Past conventions have been held at Tufts and Boston College. The Brandeis Democrats decided to apply to host the convention after a successful campaigning effort for now President Barack Obama in New Hampshire, put Brandeis in a prime position to apply.
“Brandeis is in a good location,” Brandeis Democrats President Jason Paul ’09 said, explaining why he believes the university received the honor. “It’s good for all the Western [Massachusetts] Schools and the Boston Schools.” Brandeis will host some overnight guests, however schools nearby will come and go throughout the weekend.
In an e-mail to The Hoot, Paul wrote that the club was expecting between 50 and 100 students for the event, and is hoping for a large turnout of Brandeis students. The Democrats currently have approximately 500 people on their listserv.
The convention will feature several speakers, including Lt. Governor Tim Murray, Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair John Walsh, and Newton Mayoral Candidate Setti Warren. There will be breakout sessions throughout the weekend with some of the speakers and other professionals on topics such as life after college, being a religious Democrat, and healthcare, Paul wrote.
Perhaps the highlight of the convention is the election of the new College Democrats of Massachusetts Executive Board. The positions of President, Vice President, Communications Director, and Membership Director are all up for grabs, Paul said. Each delegate at the convention is allowed a vote, with each school allowed to have up to 15 votes in an electoral college-style system. The presidential nominees are Pat Johnson of Suffolk University and Krista Zalatore of Boston University. Brandeis might have a candidate for the Finance Director, but the club is awaiting confirmation.
The convention will also feature the CDM “constitutional convention,” where the group opens up their constitution to amendments and revisions.
The convention will be held the same weekend as Culture X, one of Brandeis’ biggest events, held annually to celebrate the diversity of the cultures at Brandeis. The Democrats hope that they can invite visiting students to see other parts of Brandeis outside of the convention, like Culture X.
Boston University, Suffolk University, Stone Hill College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute are among the colleges expected to attend this year’s conference.
