Elections for the 2026–27 Lakeside Committee take place this October. All eight offices are up for election. Voting is entirely online and asynchronous; there is no election meeting.

Timeline

Wednesday, September 30: Nominations open

Wednesday, October 7: Nominations close at 5:00 pm. Nominations received after this time will be voided.

Thursday, October 8: Online voting opens. Residents receive an email with a link to the online ballot. Candidate statements and photos are posted below.

Tuesday, October 20: Online voting closes at 5:00 pm. Votes submitted after this time will be voided.

By Thursday, October 22: Winners announced

Eligibility

Voting: Any current Lakeside resident may vote. All ballots are name-checked by a Graduate School representative to confirm eligibility, and invalid votes are voided. The content of all votes is anonymous.

Candidacy: Current Lakeside residents who have attended at least one Town Hall meeting between September 2025 and September 2026 (inclusive) may run for Secretary, Social Chair, Webmaster, or Garden Coordinator. Candidates for Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and External Relations Delegate must also be Princeton graduate students, and candidates for Chair must have previously served at least one term on the Lakeside Committee. No one may appear on the ballot for more than one office.

Before running, please read the Committee Constitution in full. It contains the complete description of each office and all election procedures. Committee service requires consistent attendance at meetings and timely communication by email throughout 2026–27. Members who do not fulfill their responsibilities will not receive housing draw priority and may be removed from office.

Nominations: Send your nomination to the Lakeside Committee at lakesidecomm@princeton.edu by Wednesday, October 7 at 5:00 pm. At minimum, your email must include your name and the office you are running for. You are encouraged to include a campaign statement (pasted in the body of the email, not as an attachment) and a headshot. These will be posted on this page and sent to residents when voting opens.

Housing priority: The following is the housing priority policy as it currently stands, but it is subject to change. Elected committee members receive housing priority for the contract signed during their year of service, regardless of class year. Members must live in Lakeside. Pull-in eligibility for roommates extends to enrolled G1–G3 students.

Election questions should be directed to the Lakeside Committee (lakesidecomm@princeton.edu).

Candidates

Descriptions of each office can be found in Article III of the Committee Constitution. Jump to an office:

External Relations Delegate

Social Chair

Webmaster

Garden Coordinator

Chair

Sophia Koval

Hi everyone! My name is Sophia Koval and I’m a G6 in molecular biology. I’m the current chair of the Lakeside Committee, and am excited for the opportunity to continue advocating for residents. Below are some highlights from my past work and my plans to continue fighting for improved resident experiences in Lakeside.

1. Neighborhood-wide HVAC issues

Last year, it became abundantly clear that that neighborhood was experiencing long-term, widespread HVAC outages that lasted up to 2 months for some residents. I personally escalated this issue to the head of housing, inviting him to several meetings to discuss the subject. During summer 2025, I created and distributed a resident survey where students could report any long term HVAC or maintenance outages. I then analyzed and presented that data to our management company ACC, university housing officials, and Dean Lily Secora from the graduate school. This presentation communicated the scope and severity of these issues, ultimately encouraging the university to approve money for a neighborhood-wide HVAC overhaul that is currently in progress. ACC has also hired additional staff to coordinate these changes; I believe that our persistent advocacy catalyzed these changes. I will continue to communicate with and advocate for residents throughout this process, and will always fight for students to have access to the comfortable living spaces that they pay for. I am prepared to take a similar advocacy route to address the hot water issues at 151 Taylor Ct if necessary!

2. Improving resident access to information

I have spent the past 2 years monitoring the Lakeside email and Slack channels, where I prioritize answering resident questions quickly. Spearheaded by our current secretary Cecelia Ramsey, we have since put together a Lakeside Welcome Guide with answers to frequently asked questions and recommendations from us as long-term residents.

3. Improved communication and accountability from ACC

Communication between residents, our management company ACC, and university housing has been a persistent challenge. Month to month, I make sure to review past meeting minutes to bring up any unresolved issues. During town halls, I push administrators as best I can for more information and timelines. I have worked with administrators to improve our relationship, communication, and transparency, which have markedly improved over the past 2 years. I have also encouraged housing to hold ACC accountable for shortcomings, especially during long-term HVAC outages that have left units at unlivable temperatures. I will continue to push for accountability in these situations and will make sure resident voices are heard by the administrators with the power to change our experiences for the better.

I hope you will vote for me to continue this work! Thanks for your time.

