After becoming a prominent part of University life as Student Council President, why would anyone want to voluntarily resign? Yet Student Council President Noah Sullivan has opted not to run for reelection for a second term because he said he wants to experience life as a fourth-year.
"I want to focus on academics, figure out my life after fourth year," Sullivan said.
He said he has thoroughly enjoyed his reign as presidenct.
"Basically of course when you do a job that's this intense it becomes a part of who you are, your routine," Sullivan said. "There are a lot of benefits to this position. It's not every day that you get to meet with administrators and advocate on behalf of students. And that's really neat, an experience that has been a real privilege."
Other members of student council said they understood Sullivan's decision to step down from his presidency.
"Noah felt like he had accomplished a lot of what he wanted to accomplish," Council Vice President for Organization Rebecca Keyworth said. "He didn't want to go into another year burnt out. He did what he wanted to do and he didn't want to go into another year not being 100 percent."
Keyworth said Council president puts in practically forty hours every week.
"It's a big job," she said.
Sullivan said he considers his tenure as president thus far as successful.
"The easy part is getting elected, the hard part is getting things done," Sullivan said. "This year we've gotten a lot done. We came in two years ago with me as chief of staff and Daisy Lundy as president and we all were focused on what was best for U.Va. students and not what was best for council."
Sullivan has worked on a number of issues with Council. He said the committees and people he worked with to implement programs and make advancements in issues will continue to advocate on behalf of students.
"We worked on appropriations -- how should we be allocating students' money to do what's best for him?" Sullivan said. "There was U.Va. Housing and Course Evaluations, which was a long term Student Council goal. There's also the Higher Education restructuring."
Sullivan said his main focus has always been in the best interest of University students.
"Being on Council requires us to think what is in the best interest of U.Va., what is the best interest of students," Sullivan said. "It is something that two years ago, Student Council was full of conflict and negative energy. This year, we've had a tremendous group of people, the people I referred to as the 'dream team.'"
Sullivan said his work on Council is far from over.
"My term is not over yet," he said. "I still have two months left, and at the end we will be able to look back as a group of committed students. You learn so much, advocating for students every day."
Sullivan said although he is satisfied with his roles on Council, he looks forward to being a student without a title.
"Having served as two years on Student Council exec, I am ready to have a lot of fun and build better relationships with my friends," Sullivan said. "I'm going to work on trying to develop as much as I can in the next year."
He said he will remain involved in issues about which he is passionate.
"I don't think I will be absent at all from the kind of issues I care about," he said. "I can keep involved without having the responsibility of being a leader."
Sullivan said he will enjoy a year without such intense routines.
"I just want to use my time a little bit differently next year to focus on things I've had to give up on in the past two years, the past year in particular," he said. "I am hoping to apply for some programs and write a thesis next year, maybe take some golf courses, and kick back and have a good time."
Sullivan said he feels like he's fulfilled his duties to Mr. Jefferson's University.
"As far as Jeffersonian notion, once your time is up you step aside and let others lead," he said. "That's what it is."
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