SBP-elect Will Leimenstoll ready to get to work

For Student Body President-elect Will Leimenstoll, a walk through Polk Place is a social marathon.

Leimenstoll, who was elected student body president Tuesday, is greeted by each group of students he passes. Students who he has never met introduce themselves.

But even during the honeymoon leading up to his April 3 inauguration, Leimenstoll has work on his mind.

The junior said his preparation in the coming weeks will consist of shadowing Student Body President Mary Cooper.

But he is quick to point out that his administration will be different than his predecessor’s.

Leimenstoll said he plans to restructure the executive branch of student government, increasing the number of positions.
“Mary shrunk student government down so some people were left out of it,” he said.

“If you’re trying to make an organization efficient, sometimes it comes at the cost of having it be as open as possible, and that’s something I want to change.”

Leimenstoll grabbed 62.7 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s run-off election, beating Calvin Lewis, Jr.

Leimenstoll said he will start tuition discussions sooner than the Cooper administration did.

“It’s an issue that kind of sprung up on her, and I don’t want to let that happen,” he said.

Cooper, who was elected by an almost identical margin one year ago, said Leimenstoll will become busy very quickly.

“Over the next month, Will will realize how much time is required for the job,” Cooper said. “The more time you put into it, the more rewards the student body receives.”

Meanwhile, with many of her platform points accomplished and a little more than a month left in office, Cooper said she has no intention of slowing down.

“I’m getting to really work on things I’ve been really excited about but due to other requirements haven’t been able to do,” Cooper said.

While this stage in the presidency could be termed the “lame duck” period, Jon Curtis, associate director of activities and organizations for the Carolina Union, doesn’t think Cooper will fall into that stereotype.

Cooper said she wants to focus on the arts in her remaining weeks in office, especially the Student Enrichment Fund, an initiative that allows students to apply for grants to attend off-campus events such as speeches or conferences.

“It’s amazing that I’ve been able to help students go out there and realize their passion,” Cooper said. “With the enrichment fund, student government doesn’t continue to be the invisible man.”

This time last year, Cooper was shadowing former student body president Hogan Medlin to understand the responsibilities of the position.

“Mary and I spent hours together going through memos, speeches, policies and agendas, and many heart-to-hearts,” Medlin said in an email.

At her last meeting as the sole student representative on the Board of Trustees in March, Cooper said she will give recommendations for the future.

“There are a lot of things I have learned that I wish I had known at the beginning, mostly with the tuition process,” Cooper said. “I’ll be reflecting on the year that has been and what I would do differently.”

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