Christopher Thomas

Biography
Chris Thomas concentrates in International Relations, Political Science and US foreign Policy. He also has a great interest in social, racial and sexual identity, and political economy. His major interests revolve around healthy and beneficial communication and progressive collaboration. Chris really enjoys talking to people and working on committee's to better Hampshire College.

He has served as the Co-Chair of SafeCom and an officer of Community Council's executive committee. When there is time, Chris also tries to sit in on subcommittee meetings, attend lectures, attends all community meetings and signs for the Hampshire Fencing club. He was formally a Community Council's At Large Representative and the Co-Chair of SafeCom.

Academic History
Semester One: Fall 08 Anthropology of Faith Democratization in the Middle East The Business of Change ∗Consumption and Happiness (Did not count for division II)

Signer for Fencing

Semester Two: Spring 09 Hybrid Identities US Foreign Policy Public Diplomacy

Singer for Fencing Student worker for Advising (CASA)

Semester Three: Fall 09 International Politics (Smith) Government and Politics of China (Smith) Critical Psychology History of Political Philosophy

Singer for fencing SafeCom member Student Worker for Advising (CASA)

Semester Four: Spring 2010 European Politics (Smith) International Political Economy The Diminishment of A superpower

Signer for Fencing Student worker for Advising (CASA) Co-chair of SafeCom Committee for Common Reading Public Safety Director Search Committee Community Council Executive Committee Occasional FiCom Observer

Semester Five: Fall 2010

Human Rights and Social Movements (Amherst)

Community Council At-Large Representative

SafeCom Co-chair

Governance Task Force

Signer for Fencer

Student Worker at CASA

Graduate Gift Committee

Division 3 (Senior Thesis)

Semester Six: Spring 2011

Div 3 Seminar

SafeCom Co-Chair

Governance Task Force

Signer for Fencing

Student Worker at CASA

Graduate Gift Committee

Division 3 (Senior Thesis)

Non-Semester: Orientation Leader Fall 08, Jan 09, Fall 09, Orientation Coordinator Fall 2010 Leave Out Violence Summer Intern for community service and NGO experience

Community Council Chair Statement
I realize student governance means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. For some, there is an inherent distrust of Community Council with memories of corruption, petty personal qualms and cliquish behavior. Others might be feel apathy, disinterest or are hearing about this for the first time. However over the course of this school year Hampshire College students, from every division, have joined Community Council to erase the connotations and transform the way that Hampshire student’s view governance. It is not naiveté that in spite of this I believe that Community Council could ultimately become a well trusted and relied upon committee for the whole Hampshire community. Instead I have a firm conviction that Hampshire’s student body is made up of intelligent, thoughtful and creative people who can and want to create new solutions to institutional problems and have a greater hand in their college’s development. My goal is to increase Community Council’s interaction between student groups and Hampshire offices so that students can become a more integral part of decision making at the planning stages. Through this communication, the use of media and holding governance forums, transparency to the student body will foster increased participation and confidence. Community Council should be an organization that Hampshire students look forward to working with and should give students the tools to make their desires a reality. When I think of community council I think of mediators for community concerns, facilitators of conflict and accurate sources of information. I imagine a committee made up of students who know their community and are representative of its interests and priorities.

Student trustee statement
The word “trustee” has two parts to it—“trust,” the part in question, and “ee,” the person in whom we are placing that trust. This speaks directly to what the Student Trustee is: one who acts as a member of the student body, not simply as someone representing students. Being elected for the positive means that the student body has put trust into you to act with regard to how these decisions will affect them when discussing the priorities of the college. If elected Student Trustee, I believe I can support the students’ trust. I do not make light of that statement, nor make it from a place of ignorance. I served my on High School’s “School Leadership Team,” which functioned as its committee to deal with school related changes, for two years. I also served on a YMCA’s Board of Directors for two years, and spent more than five years on student council. I believe these experiences show my familiarity with negotiation, diplomacy, and discussion. I am also not a stranger to the procedures and practices of an Executive Board or committee, and therefore will not need time adjusting to the role of Student Trustee. It is also important for me to emphasize that my experience with these committees does not deteriorate the significance of who is affected by these decisions. Finally, I believe that the affairs of the students, staff, and the institution are all significant and inseparable. I understand that Hampshire has many pieces, and that one cannot make decisions without consideration for what other pieces will be influenced. With this understanding and experience in mind, I believe I would be the best candidate for Student Trustee on Hampshire’s Board of Trustees.