Vice Chair

Jan Ertl

Hi everyone! I’m Jan Ertl, a PhD student in Economics, and I’m running for Vice Chair of the Lakeside Committee. Lakeside is my home, and I’ve spent the past few years working to make it a better place to live, both on and off the committee.

Before I joined the committee, I worked with former Chair Isabelle Chen and External Relations Delegate Yi Ying Tan to run the survey on the gym and common areas, which showed near-unanimous support for new equipment, and I wrote the two TigerWell grant applications to pay for it, raising $3,000 for the committee. More generally, whether as a resident, through the committee or through GSG, I have regularly brought residents’ concerns about living conditions, transportation, packages and lighting to Housing, the Graduate School, and other campus offices.

Over the past three years I’ve also organized many events across campus, including more than 30 at Lakeside that were open to all residents, from game nights and volleyball to an annual Catan tournament and crêpe nights. Most recently that included the Meet Your Neighbors happy hour with this year’s committee, for which I designed the concept, handled registration forms, and ordered the color-coded cups and pizza. This summer I also organized the GSG World Cup screenings series, with four screenings here at Lakeside. Last year we also added a Lakeside calendar to the committee website.

As Vice Chair, I will continue making sure that Lakeside residents have strong advocates toward the university, and social events that bring the community together. Thank you for reading, and feel free to reach out with questions or ideas!

Secretary

Cece Ramsey

Hi neighbors! I’m Cece, and I’m re-running for Lakeside Secretary. I’m a G5 in the Department of French & Italian and have been calling Lakeside home since year one. As Secretary for the past year, I’ve recorded and shared Town Hall minutes, but also:

Created the Lakeside Guide, a growing one-stop resource for resident questions, policies, and useful information. (Shout-out to our Chair Sophia for helping!)
Created the LakesidePartners listserv, so spouses, partners, and undergrads can receive Committee updates.
Responded to residents’ questions and concerns on Slack, using those issues to inform our agenda.

What I bring to the table

Writing & Editing Skills: Having worked in publishing and as a writing consultant, I can keep communications clear and professional. (I also like to throw in pics of Lakeside for that little personal touch 🤌✨)
Organization & Communication: With a year of experience as Lakeside Secretary, I know how to keep things running smoothly. In my other campus roles, I regularly organize events and communicate with 400+ members of the Student Friends of the Princeton University Library.
Follow-Through & Teamwork: I like turning discussions into action by making a task list for our team at the end of each meeting. I’ve taken the initiative to launch new projects, like the Lakeside Guide (one of my campaign goals!), while also pitching in on Committee projects like revising the Constitution and helping with social events.

What I want to work on this year

Reach more residents: I’d like to make events and announcements more accessible. I’ll work to increase awareness of the LakesidePartners listserv and keep the GoogleCalendar up to date with events.
Mailroom fixes: Amazon lockers will soon be installed, but I’d like to advocate for a secure mailroom that isn’t Amazon. We’ll continue pushing this issue and brainstorming long-term solutions. But in the meantime, I think Frist could be a better option if we streamline the process and make it easier for residents to use.
Community Clean-Up and Nature Tours: This is my passion project, because we live in such a beautiful place. Last year, I co-hosted an event for plalking (aka walk and clean up) and a winter birdwatching tour. I’d love to make these regular events!

If any of this resonates with you, I’d love your support. Let’s leave Lakeside better than we found it. 💚

Treasurer

Christopher Branner-Augmon

Hello, my name is Christopher and I’m re-running for Lakeside treasurer.

As your current treasurer, I’ve demonstrated responsible stewardship over our community’s funds and ensured that our community could engage in activities that improve all of our lives while maintaining a stable financial foundation.

In my time as treasurer, I’ve helped facilitate improvements to the Lakeside gym, in addition to the myriad community-building events that we’ve held over the past year. If re-elected, I endeavor to keep the ship steady while continuing to oversee the financial side of other committee members’ quality of life improvements.

Thank you for your support and I hope to continue serving Lakeside and all of its wonderful residents!

External Relations Delegate

Will Zhao

When there is a Will…

I am running for the role of external relations delegate as a 3^rd year Lakeside resident and a chemistry PhD student with a humanist heart (I double majored in history and chemistry!).

