In his usual business casual dress, during a recent interview, Darling looks the part of a council conservative.

"The council isn't in a position to examine issues beyond our own community," he says.

Like Egan, Darling characterizes himself as a supporter of council president Stewart, whose leadership he said has made the council more effective.

"During last semester there were meetings where the council would spend an inordinate amount of time on one piece of legislation and then not come to a different conclusion," Darling said. "The nature of debate has changed (because of) the tone Beth sets."

Darling, a San Antonio native, says council-wide office may be in his future.

"I'd like to stay very involved in the council," he said. "It's interesting being in a leadership position."

Ear to the Ground

One of the first council memories of Treasurer John A. Burton '01 is a discussion he had with other first-yearmembers bemoaning the lack of frozen yogurt inAnnenberg. The council-induced introduction offro-yo into the first-year dining hall made Burtonproud to be a member.

"It was good to see one tangible issue we hadtalked about actually come to something," Burtonsaid.

Like many colleagues, he is focusing onstudent-life concerns rather than political issuesthis year, stressing the importance of interactionbetween council members and other students.

"We tend to get our best ideas when we talk toother students and find out what's bothering them,what they would like to see changed," Burton said.

For example, this interaction led to one of hiscurrent projects: making the student group grantapplication available on-line. He said this willmake it easier for groups to apply for grantmonies.

"I never would have come up with the idea foran on-line grant application on my own," saidBurton.

According to Burton, the council is makinggreat progress in interacting with students,including rigorous new office hours each week.

"I actually get to interact with people everyday and find out what they like and don't like. Idon't just see things as being issues. I actuallyget to talk to people," he says.

He has noticed one change in the council fromlast semester. "We really have worked very hard,and I think successfully, to get rid of factions,"he said.