He’s been a ballroom dancer, a resident adviser, a Glee Club treasurer and speaker of Student Congress. And now he wants to add student body president to his resume as well.
Joe Levin-Manning — the candidate who lists 14 leadership positions, 17 extracurriculars and four public service projects on his online biography — is running for student body president on a platform of personal experience and extensive involvement at the University.
“I love everything about Carolina. It’s something I truly value and treasure,” he said.”
Levin-Manning’s scope of involvement came under scrutiny when he resigned from his position as speaker in November. Congress has since elected a new speaker, but the resignation raised questions about Levin-Manning’s commitment to his responsibilities.
But Levin-Manning, a junior Russian and East European Studies major from Raleigh, said his experience in student government makes him the most qualified person to be student body president.
“I have the knowledge of how the different branches of student government work,” he said. “I have experience working with both the administration and with the student body.”
David Conrad, one of Levin-Manning’s campaign managers, said the candidate possesses the qualities of an outstanding leader.
“I remember times when he would be in my room, and he would just talk for a really long time. It would get to the point where my roommate and I would get into bed and turn off the light, but he would not leave until he was finished with whatever he wanted to say,” Conrad said.
“Joe’s very persistent when he wants to get an idea across, and I think that’s something we need in a student body president.”
Levin-Manning, who talks quickly and enthusiastically when describing his ideas, said his platform strives to increase competence and effectiveness of student government by increasing student input and focusing on existing projects rather than starting new ones.
“The overarching theme is to increase the efficiency of student government,” he said. “With the size of the Cabinet the way it is, it’s not effective.”
The Cabinet currently includes more than 40 members.
Conrad said one of the ways Levin-Manning plans to get more students involved is through a constantly evolving platform.
“Joe really wants to incorporate students’ voices into his policies. He wants to incorporate a living platform — students can submit ideas, or better yet, a problem and solution, and we’ll look at it, see if it’s good, and add it.”.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