My Platform

Once elected, I will advocate for the following:

Dining & Vending Machines
- 6+ swipes per semester at the GC. Explore the possibility of raising the number of meal swipes from 6 to 8-12 per semester. This is precedented by Dining’s previous pilot program of 12-per-semester.
- Vending machines at Lakeside. Continue the discussion with Dining regarding their introduction.
Mail & Delivery Services
- Amazon Lockers. Coordinate with Mail Services to ensure their smooth introduction and operation.
- Package theft deterrence. Poll and consult all residents before discussing the possibility of installing security cameras Public Safety, Housing, and ACC.
Events, Funding, and Outreach
- Event collaborations with ACC. Continue the on-going conversation apply for supplementary funds from various sources.
- Inter-neighbourhood outreach and solidarity. Increase collaboration with sister committees of Lakeside, Meadows, and GCHC and encourage inter-community activities. (The Lawrence external relations delegate is my friend and fellow CGSA officer!). Unite other housing committee delegates at GHAB and GSG assembly meetings for more effective representation and collective bargaining.
Maintenance and Inspections
- ACC Accountability. Ensure fiscal transparency and operational accountability of ACC in timely routine maintenance and on-demand repairs, especially HVAC and hot water.
- EHS inspections. With resident consent, streamline on-demand EHS-sponsored and -led unit inspections for potential hazards and health concerns (e.g. mold).
- Pest control. With resident consent, coordinate with external contractor and introduce annual or more frequent pest prevention and control.
Move-in & Move-out.
- Deadline flexibility. Negotiate with Graduate Housing for more flexibility in deadlines. (e.g., extending access to previous unit midnight of move-out day instead of 5 PM). Explore the possibility of extensions or rescheduling of move-in & move-out dates.
- Increase logistical resources during move-in. Request adequate logistical support (e.g., functional moving carts, on-demand shuttles, etc.) from Housing and Transport & Parking, especially from the GC.
- Sustainability. Continue the current committee’s Greening Move-out Program.
Resident feedback
- Resident feedback form. Continue regular updates, increase publicity through flyers and bulleting boards, and introduce potential financial incentives (i.e., gift card or merch lottery)

About me

Deputy Prime Minister of theCanadian Graduate Student Association. I made valuable personal connections across campus and gained extensive experiences in event planning, advertisement & recruitment, fund management and applications, and communication and outreach.
- We are proud to serve and connect the largest community of international students on campus by country of origin and all friends of Canada. As a team, we have strong partnerships with GSG and GCHC and multiple departmental offices.
Member of Multiplead hocCommittees.
- In the wake of Princeton’s transition to in-person exam proctoring, I served as a graduate student member on the Proctoring Guidelines Advisory Group and provided feedback to facilitate the process.
- In light of funding cuts, I served as the most junior member of all four on the Expense Management Committee of my research group of 50+ members, tracking and tabulating individual and group spending, compiling a final report to be presented to the entire group.
Other Outreach and Community Services
- I’ve held managerial roles (at most 7 at the same time). Working as a duo, we successfully bargained with the manufacturer for the replacement of a defected instrument with a brand new unit worth $40,000+.
- I served as a member of the General Exam Committee at my department, hosting panel discussions aimed at assisting junior students in prepare for their upcoming general exams.

Kiera Lowman

My name is Kiera Lowman, and I am excited to run for Social Chair of the Lakeside Committee. I have lived at Lakeside throughout my time in Princeton, now a G4 in Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (AOS). As an AOS student, I have enjoyed organizing various events for the AOS community, including a three-day workshop featuring invited professors and an annual program retreat (both run entirely by students). I have also had the pleasure of being part of C-PREE’s Environmental Policy Associates, now serving as the group’s Research & Outreach Coordinator—you may have gotten emails from me about the Climate Futures Workshop! Outside of my formal roles, my roommates and I enjoy throwing good-old-fashioned house parties from time to time. Through these experiences, I have learned what goes into making events both genuinely fun and welcoming to everyone.

As Social Chair, I will build on the successes of past Lakeside events, including seasonal traditions and the inaugural Meet Your Neighbors Happy Hour this past month, and introduce new events that appeal to a variety of residents, such as trivia nights on the deck, paint & sips, and family-friendly craft events. Most importantly, I will send a resident survey at the beginning of each semester to gauge interest in different activities. To ensure as many residents as possible can enjoy these events, I will strive to give at least two weeks’ notice and send reminders via email and Slack.

I am confident that my experience organizing events, combined with my enthusiasm for bringing people together, will allow me to make Lakeside an even more welcoming and connected community as Social Chair. Thank you for your consideration!

