Nash Keune's SBP candidacy 'atypical'

Nash Keune bills himself as a “maverick” in the election, with several off-the-wall ideas.

With a platform that suggests re-naming Chapel Hill, constructing a chair lift from Davis Library to the Dean Dome and turning the first floor of Davis Library into a narwhal tank, student body president candidate Nash Keune is poking fun at the way student elections are run.

While some students have questioned whether Keune is taking the election seriously, the junior economics and history major from Germantown, Md., is trying to portray himself as an atypical candidate for student body president.

“I’m the maverick in this election,” Keune said. “Actually, I use that word way too much — I don’t want to go too rogue.”

Keune ignores many of the ideas common to his competitors’ platforms, which focus on making small improvements in areas such as student safety and academics.

It is clear from the language and outlandish examples in his platform — such as the aquarium and chairlift — that Keune is opposed to bureaucracy and an isolated student government that does not reflect the opinions of students.

Instead of feasible solutions, Keune’s focus is his message — students will be electing themselves if they elect him. That’s his rallying point, asking students to vote for him based on his average student appeal.

Unlike most of his competitors, he has no background in student government, but he said this gives him a different insight into UNC.

“He’s never been in student government before, so he isn’t coming from the viewpoint of a small student government minority,” said Stephen Estes, Keune’s campaign manager.

Keune is editor-in-chief of the Carolina Review, a conservative student publication, although he said his political views will not greatly affect his policies in office.

“I probably won’t be invading Iran,” he said. “Although I can’t say for sure, I just can’t see that happening at this point.”

Admitting that some of his platform points are “a bit radical,” he said they are meant to reflect the attitude of students who come from outside of student government.

“I think that the platform represents the interests of the students, rather than the interests of the small minority in the student government establishment who have become disconnected from the life and concerns of the average student at Carolina,” he said.

Christopher Jones, Keune’s chief of staff, wrote in an e-mail that students have already responded positively to Keune’s campaign.

“In our planning meetings last fall, I saw so many of our campaign staff become inspired by Nash,” Jones said. “I could see the fire in their eyes. They knew that by joining Nash’s campaign they were joining something special.”

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.