A different opinion on Chris Clark

I inducted Chris Clark into Alpha Kappa Psi when I was the fraternity’s president in spring 2009. I then believed he had the leadership potential we sought in our brothers, and I knew he had charisma.

But later I learned something that is now confirmed: Clark is not an effective leader. Leadership material, perhaps, but currently not an effective leader.

After that induction in 2009, we rarely saw Chris again. He had gone on to more and more resume padding. This year, he was undergraduate senator-at-large and chairman of the Student Association Finance Committee. This was not triumph enough, though. Clark was also appointed president of the Undergraduate Business Association, an umbrella organization recently revamped by the business school administration, an effort which included a good deal of time and work by me.

What did he do as president? Not much. He did manage to bankroll an expensive brunch at Blue Duck Tavern on the SA allocation he had allocated himself as finance chair. Eight people at a cost of $261.36 amounts to $32.67 per UBA Executive Committee member. At least that is what the Expenditure Approval Form indicated, which Chris submitted.

Do you pay Student Association fees to send “student leaders” to brunch? I don’t.

Do you accept his excuses or apology for squandering useful resources? I don’t.

Why am I speaking out against Clark? Because he was selected over me for president of UBA last year? No.

In fact, I haven’t been concerned with padding my resume for a while. I have had internships and leadership positions every semester I have spent at GW, and I have had a post-grad job offer for months. As a senior, what the SA does next year will have no real impact on my life.

I am speaking out against Clark’s candidacy for president of the Student Association because I have been let down by Chris, AKPsi has been let down by Chris, the affiliates of the Undergraduate Business Association and other orgs seeking legitimate funding have been let down by Chris, and I think that GW deserves better.

Tom Foley is a brother and past president of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity and a senior in the GW School of Business.