Yuxin Liu

My name is Yuxin Liu, and I would like to nominate myself for the role of social chair for the next academic year. Here’s my statement and headshot:

Hi everyone! I’m Yuxin, a G5 in the Sociology department, and I’m running for the role of Social Chair.

For four years I’ve run the Princeton TRPG club, which regularly meets at the Lakeside commons. Running a recurring event for that long taught me the unglamorous parts that decide whether an event works, including reserving space, announcing early, recruiting volunteers to help with set-up and cleanup, and making newcomers feel comfortable enough to come back. I’ve also lived in several kinds of apartment communities, so I’ve seen what makes people feel connected to their neighbors and what leaves them feeling isolated. I want to bring the good parts to Lakeside.

If elected, I am planning to keep the most well-liked current events and proposal a few new important activities.

Current Activities to Keep

Welcome events at the start of each semester. The first few weeks decide whether new residents find their community or stay in their apartments. I’d build on this fall’s beginning of the semester welcoming events and make sure every new arrival, including partners and families, hears about it.
Nature walks and birdwatching. These have been popular with residents. I’d offer to co-host with the neighbors who already run them, so we grow what exists instead of duplicating it.
Collaborations with campus groups. Past partnerships, such as the beer mile with the run club, show that Lakeside events work best when they draw on existing communities. I’d keep building these.

New activities I’d propose

Regular family events. Many residents live here with partners and children, and family events have been a common request. I’d alternate family-friendly events (outdoor games, crafts, seasonal gatherings) with grad-focused events (game nights, social evenings), so no group feels like an afterthought.
Movie nights that suit how people actually attend. I know people often leave before the film ends. I’d try outdoor or drop-in screenings, shorter features, and a social element like snacks or a short mingling period before and after.
Game and tabletop nights. From my TRPG experience, I know these bring together people who might never otherwise meet. I’d run beginner-friendly sessions with all materials provided, so no one needs experience to join.
Events built around conversation. I’d favor events where people stay and talk over ones where they grab food and leave, such as shared activities, team games and small-group tables.
Resident feedback. I’d collect brief feedback after events and each semester, so the calendar reflects what residents want.

How I’ll run it

I’ll handle the practical duties of the role: registering events with the Graduate School and ACC, budgeting carefully, and working with the Treasurer to find supplemental funding when needed. I’ll post events early on the website calendar, email and Slack. I’ll also delegate tasks and invite volunteers, so events don’t depend on one person.

I’d love your vote, and I’m happy to hear your ideas anytime!

Webmaster

Daniel Jorge

I’m Daniel Jorge, and I’m running for Lakeside Webmaster. Why vote for me? I have the technical skills: I’m very comfortable with coding, I’ve been using HTML since long before my academic career began, and I’ve helped maintain websites for events I’ve organized. But good code is only part of what makes a good website. Here’s what I’d focus on:

The Lakeside website must be accessible. Everyday information should be easy to find at a glance. Residents should be able to reach upcoming events, important updates, or any relevant information without unnecessary clicks. As webmaster, I’ll make these immediately visible and reorganize the homepage around the links residents need most.

It must be pleasant to interact with. The current website is a little too gray. As someone who has spent way too much time making figures for my papers, I know how much thoughtful design can help readers engage with information. See it for yourself: link. I’ll bring that same care to the Lakeside website, and hopefully make it spark a little joy.

It must be up to date. A reliable website needs current information, with outdated notices removed or archived. I’ll work with the committee to post meeting minutes promptly, keep event details current, and make updates quickly when information changes. I want our website to make everyday life at Lakeside easier. I’d be glad to put in the regular work to keep it useful, welcoming, and up to date.

Vahid Yazdnian

Hi everyone! I am Vahid Yazdnian, a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department. I spend a lot of my time coding, building things, and figuring out how to turn an idea into something that actually works. I genuinely enjoy that process, which is why I am running for Webmaster position. I would love to put my skills to use for our Lakeside community.

I already have hands-on experience building and maintaining websites. I currently maintain our research lab’s website, where I am responsible for keeping the site functional, organized, and up to date. I am comfortable working across the full process, from building and improving the site itself to managing its content and making changes as new information comes in.

For Lakeside, I want the website to be something residents can rely on. Important announcements and deadlines shouldn’t be something you accidentally discover after they have passed. I would like to make timely information stand out, keep things current, and organize the site so that finding something important doesn’t feel like a scavenger hunt.

