like in terms of UC preparation, reading period, intersession, and a snowless winter aside?
RP: Well, a lot of ISBN numbers [were] written down, many hands were shook, many babies kissed, and much strategery.
MS: Ryan and I met together for a couple hours every day during reading period, exams, and intersession.
7. The Crimson recently reported that those UC members involved with crimsonreading.org were banned from collecting ISBN numbers in The Coop. Were either of you involved in the recording, and how will it affect the UC’s future relationship with The Coop?
MS: I was actually the point person when they came that day[…]the floor manager and I exchanged words on whether textbooks should be expensive or not, and whether or not price gouging was a good thing. And then…they kicked us out. I was actually kicked out three times, but they would follow me around the store, and ask me to leave. I think that we’ll be able to work through our differences and give students the best possible prices on textbooks.
8. So, exactly what perks does this presidency entail? Do you guys get your own offices? Secret Service? Polyester suits? First ladies?
MS: No, we really don’t get any perks. I don’t even get ladies to begin with.
9. Though it’s some time away, what are your plans once you leave Harvard’s gates?
MS: I would like to do Teach for America at some point. Long term, I’d enjoy getting into teaching at a high school level or something in the education system. Or something in an urban setting, or maybe at some point getting into politics.
RP: I don’t know. Probably travel.
10. Do either of you plan to run for public office after graduation?
MS: Maybe, I wouldn’t rule it out. I love America, so you never know.
RP: Right now, no. Politics is really rough, and I’m actually quite sensitive.
11. Ryan, I’m sure you get a lot of comments about your hair. What do you think it means that you kind of look like Jesus?
(The two stare at each other.)
MS: He says that it’s an uncanny coincidence.
12. Matt, you just turned 20. How does it feel to be A) leaving your teens and B) according to my roommate, having the best last name ever?
MS: I’d say they are both pretty exciting developments. Tell your roommate I’m glad she can identify with my Swedish heritage. Being 20 feels no different than being 19.
13. This obviously won’t happen, but if you could only accomplish one thing as UC president and vice-president, what would it be and why?
RP: Calendar reform. Point-blank, it contributes to student depression.
14. Some students don’t seem to care about the UC elections or even the UC’s role in undergraduate life. What is your reaction to these apathetic youngsters?
MS: People shouldn’t have to worry about us. We should be doing things for students regardless of whether or not they’re interested in what the UC does.
15. Who would win in a fight, Barack Obama or Ryan Petersen? And why?
MS: I’m going to have to say Barack, Ryan’s kind of lanky.
RP: Do we have Tracy [E. Nowski ’07, Petersen-Sundquist’s Campaign Manager]?
FM: Yes.
MS: We win.