I would also like to give the website a bit more life. Good design can make a surprisingly big difference in how quickly people understand and use information. I would like to rethink parts of the layout and presentation so that the website feels more modern, intuitive, and welcoming, while still keeping the information itself front and center.

And because I am a bit of a technology enthusiast, I would like to experiment with some ideas beyond the usual website features. One possibility is a small Lakeside AI assistant that could answer common questions about facilities, policies, events, and other everyday concerns. If it doesn’t know the answer, it would simply point residents to the appropriate person or resources. This would be another way to make finding information faster and easier.

Most importantly, I want to build things that solve actual problems. If residents are repeatedly missing an announcement, struggling to find a resource, or asking the same question over and over, I would rather figure out how to improve the system than simply accept that’s how things work.

I want to bring technical experience, creativity, and reliability to the role, and make the Lakeside website a resource that our community can rely on and enjoy using. I would really appreciate your vote!

Garden Coordinator

Yuqi Zhang

My name is Yuqi Zhang, and I am a fourth-year CS PhD student and the current Lakeside Garden Coordinator. I am excited to run again for Garden Coordinator!

Before becoming the coordinator, I was an active gardener at Lakeside, and it quickly became one of my favorite parts of our community. Over the past seasons, I have enjoyed learning from other gardeners and previous garden coordinators. I have been successfully growing plants including tomatoes and strawberries! Having been a new gardener myself, I hope to create a supportive community for garden members to feel encouraged and learn from each other.

Serving as coordinator this past year has been one of the most rewarding parts of my time at Lakeside. When I first ran, I hoped to make the garden more transparent, supportive, and community-oriented, and I am proud of what we have accomplished together:

Garden operations and transparency: I managed plot assignments, cared for our shared herb garden, and maintained a shared spreadsheet tracking all garden expenses so every member can see how funds are used.
Community events: I hosted an herbal tea tasting party and a pesto-making party to bring community members together and celebrate what we have grown.

If re-elected, I would like to build on this foundation:

Gardening support and learning: Alongside orientation and clean-up days, I hope to bring back the tradition of seasonal seedling-starting sessions, along with practical guidance on plant disease and pest prevention, so every gardener has the knowledge to keep their plot healthy and productive throughout the season.
Community connection: I would like to strengthen the mentor-mentee program by pairing experienced gardeners with newer members and offering the option to place their plots near each other. We will also continue hosting harvest gatherings that bring everyone together.
Connecting with neighboring gardens: I would love to organize joint events with gardeners at Lawrence and Meadows, such as garden visits, seed swaps, or shared workshops, so we can learn from each other’s experience and build a fun gardening network.

I would be grateful for the chance to keep serving our community, and I look forward to continuing to grow the garden together.

Sincerely, Yuqi Zhang

Erfan Hosseini

Hi neighbors! I’m Erfan Hosseini, a fifth-year PhD student in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and I’m running for Garden Coordinator. Lakeside was my first home at Princeton. I lived here for my first two years, moved away, and came back this fall. Returning reminded me how lucky we are to have open sky, a lake, and a patch of soil right outside our doors, and I’d love to help more of us make the most of it.
Plants are also, in a way, my day job. My research is in agrivoltaics: growing crops and generating solar power on the same piece of land. I spend a lot of time thinking about how shade, soil moisture, and heat affect what grows, and I’ve long dreamed of seeing a small, community-scale version of that idea come to life. A neighborhood garden is exactly the right place to start small.

What I’ll focus on:
– Share practical, science-based know-how. New Jersey summers are getting hotter, and many plots struggle in July and August, especially during heatwaves (can you remember last July?!). I’d like to host short, hands-on sessions on watering, soil health, and heat stress, including which crops actually do better with a little shade.
– Pilot a small agrivoltaic corner. With Committee approval and input from gardeners, I’d like to explore a modest demonstration, such as a raised bed partly shaded by a solar panel that powers a small drip-irrigation pump or soil-moisture sensors. It would be a low-cost experiment we can watch together, compare against regular beds, and learn from as a community.
– Open the garden to more residents. Not everyone has time for a full plot. I’d love to organize occasional open garden days, family-friendly planting activities, and a shared harvest table so the whole neighborhood can enjoy what grows here.

I’m ready to show up for the weeding as well as the planning. Thank you for reading, and I’d be grateful for your vote!

Best regards,

Erfan Hosseini